My Traitor’s Heart by Rian Malan continuously explores the contrast between the white South African and black South African experiences. The Braaivleis initially is presented as a “profound cultural ritual” (107) started by early Afrikaner settlers. This piece of culture proves very important because it is an essential piece of the beginnings of white settlers history in South Africa. However, the contrasting experiences that Malan frames the Braaivleis with provides perspective into the true meaning of the family friendly barbeque.
His story is told through the eyes of young Paulina, a servant of the family holding the Braai. She tells about her boyfriend, Dennis, being brutally beaten to death by the man of the house Augie de Koker. Augie, in front of the families enjoying the Braai, shamelessly tortures Dennis and beats him mercilessly. Although this story is a singular experience, it is a microcosm for what was being experienced all throughout South Africa. White families freely enjoy …show more content…
A servant of these privileged people enjoying their historical barbeque while her boyfriend, “hog-tied”, bleeding, and “moaning for water” (108) dies slowly in the backdrop of this beautiful “Sunny Sky” braai afternoon. Her life has been so directly harmed by the effects of Apartheid, and her boyfriend dies an awful death because of it. Malan goes on to explain that Augie is eventually pinned for the crime, but is essentially let off because it is found that Dennis provoked the assault and that Augie was under the influence. Again, Malan contrasts this moment with the story of a member of the African National Congress (a group in opposition to Apartheid) being sentenced to 10 years in prison for merely possessing a pamphlet that was “advancing aims of a banned organization.” (111) These two cases, while unrelated in content, speak to the overall corruption in the justice system. Each case is a piece of Apartheid, just on different sides of the
His story is told through the eyes of young Paulina, a servant of the family holding the Braai. She tells about her boyfriend, Dennis, being brutally beaten to death by the man of the house Augie de Koker. Augie, in front of the families enjoying the Braai, shamelessly tortures Dennis and beats him mercilessly. Although this story is a singular experience, it is a microcosm for what was being experienced all throughout South Africa. White families freely enjoy …show more content…
A servant of these privileged people enjoying their historical barbeque while her boyfriend, “hog-tied”, bleeding, and “moaning for water” (108) dies slowly in the backdrop of this beautiful “Sunny Sky” braai afternoon. Her life has been so directly harmed by the effects of Apartheid, and her boyfriend dies an awful death because of it. Malan goes on to explain that Augie is eventually pinned for the crime, but is essentially let off because it is found that Dennis provoked the assault and that Augie was under the influence. Again, Malan contrasts this moment with the story of a member of the African National Congress (a group in opposition to Apartheid) being sentenced to 10 years in prison for merely possessing a pamphlet that was “advancing aims of a banned organization.” (111) These two cases, while unrelated in content, speak to the overall corruption in the justice system. Each case is a piece of Apartheid, just on different sides of the