Fiela’s Child by Dalene Mathee narrates the story of Benjamin Komoetie who appeared at the doorstep of Fiela Komoetie when he was three years old. At age twelve Benjamin is removed from the Komoetie household and sent to live with the van Rooyen family who believe that he is their son, named Lukas, who went missing nine years ago at age three. The novel deals with the identity crisis of Benjamin Komoetie vs. Lukas van Rooyen. The person Benjamin becomes by the end of the novel is shaped by similarities and differences between his two families and their cultures.
There is a lack of similarities between the Komoetie’s and the van Rooyen’s; however, an essential similarity between the two is both coach Benjamin as to what to say. The Komoetie’s …show more content…
The most visible one being their race. The setting of the novel, nineteenth century South Africa, is a time where the black people were looked down on by the white people. Evidence of this can be seen in the way people, specifically white people, talked to Fiela Komoetie: “Listen here, women” (21) said the census people to Fiela. Evidence is also present when Fiela is conversing with herself about how to ask the magistrate for information about Benjamin: “Slither like a snake, Fiela! When you want something from a white man, stoop low”(150). These quotes not only exemplify how blacks were looked down upon and felt less equal but it also highlights the white supremacy of the time period. The quotes emphasizes that Fiela is looked down upon because she is not white when the census people do not regard her by name, but rather by “women.” In addition, Fiela recognizes that she has to act inferior in order to get what she wants, Benjamin,due to the fact that she is seen as inferior. This idea of black people being inferior highlights that the white people are seen as supreme. The concept of stooping low or bowing down in front of a white person places them on a higher level. These are two extremely different cultures both of which Benjamin grew up with. One where he was seen as odd for being a white child living with a black family where he acted black and called white people master and the other …show more content…
For the Komoetie’s, Fiela ,the women, was in charge; however, for the van Rooyen’s, Elias, the man, was in charge and gave his wife little to no say as to what happens. Elias determines what Barta does and speaks derogatorily towards her by saying “Really, Barta, you sound like an ox!” (85). Not only is Elias speaking down toward her, but the simile within his statement compares Barta to an ox; He does not treat her like a human and instead treats his wife and calls his wife an animal. Elias controls his entire family not just his wife. Unlike the Komoetie household where Fiela is in charge. Fiela believes that “To have one ostrich was good, but to have a pair of breeding birds was as good as having a trunk full of money under the bed” (14). Said belief highlights that Fiela raises ostriches while Barta raises nothing besides plants. Also the simile between the pair of ostriches, which they just received, and becoming rich exemplifies that Fiela also helps to make money for the family. This is also unlike the van Rooyens. These are two different beliefs about the family structure and beliefs make up culture, thus Benjamin had a cultural change when he was removed from the Komoetie family and placed in the van Rooyen
There is a lack of similarities between the Komoetie’s and the van Rooyen’s; however, an essential similarity between the two is both coach Benjamin as to what to say. The Komoetie’s …show more content…
The most visible one being their race. The setting of the novel, nineteenth century South Africa, is a time where the black people were looked down on by the white people. Evidence of this can be seen in the way people, specifically white people, talked to Fiela Komoetie: “Listen here, women” (21) said the census people to Fiela. Evidence is also present when Fiela is conversing with herself about how to ask the magistrate for information about Benjamin: “Slither like a snake, Fiela! When you want something from a white man, stoop low”(150). These quotes not only exemplify how blacks were looked down upon and felt less equal but it also highlights the white supremacy of the time period. The quotes emphasizes that Fiela is looked down upon because she is not white when the census people do not regard her by name, but rather by “women.” In addition, Fiela recognizes that she has to act inferior in order to get what she wants, Benjamin,due to the fact that she is seen as inferior. This idea of black people being inferior highlights that the white people are seen as supreme. The concept of stooping low or bowing down in front of a white person places them on a higher level. These are two extremely different cultures both of which Benjamin grew up with. One where he was seen as odd for being a white child living with a black family where he acted black and called white people master and the other …show more content…
For the Komoetie’s, Fiela ,the women, was in charge; however, for the van Rooyen’s, Elias, the man, was in charge and gave his wife little to no say as to what happens. Elias determines what Barta does and speaks derogatorily towards her by saying “Really, Barta, you sound like an ox!” (85). Not only is Elias speaking down toward her, but the simile within his statement compares Barta to an ox; He does not treat her like a human and instead treats his wife and calls his wife an animal. Elias controls his entire family not just his wife. Unlike the Komoetie household where Fiela is in charge. Fiela believes that “To have one ostrich was good, but to have a pair of breeding birds was as good as having a trunk full of money under the bed” (14). Said belief highlights that Fiela raises ostriches while Barta raises nothing besides plants. Also the simile between the pair of ostriches, which they just received, and becoming rich exemplifies that Fiela also helps to make money for the family. This is also unlike the van Rooyens. These are two different beliefs about the family structure and beliefs make up culture, thus Benjamin had a cultural change when he was removed from the Komoetie family and placed in the van Rooyen