I. Discussion

1. Different Wineglasses
 

   
Cognac                   champagn            wine                 martini
2. In the year 1960 the Union of South Africa celebrated its Golden Jubilee, and there was a nationwide sensation when the one-thousand-pound prize for the finest piece sculpture was won by a black man… (Para. 1)
Questions:
1) Why did the black man’s success cause such a nationwide sensation?
2) What background does this opening sentence intend to unravel?
3) What made Simelane’s sculpture such a great success? What’s about it that appealed not only to the blacks but to the whites as well?
3. How come such an important honor was given to a black sculptor in a country notorious for racial prejudice? How was the decision received? What does this incident reveal about the situation in the 1960s in South African society? Pick up clues provided in the story.
4. However, a crisis was averted, because the sculptor was “unfortunately unable to attend the ceremony”. (Para. 3)
Questions:
1) What did the author mean by saying that a crisis was finally averted? What is it about?
2) What would have happened if Simelane had attended the ceremony personally to accept the prize?
3) What would have happened if Simelane had attended the ceremony personally? How was the crisis averted? He said, “boys, I’m a sculptor, not a demonstrator.” Does that mean that he was too coward or unconscious of the plight of the blacks under the apartheid policies?
5. “I wasn’t feeling up to it.” Simelane said mischievously to me. “My parents, and my wife’s parents, and our priest, decided that I wasn’t feeling up to it. And finally I decided so too. (Para. 4)
Questions:
1) In what sense did Simelane think he wasn’t “feeling up to it”? Did he mean he was physically unable to attend the ceremony?
2) Why did Simelane give the author that mischievous look?
6. Of course Majosi and Sola and the others wanted me to go and get my prize personally, but I said, “boys, I’m a sculptor, not a demonstrator.” (Para. 4)
Questions:
1) Who do you think Majosi and Sola were? Why did they strongly advise Simelane to and get the prize personally?
2) How to understand “I’m a sculptor, not a demonstrator”?
7. What do you think is the relationship between the narrator and Simelane? Describe the occasion when Simelane related the story to the narrator. Why did he say that it was the first time he had had such a glass? What was so special about the glass? Why did he say that it was also the first time he had drunk cognac so slowly?
II. Language Study
1. In the year 1960 the Union Africa celebrated its Golden Jubilee, and there was a nationwide sensation when the one-thousand-pound prize for the finest piece of sculpture was won by a black man, Edward Simelane. (Para. 1)
Golden Jubilee: 50th anniversary
Nationwide: throughout the nation
Sensation: extreme excitement or interest
Eg. produce/cause/create sensation
The moon landing in 1969 caused a worldwide sensation.
Other meanings:
One sign of a heart attack is a tingling sensation in the left arm.
Caroline had the sensation that she was being watched.
a black man, Edward Simelane: appositive
In the year 1960, the Union of South Africa celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, and there was a great excitement throughout the country when people heard that the prize for the finest piece of sculpture was won by a black man.
2. His work, African Mother and Child, not only excited the admiration, but touched the conscience or heart or whatever it was that responded, of white South Africa.
His work, African Mother and Child: appositive
not only excited…but touched: coordinate constructions, functioning as predicate
whatever it was: noun clause, coordinating with “conscience” “heart”
that responded: restrictive clause, modifying the parts joined by “or”
His sculpture, African Mother and Child, not only won the admiration of the white people for its artistic merit, but also deeply touched or moved their hearts and conscience because the work made them see the injustice of racial discrimination and the black people’s yearning for a better life for their children.
3. It was by an oversight that his work was accepted… (Para. 2)       
Oversight: a mistake that you make by not noticing sth. or by forgetting to do sth.
Cf. mistake, error, blunder, slip, lapse, oversight
 Your essay was not marked due to my oversight.  
Other meaning:
 He has general oversight of all training courses.
That: emphatic structure
It was by a careless mistake that his work was accepted, because as a black person, he was not supposed to participate in the competition.
4. … but in certain powerful quarters, there was an outcry against any departure from the “traditional policies” of the country… (Para. 3)
Quarters: a usually unspecified group of people
Outcry: a strong protest or objection
departure from: a divergence from a rule or traditional practice
traditional policies: referring to the racial policies which had been in effect for many years
… but in certain politically influential circles, there was a strong protest against this decision as it was not in conformity with the traditional, apartheid policies of the country…
5. In Orlando you develop a throat of iron, and you just put back your head and put it down, in case the police should arrive. (Para. 5)
a throat of iron: metaphor: a strong throat
in case the police should arrive: subjunctive mood introduced by “in case”
In Orlando you (the blacks) gradually develop a throat as strong as iron, and you just throw back your head and drink the brandy up in one gulp in order to avoid police detection.
III. Exercise
Translation
1. 他的意外出现在小镇上引起了很大的轰动。（sensation）
      His unexpected appearance created a great sensation in the town.
2. 由于令人遗憾的疏忽，完整的说明书没有随产品同来。（oversight）
      By an unfortunate oversight, full instructions do not come with the product.
3. 我们发现这里明显地背离了宣言的精神和条文。（departure）
      Here we find a decided departure from the spirit and the letter of the Declaration.
Part II
I. Discussion
1. They gave a whole window to it, with a white velvet backdrop, if there is anything called white velvet, and… (Para. 7)
Questions:
1) What did he mean when he said “… if there is anything called white velvet”? Could he be playing with the word “white” here?
2) What qualities are usually associated with “velvet”?
3) How did the bookshop exhibit Simelane’s sculpture? How do you understand his words “with a white velvet backdrop, if there is anything called white velvet…”?
2. Why do you think van Rensburg would like to invite Simelane for a drink?
3. Was Simelane happy about the invitation? Why? What made him accept the invitation?
4. Why did they have all the discussion about language? Why didn’t they speak Afrikaans in the first place?
5. “It’s beautiful,” he said. “Look at that mother’s head. She’s loving that child, but she’s somehow watching too. Like someone guarding. She knows it won’t be an easy life.” (Para. 14)
Questions:
1) Did the white man admire the sculpture purely from an artistic point of view? Why and why not?
2) Do you think the exhibited sculpture transformed the mind of this young Africaner? In what way?
6. I couldn’t have told him my name. I said I was Vakalisa, living in Orlando.
Questions:
1) Why didn’t Simelane tell the white man his true name?
2) What do you think was the reason why van Rensburg decided to befriend this black stranger?
7. Then he said to me, “Are you educated?”
I said unwillingly. “Yes.” Then I thought to myself, how stupid, for leaving the question open. (Para. 27)
Question: Why did he say that he was a fool to leave the question open?
8. Now I certainly had not expected that I would have drink in the passage.  (Para. 30)
Questions:
1) How did Simelane feel when he realized that they were going to drink in the passage? Did he feel insulted and angry?
2) Why do you think Simelane was not invited in?
9. On the other side were the doors, impersonal doors. (Para. 37)
… I was thinking that one of the impersonal doors might open at any moment… (Para. 39)
Question: Why did Simelane keep referring to the “impersonal doors”? Why impersonal?
10. … and van Rensburg, in a strained voice that suddenly came out of nowhere, said, “Our land is beautiful. But it breaks my heart.” (Para. 44)
“You know,” he said, “about our land being beautiful?” (Para. 69)
Question: What did van Rensburg mean when he said that he thought their land was beautiful but sometimes broke his heart?
11. Why did Simelane say “the whole thing was mad, and getting beyond me”? (para.51)
12. Why did Simelane keep referring to the “impersonal doors”? What does it mean? He said he was waiting for the opening of one of those impersonal doors. Was he no longer afraid of being seen in a “white” building, breaking the liquor laws?
13. How would you describe Simelane’s feelings while drinking in the passage?
14. What he was thinking, God knows, but I was thinking he was like a man trying to run a race in iron shoes, and not understanding why he cannot move. (Para. 75)
Question:
1) What did Simelane mean when he said that van Rensburg was like a man trying to run a race in iron shoes, and not understanding why he cannot move?
2) Simelane said, “We didn’t exactly walk abreast, but he didn’t exactly walk in front of me.” Is there anything that he wanted to convey by describing how they walked?
3) Why was van Rengsburg interested in Simelane’s educational background? Did Simelane tell him the truth? Why did he say that he was a fool to leave the question open?
4) Was Simelane disappointed to find that van Rensburg’s building was not one of those luxurious places? Describe how each of them felt at the moment.
15. When they drove up Eloff Street, van Rensburge said, “Did you know what I meant?” What was he referring to? Did Simelane know what he was referring to?
16. How do you interpret Simelane’s words in para. 70, “his eyes had been blinded by years in the dark”? Why is it that “if men never touch each other, they’ll hurt each other one day”? And why is it that “black men don’t touch white men any more”?
17. Why was Simelane inarticulate at the end of the story?
18. Why did Simelane say that van Rensburg “was like a man trying to run a race in iron shoes, and not understanding why he cannot move”?
19. Why did Simelane’s wife weep when she heard the story?
20. Examine the role of liquor in the story and discuss its function as a symbol.
II. Language Study
1. They gave a window to it, with a white velvet backdrop, if there is anything called white velvet, and some complimentary words. (Para. 7)
if there is anything called white velvet: It’s hard to associate “white velvet” with “softness” “smoothness” in an apartheid country
complimentary words: words expressing praise/admiration
They gave a whole window to the sculpture with a white curtain at the back and some words in praise of the work. The curtain (backdrop) was made of white velvet, if there is such a thing as white velvet.
2. … so I thought I’d go and see the window, and indulge certain pleasurable human feelings. I must have got a little lost in the contemplation of my own genius… (Para. 9)
got a little lost in: be engrossed/absorbed in
contemplation: quiet, serious thinking about sth.
So I thought I’d go and see the window, and enjoy secretly some pleasant feelings—feelings of pride for example for one’s genius. I must have become too absorbed in my thinking about my own genius…
3. I wasn’t only feeling what you may be thinking, I was thinking that one of the impersonal doors might open at any moment, and someone might see me in “white” building, and see me and van Rensburg breaking the liquor laws of the country. (Para. 39)
You might be thinking that it was an insult to have me drink in the passage instead of inviting me into their apartment, to sit down and drink properly. Yes, I was feeling that way. But there was sth. else. I was also afraid that one of the cold, unfriendly doors might open at any moment and someone might see me in this “whites only” building, drinking with a white man and breaking the laws on drinking.
4. Anger could have saved me from the whole embarrassing situation, but you know I can’t easily be angry. Even if I could have been, I might have found it hard to be angry with this particular man. (Para. 39)
could have saved me from: subjunctive mood
I could have simply left then and there angrily and thus freed myself from the awkward situation. But you know, I’m not the kind of person who can easily get angry. Even if I could, I might have found it hard to be angry with this particular man. He seemed so nice to me.
5. … and van Rensburg, in a strained voice that suddenly came out of nowhere, said, “Our land is beautiful. But it breaks my heart.” (Para. 44)
out of nowhere: happening or appearing suddenly and without warning
Our land: our country
breaks my heart: make one extremely sad
Van Rensburg suddenly appeared and, in a worried voice, said, “Our land is beautiful. But it breaks my heart.”
6. All of us were full of goodwill, but I was waiting for the opening of one of those impersonal doors. Perhaps they were too, I don’t know. Perhaps when you want so badly to touch someone, you don’t care. (Para. 63)
All of us were full of warm and friendly feelings toward each other, but I was hoping that one of those doors would open and someone would come out and see me. Perhaps van Rensburg and the others were hoping the same thing, I am not quite sure. Perhaps when you want to reach out so eagerly, you don’t care what might happen.
7. We drove up Eloff Street, and he said, “Did you know what I meant?” I wanted to answer him, but I couldn’t, because I didn’t know what that something was. He couldn’t be talking about being frightened of Orlando at night, because what more could one mean than just that? (Para. 67)
We drove up Eloff Street, and he asked, “Did you know what I meant?” He wanted to make sure that I understood him. Being a black, I knew very well that he couldn’t be talking about it being dangerous in Orlando at night. He was saying that it was dangerous to break the Apartheid laws by showing up in Orlando at night. What else could he mean other than that?
8. Yes, I knew what he meant, and I knew that for God’s sake he wanted to touch me too and he couldn’t; for his eyes had been blinded by years in the dark. And I thought it was a pity he was blind, for if men never touch each other, they’ll hurt each other one day. (Para. 70)
Yes, I knew what he meant, and I knew, too, that he really wanted to touch me. But he couldn’t, for he had been influenced by racism for so long that he was now unable to see the truth and behave accordingly. And I thought it was a sad thing, because if you don’t understand each other and don’t care for each other, some day you will hurt each other. Racial prejudices are bound to lead to terrible sufferings for both sides.
9. And it was a pity he was blind, and couldn’t touch me, for black men don’t touch white men any more; only by accident, when they make something like Mother and Child. (Para. 70)
And it was a pity he could not see the truth and couldn’t open up completely to me and embrace me as his brother, for black people could only touch them by accident as in this case. They would not have had the chance to be moved by the sculpture Mother and Child if it had not been for the oversight.
10. … and my inarticulateness distressed me,… (Para. 72)
inarticulateness : being unable to express oneself clearly; being at a loss for words
… and my inability to express myself upset me;
Or
The fact that I could not clearly express what I was thinking made me upset.
11. … but I was thinking he was like a man trying to run a race in iron shoes, and not understanding why he cannot move. (Para. 75)
trying to, not understanding: present participle, modifying “a man”
But I was thinking that he was much like a man trying to run but couldn’t because he was still not completely free from racist prejudices which were dragging his feet like iron shoes. And the sad thing was that he still did not know what was preventing their land, which otherwise was so beautiful, from becoming a country that would not break his heart. The wall was in his own heart.