Summary
Summary The child shot dead at Nyanga poem essay exemplar for grade 12
- Course
- Institution
Critically themed and discussed poem essay examples for the poem "The child shot dead at Nyanga by soldiers " for grade 12 paper 2 2023
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
copymini
Content preview
THE CHILD WHO WAS SHOT DEAD BY SOLDIERS IN NYANGA – Ingrid Jonker1. The child is not dead
2. the child raises his fists against his mother
3. who screams Africa screams the smell
4. of freedom and heather
5. in the locations of the heart under siege
6. The child raises his fists against his father
7. in the march of the generations
8. who scream Africa scream the smell
9. of justice and blood
10. in the streets of his armed pride
11. The child is not dead
12. neither at Langa nor at Nyanga
13. nor at Orlando nor at Sharpeville
14. nor at the police station in Philippi
15. where he lies with a bullet in his head
16. The child is the shadow of the soldiers
17. on guard with guns saracens and batons
18. the child is present at all meetings and legislations
19. the child peeps through the windows of houses and into the hearts of mothers
20. the child who just wanted to play in the sun at Nyanga is everywhere
21. the child who became a man treks through all of Africa
22. the child who became a giant travels through the whole world
23. Without a pass
, BIOGRAPHY: Ingrid Jonker
• Born 1933; Died 1965
• (Afrikaans) South African
• She had a traumatic childhood and adulthood. Her poetry often expresses her
personal traumas, as well as the societal and familial injustices she perceived around
her. She was a member of “Die Sestigers”, a group of anti-establishment poets and
writers who challenged the conservative literary norms and censorship of the 1950s
and 60s in South Africa.
• She posthumously (after her death) received the Order of Ikhamanga for her
contribution to literature and commitment to the struggle for human rights.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
• Ingrid Jonker wrote this protest poem in Afrikaans, in the aftermath of the
Sharpeville massacre. (The Sharpeville massacre occurred on 21 March 1960 at the
police station in the township of Sharpeville in the then Transvaal Province of the
then Union of South Africa (today part of Gauteng).
• After demonstrating against pass laws, a crowd of about 7000 protesters went to the
police station. Sources disagree as to the behaviour of the crowd; some state that the
crowd was peaceful, while others state that the crowd had been hurling stones at the
police, and that the mood had turned "ugly". The South African Police opened fire on
the crowd when the crowd started advancing toward the fence around the police
station, and tear-gas had proved ineffectual.
• There were 249 victims in total, including 29 children, with 69 people killed and 180
injured. Some were shot in the back as they fled.
• It refers to the killing of a young child in Nyanga – see summary.
• Writing in Drum magazine about the poem, Jonker said: “I saw the mother as every
mother in the world. I saw her as myself. I saw Simone [Jonker’s own child] as the
baby. I could not sleep. I thought of what the child might have been had he been
allowed to live. I thought what could be reached, what could be gained by death?
• The child wanted no part in the circumstances in which our country is grasped… He
only wanted to play in the sun at Nyanga…
• [The poem] grew out of my sense of bereavement.”
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller copymini. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.85. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
48041 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 15 years now