Title: The Portrayal of Comrade Q as a Minor Character in "Small Things" and its Connection to History, Transition, Inequality, and Class Introduction: In Nthikeng Mohlele's novel "Small Things," Comrade Q, despite being a minor character, plays a significant role in exploring the themes of histor...
The novel Small Things by Nthikeng Mohlele In Small Things, one of the minor
characters, Comrade Q, may be a lesser mentioned character but his role in the
novel opens up discussions on two important themes in postApartheid South
Africa, namely, inequality and class and history and transition (of South Africa
from Apartheid to a democratic state). In post-Apartheid South Africa, the novel
suggests that a new, wealthy class of citizen has developed. This is a class of
previously disadvantaged South African comrades who use their credentials as
antiApartheid activists as currency to gain influence in business and politics in
order to generate wealth for themselves as well as family and friends.
Using the extract detailed below as a starting point and focusing specifically on
the theme of history and transition, write an essay in which you discuss Comrade
Q’s portrayal as a minor character. In your essay, you should do the following:
• Focus specifically on the theme of history and transition (Discuss how
Comrade Q’s character reinforces the theme of history and transition of South
Africa from Apartheid to a democratic state). • Explain how the theme of history
and transition (of South Africa from Apartheid to a democratic state) links to the
theme of inequality and class. The extract you are expected to use begins on p.
75 of the novel with the words, “Frost descends on Benito…” (p.75). The extract
ends on p. 76 with the words, “Even more absurd: how many souls owe how
many Comrade Qs favours?” (Mohlele, 2013:76).
Before you start writing your essay, you should:
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