World Literature- South Africa

Group PresentationSoweto Green

Group members:GraceJoeSharonStella

Outline•Introduce “Soweto Green” Background information Plot Characters Humor•Three main problems Culture Marriage Construction •Conclusion•Works Cited

Sharon

Introduction

Nelson Mandela • Born on July 18, 1918• Join in the African National

Congress in 1944• Arrested in 1962, released on

Feb. 11, 1990• 1993 won the Nobel prize• 1994 won the presidency.

Background Information

•Director: David Lister

•Year of Publication: 1995

Social background

•The regime of Nelson Mandela

•Post-apartheid

Plot summary

•Professor Curtis Tshabalala and his wife, Cora, went back to Soweto.

•Adrian Fluit went to South African with his black girl friend, Thandeka.

•Adrian introduced Tshabalala to his family.

Main CharactersDr. Curtis Tashabalala Cora

Looksmart

Vossie Fluit Amada Fluit

Adrian Fluit Thandeka Amelia

The use of humor

•Name-play

Stella

Problem 1 Culture

Tourist attraction • (04:44~05:58)• South Africa as a

destination • Nelson Mandela• Looksmart gains

money from tourists

Robbery scene• (08:24~08:34)• Cora: “we are black!

You can’t rob us.” • (08:40~ 09:20)• Gun fights scene • Gun control issue.

Culture shock• (11:57~ 12:32)• Cora’s reaction • (15:30~15:37)• Cora fainted• (15:40~ 15:49):

comparison• Fluits drink wine• (16:37~ 17:40)• Cora’s disgust

Media• (18:01~19:21)• Cora: “What was that

on TV? A movie?”• People’s ideas toward

South Africa are from mass media.

Dinner time• (31:23~31:56)• Cake: South Africa’s

flag• (34:21~34:56)• Assumption of unable

to speak English• Stereotype?

Dinner time• (36:42~37:45)• Wordplay: “Shit!”• Most important

ingredient • “Cow shit, chicken

shit, bird shit, baby poopoo.”

• Soweto: brown green

Dinner time• (38:43~39:30)• Vossie Fluit: First feel

uncomfortable meeting black friends of Adrian Fluit. Then, after knowing Dr. Tashabalala’s acquaintance with vice president. He becomes friendly.

• Wordplay: “Have some wine! Help yourself with my wife!”

Grace

Problem 2 Marriage

Marriage

•Adrian and Thandeka•Graduated in America•Back to get married

Problem

•Racal issue•Black and white•Pressure from

Adrian’s family•Adrian dare not to

tell his family•Thandeka is angry

about Adrian

Adrian’s Pressure•Adrian’s mother •Amelia •Adrian’s father

Solution

•Finally, Adrian tells his father their marriage

•Vossie reluctantly accept their marriage

•“A rainbow family”

Assumption

•Adrian’s mother won’t accept Thandeka so easily if she didn’t misunderstand Adrian as gay at first place.

Joe

Problem 3 Construction

What Dr. Tshabalala Seeks

•Dr.Tshabalala --- The tree man•1. Reconstruct Soweto:• Black township Soweto Green

•2. Equal, reasonable share of the land, share

• of power

What Dr. Tshabalala seeks•3. Prosperous local development

•4. Take Vossie’s job offer to handle sensitive issue, take affirmative action, environment and deal with the government.

•5. Willing to take the responsibility of the falling down houses in Soweto

•6. Reconstruct his nation, South Africa

What The Ffakkorp (Vossie) Seeks•Vossie Fluit•1. Economic profit•Construct the land to make profit

•2. Holding the vested interest and power

What The Ffakkorp (Vossie) Seeks•3. Hire Dr.Tshabalala for company’s

image contradict Dr. Tshabalala’s idea

•4. Think that Dr. Tshabalala’s action will make the company go bankrupt.

The ultimate cause

•Apartheid Caused:

•The falling down houses•The Ffakkorp company itself•The old government•The current Soweto

Conclusion

•Ideal solutions vs. reality •Find a balance •Robbery and gun issue•White and black•Culture differences

•Ref. Poor Whites - South Africahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFj0HdW2iDs&feature=fvw

Works Cited• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_South_Africa•  

Thanks for Your Listening