Written in 1983, Njabulo Ndebele's “Fools & Other Stories” deals with the experiences of ordinary people living under the apartheid regime. The author subtly comments on the political environment of the 1980s through the lives of average black citizens affected by the apartheid system. Ndebele's work can be described as literature of the victim or powerlessness because it is written as a call to the conscience of the oppressor and aims to make them aware of the forgotten lives of the ordinary. It can be argued that "The Test" is about childhood suffering while "Fools" is about an adult's awareness of one's personal restrictions within a broader social context, but the accuracy of these claims requires further examination. in-depth. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Although "The Test" is written in the third person, the story is told through Thoba's point of view. A young boy from a privileged family, Thoba has a deep desire to experience the trials his contemporaries endure. Ndebele writes that “Thoba envied these boys” (p. 7) and that “…Thoba also wanted to have his feet cracked” (p. 4), just like Nana's. By using the word “desired,” Ndebele suggests that this character has a strong emotional desire for this suffering. Because Thoba comes from a wealthy family, he is under the control of his less fortunate peers. This boy has successful parents who worked hard to be able to get their children into a better grade. Vusi, Mpiyakhe and Simangele mock Thoba because his sheltered lifestyle has denied him many of the experiences of suffering that he so desperately craves. Mpiykakhe said condescendingly: “Softies, y’all. You are too high up. That’s your problem” (p. 12). However, it was later established that Mpiyakhe is also "higher placed" since he is the son of a successful man who owns a successful taxi service. Mpiyakhe lives in a big house, goes to a good school, eats well and is therefore also nicknamed “softie” by Thoba and the boys on Mayaba Street. It can be inferred that Mpiyakhe hates being teased and adopts the victim role in an attempt to hide the inevitable fact that he is a “softie”. This attitude is proven in the line: “…he would vent on Thoba, trying to transfer the ridicule” (p. 13). It is suggested that he also secretly suffers from the suffering of the other boys. Additionally, "The Test" deals with the difficulties of being a boy and the desire to publicly test one's limits that comes with growing up. One of the main themes of this story is that of masculinity and all that it implies: competitiveness, stubbornness, aggression and a twisted sense of sadism and masochism. Ndebele makes numerous references to boys physically fighting against each other, as evidenced by the line "A fight seemed inevitable..." (p. 9). The boys use combat to deal with their aggression as well as to determine who is stronger and therefore more capable of dealing with their respective suffering. In addition to feeling gratification and pleasure from fighting against each other, boys also find satisfaction and pleasure from showing each other their superiority by exposing themselves to pain and suffering. An explicit example of this is when Vusi asks Simangele: "Would you like to be a horse in the rain?" (p. 14). The boys compete, saying "I bet you can never go in the rain without your shirt on" (p. 14) and "Let's see if you can be a horse too" (p. 14). The boys run under therain half-naked and expose themselves to pain and suffering simply to prove their physical prowess and superiority over each other. This attitude is once again proven in the reply: “The weak, most of them” (p. 18). At the end of "The Test", Thoba is able to experience the difficulties of the other boys. Wet, cold, in pain and sick – he is finally happy. He says: “There was suddenly something deeply satisfying and pleasant about the pain” (p. 24). Thoba's efforts to assert his masculinity, prove his supremacy and experience real suffering have borne fruit, he "finally feels so alive" (p. 24). Boys produce pain on their own terms – regardless of the oppressors in their respective lives. Vusi, Simangele, Nana, Mpiyakhe and especially Thoba take control of their own lives and experiences and refuse to allow other forces to dictate and prescribe their suffering. On the other hand, it can be argued that "Fools" means an adult's recognition of personal responsibilities. limits in the broader social context. However, many agree that it is not only the adult, Zamani, who accepts his restrictions, but also the adolescent, Zani. Both men want to bring about social change, but go about it differently. Zani carries his suitcase full of books and tells the older man, “I don’t build houses with them; I construct the mind” (p. 141). He is also quite militaristic when it comes to spreading his ideas about social change, as evidenced by the line written by his girlfriend: "I haven't read a single book since I got home, like you ordered it to me” (p. 206). ). Ndebele, by using the word “ordered”, suggests that Zani gave an authoritative order to Ntozakhe. The author also points out that Zani likes the idea of ​​freedom and struggle, but he has difficulty implementing the social change he always talks about. The attitude of the teenager is reflected in the lines: “What else can we talk about in this country? » (p. 175) as well as “It is so easy to make plans, and then everything falls apart because the appropriate act seems so rare” (p. 227). The 18-year-old explains to Nosipho that when one becomes obsessed with eliminating oppression, one becomes the oppressor oneself. Zani is completely oblivious to the fact that he is essentially describing himself. The young adult victimizes the very people he wishes to help and reduces them to inferior positions within the struggle. Zani's girlfriend sums up this characteristic well: "You can't convince people of your truth by telling them their nonsense (p. 207). There are many instances where Zamani also embodies this tyrannical trait. It is clear to readers that Zamani used to “beat a child until his skin came off” (p. 132). The power dynamic created by the physical abuse of a child can be compared to the relationship between Zani and people who desperately need social transformation. Because the teacher cannot overcome the apartheid system of power relations, he joins it. Zamani hurts others and finds pleasure in it: “He was exactly the kind of boy I liked to break” (p. 133). In addition to being sadistic and profiting from the pain of others, Zamani also shows signs of masochism, evident in the part of the story where the white Afrikaans man brutally whips Zamani. The teacher does not resist the blows, but passively accepts what he believes to be his punishment for years of sin. As the whipping "felt as if [his] skin was peeling off and boiling water was being thrown on the exposed and lacerated inner flesh" (p. 225), Zamani begins to..