Symbols (Grade 12 NSC Matric English FAL): Revision Notes
Symbols
What are symbols?
A symbol represents something beyond its literal meaning. Think of a dove representing peace or a cross symbolising Christianity. In literature, symbolism is a powerful technique where authors give objects, places, or actions deeper meanings that connect to the story's themes.
Writers use literary devices like metaphor, allegory, and allusion to develop symbolism. In "My Children! My Africa!", Athol Fugard uses various symbols to explore themes of apartheid, education, hope, and despair.
Symbolism works on multiple levels - a single object or place can represent several different ideas simultaneously, creating layers of meaning that enrich the text's interpretation.
Place symbols
Brakwater
Literal meaning: This Afrikaans word refers to brackish water - water with high salt content that tastes unpleasant and cannot be consumed safely.
Figurative meaning: Brakwater represents the harsh living conditions for Black people in the Eastern Cape during apartheid. The location is described as "a terrible mess" and "an eyesore" that prevents healthy human development. It symbolises the poverty, suffering, and lack of opportunities that apartheid created for Black South Africans.
Camdeboo
Literal meaning: Derived from a Khoi word meaning "green hollow", this refers to a beautiful, fertile area.
Figurative meaning: Camdeboo symbolises hope, beauty, and the possibility of a better life. Isabel describes their town as "very pretty," representing contentment, prosperity, and the good life that some enjoy whilst others suffer in places like Brakwater.
The stark contrast between these two place names immediately establishes the geographical and social divisions that apartheid created, with language itself reflecting these inequalities.
Object symbols
The school bell
The school bell represents authority and institutional order. Mr M continues to ring it even when comrades threaten to kill him, showing his defiance against those who would disrupt education. The bell symbolises his commitment to maintaining educational standards despite political chaos.
Matchboxes
Literal meaning: Refers to the cramped size of classrooms at Zolile High School and Mr M's small rented room at Rev Mbopa's place.
Figurative meaning: Matchboxes symbolise the confined, limited living conditions that Black people endured under apartheid. They represent poverty, oppression, racial segregation, and the restricted opportunities available to the Black community.
Symbolic Analysis: The Matchbox
Step 1: Identify the literal reference Physical description of cramped, tiny spaces
Step 2: Consider the figurative meaning
Represents the systematic limitation of opportunities and living conditions
Step 3: Connect to broader themes Links to apartheid's deliberate restriction of Black advancement and dignity
The dictionary
The dictionary serves as a symbol of education, learning, and the transformative power of language. It represents knowledge, ideas, and communication - tools that can help people understand each other and create positive change.
The stone
The stone symbolises violent protest and destruction. It represents the anger and frustration that leads to destructive actions rather than constructive solutions.
Notice how Fugard contrasts symbols of education and learning (dictionary, school bell) with symbols of violence and destruction (stone) to highlight the central tension between peaceful progress and violent resistance.
Activity symbols
The debate
The debate symbolises civilised discussion, negotiation, and the "orderly way of doing things". It represents the possibility of resolving conflicts through peaceful dialogue rather than violence.
Political symbols
Ozymandias
This references the famous poem about a fallen ancient ruler. In the play, Ozymandias symbolises political power and how it can cause pain and oppression. It also suggests that even the mightiest political systems eventually crumble.
The Ozymandias reference adds a classical dimension to the play, suggesting that apartheid, like all oppressive systems throughout history, contains the seeds of its own destruction.
Understanding symbolic contrasts
The play uses contrasting symbols to highlight the inequalities of apartheid:
- Brakwater vs Camdeboo: poverty and suffering versus beauty and prosperity
- Matchboxes vs open spaces: confinement versus freedom
- Stone vs debate: violence versus peaceful resolution
These symbolic contrasts create a powerful framework for understanding how apartheid divided South African society, showing the stark differences in lived experiences between different racial groups.
Critical Analysis Tip: When examining symbolic contrasts, always explain how they reflect the play's central themes. Don't just identify the contrast - explain what it reveals about the characters' different worlds and experiences.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Only explaining one side of a symbolic contrast
- Failing to connect symbols to the broader themes of apartheid and education
- Treating symbols as having only one possible meaning
Exam tips
- When analysing symbols, always explain both their literal and figurative meanings
- Connect symbols to the play's major themes: apartheid, education, hope vs despair
- Use specific quotes from the text to support your analysis
- Consider how symbols work together to create meaning
Key Points to Remember:
- Symbols carry deeper meanings - they represent ideas and themes beyond their literal appearance
- Place symbols contrast - Brakwater (suffering) versus Camdeboo (hope and beauty)
- Object symbols reflect social conditions - matchboxes represent the cramped, limited opportunities under apartheid
- The dictionary symbolises education's power - knowledge and language as tools for change
- Contrasting symbols highlight apartheid's inequalities - the gap between different communities' experiences