Racism
The action described in the book takes place in the 20th century and it centers around those who were members of the so-called apartheid movement. The events described took place in South Africa, a country that despite being predominantly black, was controlled by white people who devised racist laws similar to the ones that existed in America and that promoted racial segregation. This injustice pushed the young generation to stand up and fight, hoping that one day they could achieve equality and be treated as same as their white counterparts. Because of this, racism and the idea of fighting against it is one of the main themes in the book.
Betrayal
Another main theme in the book is the idea of betrayal. The narrator analyzes the example of many South African men and women who left the apartheid movement and joined the opposing side. This blatant betrayal affected the movement and hindered its advancement and as such the narrator harshly criticizes those who took the decision to change sides. Betrayal is the biggest sin a person could do and is something that is seen as being unforgivable.
Inequality
Another main theme in the story is the idea of inequality between the genders. While the main theme is represented by the way in which different races are treated, there are also big differences between the way in which men and women are treated. Women are seen as being largely tools, their main purpose being giving their husbands pleasure. In a sense, women are seen as being similar to animals and as such are not seen as being worthy of respect or capable of taking decisions on their own.
