Essay Questions

What are the roles of women as portrayed in the book Fools and Other Stories?

The setting of the stories is a small South African town during the apartheid. Some of the people are struggling to adopt European mannerisms whereas others want to stick to their traditional African roots.The most visible roles of women in this society include caregiving, doing household chores, healing and being the voice of reason in society.

In the story, The Test the boys who are the main characters, Vusi, Nana, and Simangele are raised by their mother or grandmother. Therefore showing the role of women as caregivers. Women also are expected to do household chores. In the story, The Music of the Violin, Teboho is asked to clear the table and wash dishes by her parents whereas her brother is resting in his room.

Discuss the various kinds of work that are shown in Fools and Other Stories.

Since the setting of the story was during Apartheid South Africa, the Boers held administrative positions in the country whereas black people who were the majority did either formal or informal work. Those that were educated had formal jobs whereas those without a formal education had informal jobs.

Those that held formal jobs include Vukani's parents whose mother was a nurse and father a school inspector. Those that held informal jobs include Uncle who was a musician who relied on gigs and other characters who were farmers.