My Children! My Africa! Lesson Plan

What is the significance of Isabel's and Thami's different reactions to losing?

On the surface, it may just seem like a different orientation of their personalities that Isabel has such a bad reaction to losing and Thami accepts it more graciously. But Thami insists that he doesn't like losing. This contrast shows us two things. One that Thami as a character is not an inherently pugnacious or aggressive person. Secondly that perhaps it is part of her privilege as a white person that allows Isabel to have the strong feelings she does about winning and that for Thami being able to accept losing is part of a coping strategy he's been taught through living in a society where...