The Divergence Between Characters: Relationships in "Town and Country Lovers" Hao Hsuan Yang College

When Dr. Franz-Joseph von Leinsdorf first arrived ar South Africa, he never thought of falling in love with a dark-skinned woman during the time of apartheid. In the plot, this seems contradictory; courtship occurs in the inappropriate time and place, and this inappropriateness soon leads to the differences between their understanding toward love. During the progress of their relationships, the divergence toward the courtship appears between the lovers, and this divergence, to some extent, is one of the main reasons for the breaking down of their love. In the following article we will investigate through the plot to have a better understanding toward the divergence between the lovers, and among much evidence found in the plot, we will begin with the detailed act that was performed by the cashier.

The cashier in the story represents the lower class in South Africa. In comparison with her counterpart in these courtships, the cashier seems to be intentionally set by the author to be that low in terms of social status. In fact, it is this gap of social status that makes the huge divergence between the cashier and the doctor. In the early part of the story, when the doctor offers the cashier a tip, she refuses for her dignity. "She...