Previous
Terms
A system of segregation and institutionalized racism in South Africa, which was put in place in 1948. The system was enacted by a white minority (primarily comprised of people of Dutch descent, known as Afrikaners) for their own benefit and which led to the political oppression of the Coloured and black majority in South Africa. It led to the segregation of these various groups in terms of neighborhoods, public facilities, educational opportunities, and social gatherings. Facilities and neighborhoods for Afrikaners were often far superior to those dedicated to Coloured and black South Africans. During the 1960s, the government implemented a policy of “resettlement,” which led to forced removals like the ones that Boesman and Lena experience. These removals required people to relocate to their designated neighborhoods.
Apartheid Quotes in Boesman and Lena
The Boesman and Lena quotes below are all either spoken by Apartheid or refer to Apartheid. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act One
Quotes
A Coloured man—Boesman—walks on. Heavily burdened. On his back an old mattress and blanket, a blackened paraffin tin, an apple box…these contain a few simple cooking utensils, items of clothing etc., etc.
[…]
After a few seconds a Coloured woman—Lena—appears. She is similarly burdened—no mattress though—and carries her load on her head.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
BOESMAN: Forget it. Now is the only time in your life.
LENA: No! ‘Now.’ What’s that? I wasn’t born today. I want my life. Where’s it?
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
BOESMAN: He’s not brown people, he’s black people.
LENA: They got feelings too. Not so, Outa?
BOESMAN: You’ll get some feelings if you don’t watch that fire.
[Lena is waiting for a word from the old man with growing desperation and irritation.]
LENA: What’s the matter? You sick? Where’s it hurt?
[Nothing.]
Hey! I’m speaking to you.
[The old man murmurs in Xhosa.]
Stop that baboon language! Waar kryjy seer?
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
LENA: […] And even when they’re down, when you’ve made your place and the fire is burning and you rest your legs, something stays heavy. Hey! Once you’ve put your life on your head and walked you never get light again.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act Two
Quotes
BOESMAN: I had it!
It was you with your big mouth and stupid questions. ‘Where we going?’ Every corner! ‘Hey, Boesman, where we going?’ ‘Let’s try Veeplaas.’ ‘How about Coega?’All you could think of was those old rubbish dumps. ‘Bethelsdorp…Missionvale….’
Don’t listen to her, Boesman! Walk!
‘Redhouse…Kleinskool….’
They were like fleas on my life. I scratched until I was raw.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Boesman and Lena LitChart as a printable PDF.
Apartheid Term Timeline in Boesman and Lena
The timeline below shows where the term Apartheid appears in Boesman and Lena. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act Two
...to the old man for warmth, saying “Hotnot and a Kaffer got no time for apartheid on a night like this.” She thinks about the next day, when they’ll have to...
(full context)
