“Tsotsi” by Athol Fugard

1. Identify why Tsotsi is silent for most of the chapter and how this contributes to the
atmosphere. (He observes the other gang members. It creates an ominous atmosphere,
tense, on-edge.)

2. What makes Tsotsi a particularly menacing brand of gangster? (He seems remorseless
and to enjoy the evil deeds they commit. He basks in the fear they spread in the
community.)

3. Choose three sentences or phrases that summarise Tsotsi’s perception of the

members of his gang. (Tsotsi feels that he can trust Die Aap. He feels that he should ‘never
turn his back’ on Boston – he cannot trust him. Tsotsi knows that Boston is scared of him –
“your smile hides fear’.)

4. Compare the four gang members and describe what their niche is within the group.
(Tsotsi – he is youngest and the brains behind the operations. He chooses their crimes and
victims. Boston is the talker – he assesses Tsotsi’s plans and advises him. Die Aap is loyal
and dim-witted - he is the muscle in the gang. Butcher does the killing.)

5. Why is Friday a good night to commit a crime? (Pay day – casual labourers will have
money. People might be a little more relaxed after a long week.)

6. How does Boston’s reaction to Tsotsi’s suggestion, that they find their next victim on the
train, differ from the reactions of the other members? What does that indicate about his
character? (Boston does not follow Tsotsi blindly, he questions the decisions made. The
other two follow him blindly and without question.)

7. What weapon does Butcher prefer to use? Why? What does that tell is about him?
(Bicycle spoke. He can stab someone in the heart with it. He is cruel and violent.)

8. What indications are there that the men have a bad reputation in the community?
(The men look the other way when they pass and the women call in their children.
Lights are turned off in houses.)

9. What is the purpose of the author giving a detailed description of Gumboot Dhlamini’s
life? The reader is made aware of Gumboot’s life – he was a good guy. He was in the wrong
place at the wrong time. We feel sympathy for him, and the viciousness of the gang is
highlighted. We also see that the gang’s crime affected a wife and child. Immediate
sympathy for them and a sense of disgust in the gang.)

10. Discuss the details about the life of the migrant mine workers in terms of the theme
of the novel. (Migrant workers came from rural areas far away from the mines. They
often left families behind. Their money was often sent home but also spent on alcohol and
women in the informal hostels. They were a means to an end for the mine-owners,
replaceable. The theme of Apartheid – inequality between white and black – is highlighted.)

11. List and explain the three mistakes that Gumboot made on his last day. (He smiles –
draws attention to him. Perhaps Tsotsi did not like happy people because he was so
unhappy. He wears a bright red tie – again draws attention to him. He open his pay packet
in public – the ‘job’ will be rewarding, Gumboot has money.)

12. Explain each gang member’s role in Gumboot’s murder. (Tsotsi chooses Gumboot, Die
Aap holds his arms down and the man still, Boston drives the bicycle spoke into his heart,
Boston takes the pay packet from Gumboot’s pocket.)

13. Explain Boston’s reaction to the murder. What does it tell us about him? (He vomits – he
feels guilty and knows what he/they did was wrong. He has some decency and a
conscience.)

14. Why does Tsotsi whisper an obscenity in Gumboot’s ear? (To show his hatred and
demonstrate his lack of feeling.)

CHAPTER 2

1. Why does Fugard set the episode at Soekie’s after the murder? Analyse the description of
Soekie’s place. How does this relate to a theme in the novel? (Soekie’s place seems well
established despite being in a bad area. It has broken and shoddy chairs and tables. Fugard
highlights the poor condition of the township.)

2. What evidence is there is the beginning of the chapter that Boston is losing control?
(He vomits, spits and he talks loudly.)

3. Explain why Boston asks Tsotsi questions. (He wants to know what makes Tsotsi ‘tick’. He
generally makes small talk and realises that he knows nothing about Tsotsi. Perhaps a
deeper psychological need to know HOW Tsotsi is this way! Boston is, after all, the ‘brains’
in the gang, the only one who went to school.)

4. Describe how the murder of Gumboot affects each of the gang members. (Tsotsi feels
nothing, Butcher enjoys killing, Die Aap just follows instructions and Boston is violently ill
afterwards.)

5. What else, other than vomit, did Boston spill after the murder? Why? (Tears – he was
conscience-stricken. He feels guilty.)

6. In what way is Boston like a “cornered animal trapped in a ring of ridicule”? (He is
‘prowling’ around, trying to escape but he is surrounded by the others who are taunting
him for being sick. Boston knows he cannot escape the gang or the kind of life he is living.)
7. What do Boston’s words, “everything you are not”, reveal about his opinion of Die Aap
and Butcher? (He does not think much of them – he knows they have no decency or a
conscience.)

8. Identify what Tsotsi’s reaction to Boston’s questions reveals about his character. (He
becomes really angry when Boston questions him – he does not want to think about his
past. He does not want to share anything personal with the gang.)

9. “Your maag can’t take it.” What does this sentence tell us about the township language
Fugard has chosen for these thugs to use? (They use ‘Tsotsi taal’ – a mixture of English,
Afrikaans and perhaps isiXhosa and Zulu. They are mostly illiterate and uneducated.)

10. Tsotsi wants everything to stay “the same as always”. Why? (He does not want to look
into his ‘inner darkness’ or probe his past roots. He wants no questions and nothing in his
present must be disturbed.)

11. What is the function of Rosie’s presence in this chapter? Link this to a theme in the
novel. (She is a symbol of the moral decline and desperation in the township. Her drinking is
clearly out of control and she is physically and mentally abused by Butcher and Die Aap.)

12. Why does Soekie try to get Rosie to go home? (Soekie knows that Butcher or Die Aap (or
any other men) might take advantage of her. Perhaps Soekie does not want to have to
break up a fight over Rosie or even take responsibility for her.)

13. For every two drinks the other have, Tsotsi has one. Explain why he does this. (He
continues to observe them and needs to stay ‘sharper’ than them at all times in order to
remain in control.)

14. What does Boston mean by ‘decency’? (Feeling something for another person, having a
conscience, morality)

15. “What is that?” What is ironic about Butcher’s reaction to Boston’s used of the word
‘decency’? (The concept of decency is meaningless to Butcher. He has just killed a man and
feels NOTHING. He doesn’t understand the word, he has none of it.)

16. What disturbing truth do we learn about Tsotsi’s past? (He has no memory of his past.
He really lives in the present because he has nothing to refer to in his past.)

17. Evaluate Tsotsi’s description of himself as ‘meaningless as a handful of stones. (Negative

self image! He is simply an extension of the street. This is effective because stones can be
used to inflict harm – as Tsotsi does – and Tsotsi is cold and shows no emotion.)

CHAPTER 3
1. What sparks Tsotsi’s attack on Boston? (Boston asks too many questions about Tsotsi’s
past and Tsotsi does not have the answers! He is angry.)
2. Describe Tsotsi’s three rules. (He must see to his knife when he wakes up. He permits no
disturbing memories or thoughts about himself. No personal questions from the others.)

3. Why are the three rules significant? (They govern his everyday life – they keep him in
“now” and in control.)

4. How do the rules reflect Tsotsi’s personality? How do they protect him? (He lives in the
present and makes decisions based only on the ‘now’. There is no reflection or memory.
Tsotsi was able to block out his painful youth and become cold-hearted to protect himself
from pain or remembering.)

5. What is the importance of Tsotsi’s knife? (It is a symbol representing his chosen way of
life. He is in control of the knife and his life. He has the choice to be violent.)

6. What is Tsotsi’s state of mind when he leaves the shebeen? (His mind is filled with
hatred.)

7. Why does he want to be alone? (He does not want to face the consequences of what he
did to Boston. He ‘feels’ something, even if he doesn’t realise it yet. He wants to get away
from the questions.)

8. What descriptions in this chapter indicate that this novel takes place in apartheid South
Africa? (Fugard refers to the white suburbs that are separated from the township by a ‘no-
man’s land’. There are also references to much better policing in the white suburbs.)

9. Tsotsi can’t always keep his memories at bay. Mention two events that force the concept
of memory to the surface. (Tsotsi has an irrational fear of spiders; a man, handcuffed by the
police, calls him David.)

10. Who is Petah? (A street child or friend from Tsotsi’s past.)

11. What is Tsotsi trying to run from throughout the Chapter? Select a character trait this
reveals about him. (Questions about his past, consequences of his actions. He is
remorseless and cruel.)

12. Based on the spider anecdote, why does Tsotsi avoid all thought of the past? (It is
confusing and painful. There are too many gaps and he does not want to look for the
answers. He realises that the past cannot be good, otherwise he wouldn’t be in the
situation he is in now.)

13. What words seem to indicate that the woman in the blue gum grove chooses to give the
baby away? (“…sudden impulse of her generosity” Perhaps it was not her child, or it was an
illegitimate baby she wanted to get rid of. She might not be able to care for the baby.)
 14. Why does Tsotsi kill neither the woman nor the baby in the bluegum trees? ( He is
distracted by the box she is holding and the crying baby inside. The baby fascinates him.)

CHAPTER 4
1. How is the narration different in this chapter? (It is still a third-person narration, but told
from the perspective of Cassim, the owner of Ramadoola General Dealer.)

2. Why does the author change the narration? (We see Tsotsi, and the fear he instils in
others, from an outsider’s view. We see Tsotsi’s uncomfortable state.)

3. Why is Cassim in such a nervous state? (He fears that Tsotsi will rob his store or hurt
him.)

4. Cassim offers a clear insight into how the members of Tsotsi’s gang are perceived by the
community. Quote two consecutive words that incorporate a metaphor to describe the
gang. (‘bad eggs’)

5. Mention some ways in which the author uses humour to break the tension in this
chapter. Cassim’s reaction to the situation is humorous – he is described as saying ‘yes’ for
five seconds then farting. Cassim is so surprised at Tsotsi’s request for milk that he think he
has misunderstood.)

6. Explain why Tsotsi waits for the store to be empty before buying milk. What internal
conflict is he facing? (He is embarrassed to be buying baby milk. He struggles with the
concept of caring for someone. The ‘Tsotsi’ inside of him doesn’t know how to care for
another person. He feels torn between his gangster-self and the confusing feelings of
empathy.)

7. Which two characteristics of Tsotsi contrast with the characteristics previously revealed?
(Tsotsi cannot read and he is insecure outside his guise as gangster. Previously he seemed
confident, and we didn’t know that he couldn’t read.)

8. Why is Tsotsi unable to see on the label that condensed milk is not suitable as baby milk?
Which socio-economic problem does Fugard introduce here? (He is illiterate, cannot read.
Fugard highlights the (un)education of youths in the township.)

9. Why is buying baby milk an embarrassment for someone like Tsotsi? (It is not normal for
a man, especially a gangster, to buy milk. It is a chore for a woman.)

10. Why is MaRhabatse’s house a ruin? (It has been demolished by the authorities. It was
too close to the white suburb.)

11. Discuss the significance of Tsotsi caring for the baby. (He is moving away from his role as
a gangster. He is showing sympathy for another human. He is unknowingly, on his path to
redemption.)

12. How is the arrival of the baby in Tsotsi’s life “destructive”? (The baby threatens his need
to avoid the past by triggering disturbing memories. It destroys his ability to live in the
‘now’.)

13. Tsotsi uses his knife to open holes in the condensed milk tin. Discuss the irony in this
action. (His usual weapon of death is now being used for a nurturing, life-giving purpose.
The baby is becoming his new talisman instead of the knife.)

14. “… a game he had never dared play and the baby was the dice, so to speak.” Explain this
metaphor. (The baby stirs memories of his childhood, something he never dared to think of
before. The baby can determine the outcome of the ‘game’, like a dice determines the
outcome of a real game. This game, however, is Tsotsi’s new direction, his journey to
redemption. The baby becomes the catalyst in his redemption.)

15. Give two reasons why Tsotsi uses a thin square of wood to cover his window. (There is
no glass in the window and he uses the wood as protection against the rain/wind/cold. He
also covers the window when he wants privacy. He needs to cover it in case the baby cries.)

16. Why are there many areas of ruins in the township? (The houses are being destroyed by
the Apartheid authorities. They are too close to the white suburbs. People are being
forcefully removed from Sophia town.)

17. What fundamental change takes place in Tsotsi at the end of the chapter? (He has a
memory about a dog and suddenly has a desire to know everything about his life and past.)

CHAPTER 5
1. Why is Reverend Ransome so troubled? (He must bury Gumboot Dhlamini, but doesn’t
even know his name.)

2. Describe the symbolism of the township cemetery. (It is depressing, crowded, broken
fence and stunted trees. Even in their death, the oppressed people have no dignity. It is
symbolic of the brutal realities of the Apartheid regime. The oppressed were victims, even
in their deaths. Moral decline etc.)

3. What socio-political point is the author making with his descriptions of the cemetery
and the burial of Gumboot Dhlamini? (The Apartheid regime relocated people without
thinking about essential human needs – including where people needed to bury the dead.
The cemetery is in a state of disrepair and badly set out. Gumboot has no family/friends at
his burial and Reverend Ransome seems indifferent. Once again, a stark reminder of the
have/have-not situation in SA at the time.)
4. Describe Boston’s physical and mental condition when he regains consciousness. (He
wakes up in a back alley. He is in terrible pain, trouser less, unable to speak and convinced
that he is going to die.)

5. Give two reasons what the author refers to the smell of dirty rags in the room.
(The smell is a reminder of the baby’s presence but also a reminder of Tsotsi’s inability to
take care of it properly. Both elements create tension.)

6. Compare Tsotsi making the “kill decisions” at the beginning of the novel to now. What
has changed and how does this reveal his overall change of character? (In the beginning he
makes the ‘kill’ decision easily and without a shadow of remorse. Now he is making LIFE
decisions. He makes plans to take care of the baby, not kill it. He is on his journey to
redemption. He cares for another human for the first time that he can remember.)

7. Explain the following line: “Something had tampered with the mechanism that had
governed his life.” (The reader realises that Tsotsi will no longer be able to function as the
hard gangster anymore. Everything we have read about Tsotsi up to this point going to
change. Tsotsi’s life is going to change.)

8. What is significant (and acts as a foreshadowing) about the woman who walks past
Tsotsi’s room? (She sparks Tsotsi’s memory of the baby and its needs. He is going to get a
woman to breastfeed the baby.)

9. Identify how the dynamic of the group has changed. (Boston is not there, Tsotsi wants
the other two gone; Die Aap and Butcher are insignificant. They don’t care whether they are
with or without Tsotsi.)

10. Die Aap and Butcher are both flat characters who do not have much depth. How does
the author illustrate this as they stand around waiting for Tsotsi to appear? (They are willing
to stand around and wait for a very long time. Their conversation is cryptic and does not
amount to much. They amuse themselves by throwing stones against a pole. They do not
show any depth or development. They are obsolete without Tsotsi.)

11. How does the author illustrate that Boston’s character is more in-depth? Refer to details
in this chapter & chapters 1-4. (The description of Boston’s thinking that he is going to die
shows that he can think about things on different levels. Boston questions Tsotsi and shows
depth of character. He is the only one to show remorse after Gumboot’s murder.)

12. Why is it difficult for Tsotsi to formulate a plan for their night’s operation? (He is
distracted by thoughts of the baby and the memory of the yellow bitch.)

13. What is the irony of Tsotsi wanting to know from the others where Boston is? (He was
the one who beat Boston. Now he needs him and shows an inkling of concern?)

14. How does the author illustrate that there is not much loyalty between the gang
members? How is this ‘good’ news for Tsotsi? (There is no real concern for Boston. Both Die
Aap and Butcher are willing to leave Tsotsi if necessary. Tsotsi needs them.

CHAPTER 6
1. How does this chapter deviate from the plot of the novel so far? (The chapter
focuses of the life of Morris, not one of the gang members.)

2. What is the purpose of the description of Terminal Place? (Terminal Place is where the
gangsters are going to do their next ‘job’. It is the meeting place of the ‘glittering’ world of
the white man and the dusty world of those who live in the townships. The long description
adds tension and suspense.)

3. Describe Morris’s miserable life and WHY Fugard includes all the details about his
accident and life as a crippled man. (Morris worked in the mine and a shaft fell on his legs,
paralysing him. He tried to find work as a gardener, but no-one would employ him. He
resorted to begging for food but hates it. The reader sees Morris’s pride.)

4. Like Gumboot, Morris Tshabalala is also a man. Discuss how these characters are
different kinds of men. (They are both good men, they do no harm to others. Whilst
Gumboot is a victim of Tsotsi and his gang, it is indirectly due to the oppression and
violence of the Apartheid era. Morris is a direct victim of oppression and an uncaring
political system.)

5. How does Fugard use the character of Morris to criticise the unfairness of the world
created by apartheid? (Morris worked in the mines for a meagre salary. Even though he was
injured at work, he was not given the skills or means to fend for himself after his stay in the
hospital. He is forced to live as a beggar. He states that ‘You are walking on stolen legs’,
meaning that the city was built on the riches of the mines that destroyed his life.)

6. Why does Tsotsi choose Morris as his next victim? What does that say about him? (Morris
is an easy victim. Perhaps Tsotsi wants to test his resolve to see if he can still maintain his
old way of life. Morris represents the hardness of life and Tsotsi wants to release him from
the ‘nothingness’ of his existence. Tsotsi is still cruel & heartless. He has no pity YET.)

7. How does Morris become aware that Tsotsi is following him? (He keeps seeing Tsotsi
looking at him from across the road or hiding in doorways.)

8. Discuss two ways in which the descriptions of the newspaper seller break the tension.
(The author mimics the pronunciation of the seller by writing the words phonetically – ‘late
edition’ becomes ‘layeedeeshin’.)
9. Discuss the significance of the newspaper headlines in terms of the setting of the
novel. (The headlines refer to the first man-made object to land on the moon, an
event that took place on 13 September 1959.)

10. Describe what connection Tsotsi makes with Morris and Explain how this influences
Tsotsie view of Morris. (Morris sparks the memory of the yellow bitch who also moved on
its forelegs after being kicked by his father. He sees Morris as a useless cripple, yet decides
to observe him, lest it bring back more memories.)

11. Identify the atmosphere and explain how it develops Tsotsi’s internal conflict. (The
reader isn’t sure whether Tsotsi is going to hurt Morris. The atmosphere is tense. Tsotsi is
struggling with the decision to kill Morris or not.)

CHAPTER 7

1. Refer to the first paragraph. What indication is there that something profound has
changed in Tsotsi? (In Chapter 1, Tsotsi says that he ‘never makes mistakes’. This
chapter starts with the announcement that he has.)

2. Why does Tsotsi step on Morris’s hand? (It is an accident – Tsotsi does not see Morris.)

3. What is the effect on Tsotsi of the curse muttered by Morris? Why? (First “chaos and
terror”, then “a burning hate of the cripple” - Tsotsi has a flashback about a lame, yellow
dog crawling towards him. Morris reminds him of the dog – they both ‘crawl’ on their front
legs.)

4. Why is Tsotsi alone? What does this mean? (The gang members have separated to look
for victims. Tsotsi is already distancing himself from Die Aap and Boston.)

5. Tsotsi realises that he is not after Morris’s money. Why is he drawn to following and
attacking him? (He is driven to destroy him because he is ugly, and he has residual anger
towards Boston that he wants to take out on Morris. Morris also reminds him of the dog in
his memory and he wants to destroy that memory.)

6. Compare Tsotsi’s feelings towards Morris to his feelings towards Gumboot whom he
stalked earlier. (He felt nothing for Gumboot and even whispered an obscenity in his ear in
the moment of his death. At first Tsotsi feels hatred for Morris which changes to curiosity
and perhaps even a semblance of sympathy.)

7. What new ‘truth’ does Morris discover after all the years when he thought nothing
mattered? (He realises that, despite all his hardships, he wants to live.)

8. Why does Morris accuse Tsotsi of not wanting to live? (No person would act and live like
Tsotsi does, if they loved life, if they really wanted to live. Tsotsi is pure evil.)
9. What, according to Tsotsi, is the truth about life? (Life is ugly and the effort of staying
alive is horrific.)

10. Does Tsotsi understand Morris’s explanation about a person’s will to live? Explain your
answer. (No – Tsotsi has never had any reason to live. He has never had anything to look
forward to, anyone to love or anyone to love him. He has never really had any reason TO
live or make something of his life.)

11. Why does Morris say: “Mothers love their children”? Explain Tsotsi’s response to the
statement. (It is the most beautiful thing that Morris knows. Tsotsi negates this – he cannot
remember his mother or her love. He has no frame of reference for this line of discussion.)

12. Morris makes Tsotsi realise that his power over life and death can have another
meaning. What is this? (Tsotsi realises that he can choose not to kill someone.)

13. Explain the motif of light and dark throughout the time Tsotsi stalks Morris they commit
All their evil deeds in the dark, They attack at night! When he stalks Morris, he stops when
Morris is under a streetlight. Evil is represented by the dark and goodness by the light.)

CHAPTER 8

1. Explain the link between the last section of Chapter 7 and the first section of Chapter 8.
(Both sections deal with levels of spirituality. Tsotsi, in his own limited way, is embarking on
a spiritual journey. The church and Reverend Ransome are following the outward rituals of
spirituality, but lack the depth and earnestness of Tsotsi’s quest.

2. Why does Reverend Ransome pray on his way to open up for the churchgoers: “God help
me”? (He needs help. He is not reaching those who are most in need of help, people like
Tsotsi.)

3. Boston is suffering “fear of pain and shame” – why is he in this state? (Boston was beaten
severely by Tsotsi. He is in pain and embarrassed by his physical state. He is ashamed for
getting himself into the situation in the first place. We know that Boston is educated and
should not be in a gang.)

4. When Tsotsi first sees the baby, he wants to run away but instead “he took a deep
breath, held it in, and went to work”. Analyse the significance of this and what it reveals
about his change in character. (It shows the extent of his despair but also indicates how the
urge to care for the baby’s life is now stronger than the old need to kill or destroy. Tsotsi is
changing rapidly into a caring, sympathetic man.)

5. How does Tsotsi know that the baby is near death? (The baby is hardly breathing, and
his eyes have lost focus.)

6. The communal water tap is “indispensable, hated at times, enjoyed at others”. Explain
these descriptions. (It is indispensable because people cannot do without water for
drinking, washing etc. It is hated because of the long queues or when the water is cut off. It
is enjoyed because it is a place to chat to others, community gatherings etc.)

7. Language and idiomatic expressions reflect the way we live. How does the writer
illustrate this in the descriptions of the Waterworks Square? (People use expressions like
‘talk at the tap’ when referring to gossip, and if a baby was born quickly they refer to it as
being ‘born between drops’.)

8. The author mentions that Miriam was waiting for her husband to return and had to
accept that he was probably dead. What incidents in the book so far confirm this suspicion?
(Miriam’s husband could have been ambushed in a robbery, like Gumboot, or died in a
mining accident, like many of Morris’s co-workers. He could also have been arrested in a
pass-raid, like Tsotsi’s mother, or simply have disappeared.)

9. What reference to the struggle against apartheid infers that Simon may have been
arrested or detained? (He was walking to work during the time of the bus boycotts. Many
men were arrested and detained without trial.)

10. List and describe two ways in which the author shows that Miriam is well raised and
manners. (She casts her eyes down when she realises that she has been staring at the old
man. She speaks politely and fills up the old man’s tin before her own.)

11. How are Miriam’s social skills in sharp contrast to Tsotsi’s? (Tsotsi does not know how to
speak politely. He must force to get Miriam to feed the baby. She is polite and respectful.)

12. Assess the internal conflict with which Miriam is faced. (She is disgusted at the thought
of feeding a filthy, strange baby. However, she realises that the baby is close to death and if
she does not feed him, he is likely to die.)

13. Discuss why this is significant and how it affects her first confrontation with Tsotsi and
the baby. (Miriam is a good person and feeds the baby, despite her horror. She insults
Tsotsi and says that even a bitch would take better care of her pups than Tsotsi has been of
this baby. Because she seems brave and confident, she leaves the first meeting with the
upper hand. No- one has ever spoken to Tsotsi in the way she does. He gains respect for
her.)

14. How is the reader reminded of Tsotsi’s illiteracy in this chapter? (He scribbles with
Boston’s pencil.)

15. How does Tsotsi know the baby is close to death? (The baby is hardly breathing, and his
eyes have lost focus.)

16. Why does Tsotsi threaten Miriam? Why does he not simply ask for help? (He is used to
violent ways to get what he wants – he does not know how to ask for help, as he has never
asked anyone anything. He is conditioned to take what he wants.

17. Why is it that Miriam finds feeding the baby deeply satisfying? (She is saving his life.)
18. Why is Miriam’s remark about the bitch and her pups so significant? (Yet another
reminder of the yellow dog in the backyard. Tsotsi’s flashbacks are coming more
frequently.)

19. Describe the mood on a Sunday afternoon in the township. (People are generally
relaxed and want to sleep or rest in preparation for the next week’s hard work.)

20. Discuss what Fugard is foreshadowing by giving the description of the church. (Tsotsi’s
ultimate redemption when he goes to church and accepts God as his saviour.)

CHAPTER 9

1. What is Tsotsi’s real name? (David Madondo)

2. Why does this ‘flashback’ chapter come at this point in the story? (The previous chapter
ended with Tsotsi ‘reliving’ “the memory that had come to him from a long time away”. This
is now the explanation of that memory. We finally see when and why Tsotsi ended up on
the streets as a gangster.)

3. What impression is created of Tsotsi’s life at home at the beginning of the chapter? (The
author describes a scene of domestic harmony. His mother, Tondi, is singing as she waits for
the return of her husband. She loves her son and takes good care of him.)

4. Why did the yellow bitch stop being friendly and playful? (She was heavily pregnant.)

5. What impression of Tsotsi’s father is created by his mother? (She describes him as big,
gentle and kind.)

6. Why does Tsotsi run and hide when he hears his father’s entrance to the house? (He is a
stranger, he scares David. His mother is not there to support him. He has not met his father
before this.)

7. Analyse why Tsotsi would “have no use for memories” and, in a relatively short period of
time after losing his mother, make the choice to become a Tsotsi. (His mother is gone and
his father killed the yellow dog in front of him. The love is gone! There is nothing for him to
stay home for – his father does not seem the nurturing kind.)

8. Assess the impact of watching his father cripple and kill the dog in front of him as a child.
(He is scarred for life – his father is brutal and he sees the dog give birth and then die.)

9. Tsotsi awakes from a dream of a storm and thunder. What is the dream really? (It was
the sound of people banging stones against lamp-posts as a warning that the police were
coming to raid the houses.)

10. Why do the street children accept David into their gang? (They assume that he is one of
them – he has no father of mother to take care of him.)
11. The child David is clearly distressed on his first night in the pipes. How do his actions
reflect this? (He becomes afraid of feeling warm and tries to run away to where it once was
warm; he is so traumatised that he cannot even say the word ‘home’. His only coping
mechanism is to deny that home ever existed.)

12. Explain the symbolism of Petah’s comment that David can ‘choose his name’. (He can
start afresh – he can let David ‘die’ and start on a blank slate, so to speak. However, he
chooses to become bad, evil, gangster.)

13. David says, ‘He dead’ when referring to his real name. Explain the full impact of this
statement. (David Madondo died when his mother left home.His father killed the dog and
he ran away from the only home he has ever known. It is easier to forget and start over,
than to pine over something you can never get back.)

14. How does David come to choose the name ‘Tsotsi’? How is this contrary to his sheltered
childhood? (The children were looking for food and he was called ‘Tsotsi’ by an irate
shopkeeper from whom he was begging. He never had to beg when he was ‘home’ – his
mother provided for him. He was the ‘Tsotsi’ he becomes.)

15. Which two survival skills did Tsotsi teach himself as a young child living in the pipes?
(He realised that the only way to survive was never to feel the pain he inflicts on others and
to forget his past completely.)

CHAPTER 10

1. Chapter 3 describes Tsotsi’s rules for survival. What indication is there now that those
rules no longer apply? (Instead of focusing on his knife and ‘darker purpose’, he looks to see
if the baby is still there.)

2. How does the author show that Tsotsi is struggling to adjust to the fact that he has
remembered his childhood? (He does not want Die Aap there, and the only reason he can
give is ‘my mother’.)

3. How has the symbolic significance of his knife changed for Tsotsi? (The knife is no longer
a symbol of security as it was before.)

4. List three of the memories that fill Tsotsi’s mind. (The river, his mother, Petah, the gangs)

5. The author uses comic relief to ease the tension at the beginning of this chapter. How
does he do this? Why? (The author ridicules Die Aap’s character. He now has no teeth, and
is described as having a thought ‘if there was ever one’. Fugard breaks the tension from the
revious chapters and shows Tsotsi’s withdrawal from the gang in a lighter way.)

6. Why has Die Aap come to Tsotsi’s room? (TO get instructions for a ‘job’, because that is
 what he always does.)

7. What has happened to Butcher? (He has joined another gang.)

8. Tsotsi’s diction and mannerisms have changed. How are they different from the way the
author structures sentences and descriptions, and what does it signify? You may quote in
support of your answer. (In previous chapters Tsotsi did not use full sentences and could
not express his feelings or ideas. Here he is starting to use full sentences and can clearly
express his feelings. This indicates that he starting to feel whole again.)

9. Describe the significance of Tsotsi “ending it” and how this reinforces the theme of
redemption and how it is a step towards Tsotsi becoming redeemed. (He ends the gang – he
leaves behind his days as a criminal. He now wants to focus on the baby and regaining his
memories about his past. He is well on his way to REDEMPTION.

Redemption Essay
In Athol Fugard’s novel “Tsotsi,” the main character, Tsotsi, undergoes a profound
redemption journey. At the beginning of the story, Tsotsi is a violent gangster who leads his
group of friends through the dangerous streets of Johannesburg.

However, throughout the course of the novel, Tsotsi slowly begins to change, ultimately
leading to his redemption. The catalyst for Tsotsi’s redemption journey is the discovery of a
baby that he steals from a woman he has just killed. Initially, Tsotsi is unsure what to do with
the baby, and he even considers abandoning it.

However, he eventually decides to take the child with him, and this decision sparks a change
in him. Tsotsi begins to see the world in a different light, and he begins to question the
violence and brutality that he has previously embraced. As Tsotsi’s relationship with the baby
deepens, he begins to connect with his own humanity. He begins to see himself as more than
just a gangster, and he starts to feel empathy for others. This newfound empathy is most
apparent in his relationship with a woman named Miriam, who becomes a mother figure for
the baby. Tsotsi becomes close to Miriam, and he begins to see her as a symbol of hope and
redemption.

Throughout the novel, Tsotsi is haunted by his past. He remembers his childhood and the
trauma that he experienced, which led him down the path of violence and crime. However, as
he grows closer to the baby and starts to connect with his own humanity, Tsotsi begins to
make amends for his past actions. He seeks out the people he has wronged and tries to make
things right, even if it means putting himself in danger.

In the end, Tsotsi’s redemption journey is complete when he returns the baby to its mother.
This act of selflessness is a testament to how far Tsotsi has come. He no longer sees the world
in terms of what he can take, but rather what he can give. He has shed his violent past and
embraced a new way of life.

In conclusion, “Tsotsi” is a powerful novel about redemption. Athol Fugard masterfully tells
the story of a violent gangster who undergoes a profound transformation. Through his
relationship with a baby, Tsotsi learns to connect with his own humanity, and he ultimately
finds redemption. The novel is a testament to the power of love and compassion, and it
serves as a reminder that even the most hardened criminal can change.
Themes Redemption

 Fugard wants his readers to understand that redemption can be attained by even the most
corrupted individuals if one choice to make change in their life.
 Tsotsi’s violence towards his victims make him a corrupted thug, but because of the changes
he makes, he finds redemption and is reborn with the innocence he had as a child – as David.
 His choices that lead him to forgiveness started with receiving the baby;
 he began to care for it which started to triggered memories from his past. Then through caring
for the baby, and other events like his discussion with Morris, Tsotsi begins to value life.
 Later he remembers his past: the night his mother got token away, his father killing the dog,
and him running away where he later lost himself and became Tsotsi.
 He recognizes his change, so he goes in search of the defeated Boston. He tells him is it
because of God he has changed; furthermore, he goes to the church and finds Isaiah.
 He tells him about the goodness God wants, and Tsotsi to learn more about God, agrees to go
to church.
 Afterwards he goes to Miriam, and both realize they must let their pasts’ go, so they can
become better people in the future.
 Through finding faith in God, and helping Miriam let her husband go, Tsotsi finds redemption.
 There is also stories of redemption for a couple secondary characters. Boston was a high-
achieving college student before he made a drastic mistake.
 He did not want his proud mother to find out he had been kicked out of college for being
accused of attempted rape; he hides this from her and started selling passbooks, and later
became a member of Tsotsi’s gang.
 But for committing inhumane crimes, he becomes sick of life. He losses his pride.
 When Tsotsi comes telling him about his change, Boston decides he must make a change.
 The battered and beaten Boston hobbles out of the room and runs in search of his mother. He
wants her to be proud of him.
 He wants to be proud of him. He wants to be forgiven. Miriam yearns for her husband’s return,
despite the likelihood of him being dead.
 This anticipation makes her milk sour as she hasn’t been a completely committed mother. She
realizes this because of Tsotsi and caring for little David.
 She must focus on the future and being as much of a loving mother as possible. Because of her
choice to love and care, she is forgiven for her sin of not completely caring.
 These redemptions are catalysed by little David. He starts Tsotsi’s change; therefore, directly
leading him towards redemption, and indirectly leading Boston and Miriam towards
forgiveness.
 In addition, saving Morris’s and many other lives Tsotsi may have token. The baby is a
protector, and a giver of redemption.
 Fugard wants us to understand forgiveness is always attainable, and he must also give it.
 Redemption doesn’t always have to be in the eye of God; it can forgive ourselves for the
immortality of our actions.
 We can obtain it by being decent and making the right choices. It is not easily attained.
 Tsotsi took many steps towards kindness and sympathy.
 He had to remember his past, then understand his change before he was redeemed.
 You don’t have to be searching for redemption, but Fugard shows once you are redeemed, you
are a different person.

SURVIVAL
 Survival Fugard also portrays the theme of survival.
 He suggests individuals will do whatever it takes – both physically and morally – to survive.
 At the beginning of the novel, Tsotsi and his gang members do whatever to survive.
 This represents the desperation of the blacks during Apartheid, they had to constantly
overcome poverty to survive.
 Tsotsi’s survival shifts from physical to morally later in the novel once he receives the baby and
begins to remember the innocent boy he was.
 When he witnesses Morris, he begins to feel sympathy for him, and his other victims. When he
meets Isaiah and he tells him God does not want us to sin, Tsotsi realizes the immortality in his
actions. In the face of God, he has not been “good”, and will go to hell; however, Tsotsi
chooses to become decent and life his life with morals.
 He became a different person – David Mondondo who is selfless, compassionate, and ethical.
 His change derives from the decent influences of others and not wanting to be the same
corrupted person.
 He chooses to morally survive, not just physically survive. Fugard conveys the message that it is
no good to live forever, if you can’t live with yourself.
 Tsotsi’s moral survival caused him to compromise his physical survival by sacrificing for the
baby. If he focused simply on his physical survival he would be alive, but without pride.
 Fugard wants his audience to understand having pride in your actions and your morals is more
important than surviving while having shame for yourself. Everybody dies but not everybody
lives can be applied: he will all physically die at some point, but do you morally survive is a true
testimony of how you lived.

APARTHEID

 Fugard also conveys the theme of the negative affects the oppression had on the black society
in South Africa during Apartheid.
 The white minority put down the black majority.
 All Fugard’s characters reflect the effects of Apartheid.
 Tsotsi and his gain are healthy young men who should have a job, but because of Apartheid
they are sitting around in the middle of the afternoon without work; this is part forces them to
corruption and having to murder for money.
 It is a reoccurring theme. It forced Tsotsi to choose violence when he was a little kid.
 The police came and took his mother away because she didn’t have a passbook.
 The inconsistency represented the black’s instability economically and socially.
 Their lives could be uprooted by the white expansion and they lived in fear of frequent raids.
 A black man’s power is shown through Isaiah.
 He answers to Miss Marriot who wants him to plant in straight rows.
 This symbolizes her need – and the white people’s need – to control the black society.
 Nature doesn’t grow in straight lines, nor should the blacks be confined to tiny townships, but
the white belief is to dominate other – to their belief inferior – groups.
 It shows up again at the conclusion of the novel.
 The whites often took over black townships to get rid of the black spots.
 They would demolish old houses to build new communities.
 The white’s bulldozed the ruins, causing both David and little David to die.
 Fugard implies that white domination has caused black society within South Africa to suffer
extensively simply because the white man’s belief of superiority.