'Six feet of the country' by Nadine Gordimer and 'No witchcraft for sale' by Doris Lessing - What do these stories tell us about being black in Southern Africa at this time? What techniques do the authors use to convey their ideas to us?

The first 200 words of this essay...

Clare Bray

What do these stories tell us about being black in Southern Africa at this time? What techniques do the authors use to convey their ideas to us?

Both of the stories studied, ' Six feet of the country' by Nadine Gordimer and ' No witchcraft for sale' by Doris Lessing, contain similar views about being black during this time, including the racial tension that existed between black and white people. This tension also caused difficulties in the relationships held between master and servant. The opinion of the inferiority of black servants and black people in general is also addressed in both of the stories.

The inferiority of black people during this time is a big issue that is addressed in these stories. In ' No witchcraft for sale' one of the first instances showing black inferiority was when Teddy, only six years old, showed disrespect towards Gideon's youngest son shouting, "piccanin," at him and racing around him on his scooter, intimidating him, then excusing his actions stating that;

" He's only a black boy."

Therefore implying that the boy was inferior and unimportant to him because he was black. This