Diction and Figurative Language

Diction

• Definition: The choice of words used by characters to convey meaning and themes.
• This scene introduces the characters and key themes of the play.
• It also hints at potential conflicts that will develop later.
• The word "riot" has different meanings for Thami and Isabel:
  • For Thami, it represents political oppression, brutality, and suppression.
  • For Isabel, it carries a more neutral or less intense meaning.

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Figurative Language

• Definition: The use of words and expressions in a creative way to add deeper meaning.
• Fugard employs figurative language to express emotions, themes, and conflicts in the play.

Examples of Figurative Language in the Play

Simile

"My heart jumps out and savages me like a wild beast."

• Mr M compares his emotions to a wild beast, suggesting how deeply Apartheid and its impact on his students affect him.
• The simile highlights his frustration and emotional turmoil.

Metaphor

"I've got a whole zoo in here, a mad zoo of hungry animals."

• Mr M describes his emotions as a zoo of wild animals, symbolising his inner chaos and struggle.
• He cannot control his emotions, just as a zookeeper cannot control wild animals.

Irony

Thami calls the mob's attack on Mr M "self-defence," yet the mob is killing an unarmed man.

• This highlights the tragic irony of violence in the name of justice.
• It critiques how violence can contradict the ideals it aims to uphold.

Dramatic Irony

Mr M believes he still has influence over Thami, but the audience knows that Thami no longer listens to him.

• This creates tension because the audience understands Mr M's false hope.
• It emphasises the growing divide between the teacher and student.

Euphemism

"Knowledge has banished fear."

• Isabel, a White South African, underestimates the fear that Black South Africans experience daily.
• Her words soften the harsh reality of racial oppression, making them a euphemism for the limited impact of her perspective.

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