SA reads discussion

1) What are your thoughts about hope? Stanley knew Gordon's death was inevitable, Ben still hoped.
2) Thoughts around Stanley.
3) Ben's words: 'I never really knew before. Or if I did it didn't seem to directly concern me.' Does this sound cowardly, neglectful or ill- informed?
4) What were your thoughts around the inquest.
5) Melanie Bruwer adds another view point.
6) How doBen's family and dominee react? Did this seem appropriate?

Lisa wrote: "1) What are your thoughts about hope? Stanley knew Gordon's death was inevitable, Ben still hoped.
2) Thoughts around Stanley.
3) Ben's words: 'I never really knew before. Or if I did it didn't see..."

Ben simply wasn't aware what the implications were when somebody got "picked up" by the security police. As most white South Africans didn't know. I didn't know about this branch of police work that existed and followed their own laws.

Lisa wrote: "1) What are your thoughts about hope? Stanley knew Gordon's death was inevitable, Ben still hoped.
2) Thoughts around Stanley.
3) Ben's words: 'I never really knew before. Or if I did it didn't see..."

Stanley. A big blob of sardonic cynical happiness. Lots of irony around him.

Adele wrote: "Lisa wrote: "1) What are your thoughts about hope? Stanley knew Gordon's death was inevitable, Ben still hoped.
2) Thoughts around Stanley.
3) Ben's words: 'I never really knew before. Or if I did..."

Lisa wrote: "1) What are your thoughts about hope? Stanley knew Gordon's death was inevitable, Ben still hoped.
2) Thoughts around Stanley.
3) Ben's words: 'I never really knew before. Or if I did it didn't see..."

Stanley is a gentle giant. He is sort of a celebrity in Soweto it seems. And the fact that he takes Gordon and Emily under his wing adds to the seriousness of the matter.

Lisa wrote: "1) What are your thoughts about hope? Stanley knew Gordon's death was inevitable, Ben still hoped.
2) Thoughts around Stanley.
3) Ben's words: 'I never really knew before. Or if I did it didn't see..."

Adele wrote: "Adele wrote: "Lisa wrote: "1) What are your thoughts about hope? Stanley knew Gordon's death was inevitable, Ben still hoped.
2) Thoughts around Stanley.
3) Ben's words: 'I never really knew befor..."

Ben isn't cowardly, nor neglectful. Maybe ill-informed. But I think it is more a matter of subconsciously pretending that it didn't exist. Because if you choose not to see something, maybe it isn't really there.

His family's reaction is truly derogatory. They act like they are better human beings than the people Ben associates with. Obviously they love Ben and they are trying to entertain his beliefs, but they are not really trying to understand him or the situation that Ben is finding himself in.

Lisa wrote: "1) What are your thoughts about hope? Stanley knew Gordon's death was inevitable, Ben still hoped.
2) Thoughts around Stanley.
3) Ben's words: 'I never really knew before. Or if I did it didn't see..."

The security police treated their prisoners like animals with total disregard of human dignity and feelings toward their family. And total disregard to life.

I find Ben naive at first. He treats people with dignity and respect and expects that that is how the world works. He is aware of Apartheid, but not of its magnitude. When reading this book, I felt that each character represented a way of thinking around Apartheid and human rights. Ben is the uninformed, not perpetuating the horror; but not aware enough to stop it. His awareness propels action and I wondered if that was what Brink was trying to do with this novel; make white readers aware of the atrocities omitted so that they could stand up.
I kept thinking of George Orwell,'Evil prospers when good men do nothing.'

I thought Stanley was used to dull down the horror. He comes across as a bit of a clown and seems harmless at first glance. He is however involved in illegal activities( which are still illegal under our new government. Psychoanalyst Melanie Klein spoke about a 'manic defense'. We all guard against our inner fears in some way, Stanley uses his 'happy go lucky', sarcastic and silly exterior to make the world believe he is okay and to make himself believe that the problems do not exist.

I was struck by the quote about hope, it feels as if hope is a privilege and not a basic necessity. Imagine a life without hope. Where would anyone get to?

Melanie is the white activist. Her role as reporter gives her more insight into the state of SA than most. She tries to fight it in her own way. She has an aura of super- toughness, but she has a lot to lose.

Emily was the character who affected me the most, I kept thinking about life from her view point. Imagine not knowing whether your son is alive or dead. Imagine not knowing where he is. Imagine the same people who took him take your husband. And then you hear of your husbands death via the media- after washing his blood-stained clothes. How does someone in that position stay string and keep going for the kids.

The secret police is something I learnt of post democracy- via the TRC and some trials. Interestingly, our forensics lecturer used the term psychopaths in describing men like this- someone who has little empathy and conscience and manipulates others. The dominee really upset me, discouraging Ben from helping others. The church I grew up in was far more progressive and not segregated, I had no frame of reference for the dominee.

Adele, the brutality of the security police was for me inexplicable. We treat animals better. It feels as if they did not recognize the humanity of their prisoners and were too afraid to question why.

In part two of the book there are two major developments: Ben getting to know Melanie and the police searching Ben's house.

Ben's relationship with Melanie is straightforward in the beginning. When he takes her home and has a few drinks with her, there is an uncomfortable undercurrent. He is married - he shouldn't be doing this. I had skipped the skipped the foreword and started on chapter 1. After finishing Part 2 I went back and read the foreword. It tells us right away where Ben and Melanie's relationship goes. But I must say that Melanie is certainly more supportive of Ben than Susan is.

When the police visit Ben to search his house, although he says it wasn't unexpected, he really doesn't seem to have expected it. He still seems to believe that they are just doing their job and this is as far as it will go. He identifies Stolz as his enemy, without realizing that Stolz is just a soldier in the ranks of his enemy.