Caribbean Studies Internal Assesment - 4844 Words

Table of Contents Page 1. Cover Page Page 2. Table of Contents Page 3. Introduction Page 7. Literature Reviews Page 11. Data Collection Sources Page 13. Presentation of Findings Page 23. Explanation of Findings Page 25. Interpretation of Findings Page 29. Discussions of Findings Page 31. Conclusion, Limitations Recommendations Page 35. Bibliography Page 36. Appendix. Introduction Problem Statement Does the participation in extra-curricular activities impact the mentality( what do you mean by meantality) and academic performance of the students within Trinity College? Relevance of Topic to Caribbean Studies. I choose this topic in relevance to Caribbean†¦show more content†¦Where are your references (who or where did you git this information) During the whole entire or most of the century, this idea became more and more attractive. Now college students cannot imagine their lives without some extracurricular activities like sport clubs, fashion societies, lab-groups, etc. The impact of these activities becomes more considerable: more people are eager to comprehend how and why these extracurricular activities affect human lives. The results of numerous investigations prove that: 1. Emotional state of students is improved considerably; 2. Communication between new students develops faster; 3. Writing skills and critical thinking are properly developed; 4. Students have a desire to attend classes; 5. Students have special places to visit and communicate instead of hanging out constantly; 6. Career planning and improvement of personal leadership skills become crucial for students; 7. An idea to follow news makes students aware of the current state of affairs; 8. Students are ready to help each other and explain everything; 9. Communications between students and tutors may be improved; 10. Students participate in different governmental processes and try to influence the conditions of their education. If all in point form, why semicolons after each line As you can see, the idea of extracurricular activities is winning indeed. Students are always eager toShow MoreRelatedCaribbean Studies Syllabus5959 Words   |  24 PagesMODULE 1: CARIBBEAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE OVERVIEW Module 1 introduces students to the role played by geography in shaping the society and culture of the Caribbean region as well as the historical evolution of Caribbean society, the cultural characteristics of the Caribbean people, and the ways in which Caribbean society and culture influence and are influenced by societies and cultures outside the region. GENERAL OBJECTIVES On completion of this Module, students should: 1. Understand the factors which

How Technology Changed The World Interacts With Mobile...

Communication has evolved immensely over the span of the past couple of years. This evolution has been sustained by manufacturing companies establishing a competitive market for their products. From the smart phone to the iPhone, phone communication has really taken up an ‘all-things-digital’ approach that has transformed how the world interacts with mobile devices. The current focus on quick evolving methods to upgrade these communications devices poses a threat to Apple’s Iphone. Apple Inc. and Steve Jobs are household names throughout the globe. According to Kolah(2013) Steve Jobs was not only influencing, but also had great selling skills. Inspired by a multi-touch display in early 2000, Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone (Ritchie, 2015b). This phone introduced irresistible competition to the likes of BlackBerry that appeared point-blank primitive. Apple’s iPhone had an outstanding industrial design integrating mostly aluminum and scratch resistant glass. 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Remoteness and Consolidation of Supermarket †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Remoteness and Consolidation of Supermarket. Answer: Introduction: The retail sector, in particular, the supermarket grocery stores industry in Australia is highly competitive. The competition has kept on changing with times and had largely known as the duopoly of Woolworths and Coles. The wide variety of product line and competitive prices has kept on establishing stories of success. However, a rapid growth of Aldi in recent times has not only altered the trend but, also become the reason for declining profit for the industry (Ibisworld.com.au, 2018). One of the reasons for Aldis growth has been the discounted price for private-label products. Customers had also responded to it which is the reason that forced Woolworths and Coles to switch over to the same strategy. They also had to consider an expansion of their private-label product ranges. Smaller supermarket chains like Foodworks have also struggled to respond to a changing market trend (Ibisworld.com.au, 2018). Industry revenue is expected to grow up by 3% on an annual basis (Ibisworld.com.au , 2018). To understand why Aldi is so successful despite the market giants Woolworths and Coles, it is first necessary to understand the driving factors in the industry. An average person looks for three factors such as Product Quality, Convenience of Shopping Value when they feel like shopping (Singh-Peterson et al., 2016). When looked at the business model that Aldi uses, it looks bit complicated and also hard to understand what it communicates. However, the core strategy of the business model is centered on the three highlighted factors. It means Aldi is fulfilling the needs and wants of its target customers. The three factors have been standardized in Aldi model of business and are continuously executed also (Singh-Peterson et al., 2016). The purpose of this study is to communicate the knowledge related to strategic planning. The purpose is being served in various ways including the external environment analysis and also the industry analysis. Background of the chosen organization: Aldi is a German based multinational company and had entered Australia in 2001. The company had its first store in Sydney and since then has kept on growing with its effective business strategies. However, the excellent performance was noticed in just the last five years. The company has redefined the market competition with its cost-effective business model. It has constantly executed the three essential elements of customer needs such as quality, value and convenience (Knox, 2015). The execution could be possible due to its cost-effective strategies. Cost-effectiveness was a result of constant strategic planning that also includes maintaining a lesser number of SKUs (Stock Keeping Unit). The benefits of the strategy include lower cost of handling and also higher purchasing power. Exclusive brands of Aldi are accountable for approximately 90% of their shelf space. Hence, Aldi is able to cut down on the supply prices. These are few of the reasons how the company has managed to keep t he cost of production lower (Arup, Beaton-Wells Paul-Taylor, 2017). Limited range of products was being maintained to focus more on a quality product. The efficient handling of the production cost was actually reinvested in offering lower prices to customers. The choice is actually not a very high concern to many customers. There are customers that prefer getting the reduced range of quality products at competitive price range over a wide range of expensive and low-quality products. Convenience was maintained with the help of opening numbers of branches in the different parts of Australia. The expansion rate is appreciable indeed (Corones, 2015). The store layout is another reason why Aldi is able to cut down on the cost of production. Stores are not open for 24 hours. It helps to save on staffing costs and utility expenses. The number of employees has also been kept low. Employees are trained on multi-skills to support their strategy of keeping a low number of employees. Products are all packaged and hence, it helps to reduce the shelf stocking time of products (Corones, 2015). The checkout process is also very competitive. Customers are encouraged to bring their carrier bags to avoid unnecessary expenses being made on it. The check-out lines are supported with long belts. Hence, accommodating a large number of products which is also necessary to cut down the queues gathered around the place. Packaged products have a barcode in more than one place supporting an efficient check-out process. Customers are encouraged also to package their goods. It helps to cut down the time and also the expenses which could have been required for keeping staffs particularly for packaging (Medlin Ellegaard, 2015). External Environment Analysis: The Australian retail grocery sectors have been a point of attraction for the public body and the critique experts. The competitions have been redefined with the effective strategies of Aldi which is always good for customers; however, not so for the country's economy. In course to offer the competitive prices, the supermarket stores have considered being low with their net profit. Such trend has affected the annual growth of the grocery and the supermarket industry in Australia. As reported by the IBISWorld, the industry is expected to grow at 3% annually (Ibisworld.com.au, 2018). Initially, the duopoly of Coles and Woolworths was the reason for criticism and had also produced calls for a reform in the competition laws. It was being felt to analyze any misuse of the market power (Corones, 2016). Improvements have been felt for regulation of planning, liquor licensing and trading hours. Aldis success just suggests a low barrier to entry in the industry and also attaining a progressiv e growth (Corones, 2016). The technological disruption being brought up by new entrants in the Australian retail sector and also the changing dimension of shopping such as the online shopping are al affecting the brands and also the countrys economy. Firms are now being shifted to many innovative moves to solve their incompetency. However, in many ways, such strategies make those problems poorer (Methner, Hamann Nilsson, 2015). Aldi has redefined the competition and has created the urgency for others to bring much innovation in their business strategies, so that, those firms stay afloat in the industry. Moreover, there is a price war competition in the Australian retail industry which is always good for customers provided that, three factors such as value, convenience, and product quality are met. The fact is not so good for the countrys economy. The competition has affected the annual growth of the grocery and the supermarket industry. The industry is expected to grow at 3% on an annual basis (Ibisworld.com .au, 2018). The profit margin is declining for the industry which is an indirect loss the national economy (de Waal, van Nierop Sloot, 2017). Customers are the drivers of industries, in particular, the grocery retail industry in Australia. The extent to which they desire for a service it gets reflected in the decision making of the industry leaders. Woolworths and Coles have long had the duopoly status in the Australian retail sector. However, the fact has been strongly derailed by the German based Aldi. Consumer behavior and the entrants of new retail business have both forced industrys leaders to consider changing their business model. The attempt to offer a competitive price range to customers has affected the annual growth of the Australian retail industry (Calvo-Porral, Faa Medn Montes-Solla, 2016). Consumer behavior for shopping has given place to innovative strategies which have so far been proved productive to Aldi. However, the cost-effective strategy may not be producing the same effect due to the ever-changing consumer behavior for shopping. Customers, in particular, the Millennials are now being attracted much towards the online shopping platforms. Shopping convenience, availability of a range of products, price comparison option, incrementing usage of Internet in Millennials and delivery at the doorstep are some of the reasons for a booming online shopping platform (Borraz et al., 2014). On top of all, the changed lifestyle of young generations has largely supported the online shopping platform. The young generations, in particular, do not anymore like visiting physical stores. It does not mean they have stopped going to stores. It rather means they prefer an online shopping platform where they are not required to visit the physical stores. They can browse their desire category of products and find a list of products from different brands. They can also compare for product features and the pricing. Once they decide their choice of products they are simply required to book it for purchase. Their selected product or the list of products will then be delivered to their doorstep (Hosken, Olson Smith, 2018). Additionally, they do not have reasons to feel like visiting stores. For instance, Aldi that offers the cheapest products is still expanding and yet to reach to a wider customer base in the country. The store is still inaccessible to many. It does not make the sense traveling miles to reach to the store for products which could be conveniently purchased on the various online platforms (Price, 2016). Physical stores at present have no answer to the revelation created by the online shopping zones. There is a need for technological innovation that could support a huge change in regards to the physical layout of the stores. Millennials are prone to the technological interface. Hence, suggestions would be for technological and strategic innovation in physical shopping stores (Price, 2016). Technological innovation has evidently kept on driving the consumer behavior in the Australian retail market. Initially, the market was dominated by the duopoly of Woolworths and Coles which later on being affected by Aldi. Aldi has driven the shopping behavior with its cost-effective business models focussed to provide value, quality product, and shopping convenience. However, the biggest disruption was being laid from the entrance of online shopping platforms (Luck Benkenstein, 2015). It has actually steered the market with customers in specific the Millennials thronging to the concept. It has offered the services which have no answers from the physical stores. The ever-growing use of internet has made such things possible. Customers who love technological gadgets have responded to a changed interface (Luck Benkenstein, 2015). The innovation has disrupted the industry and produced a necessity to adopt the change pattern of shopping behavior. They must consider introducing the innovative strategies, so that, they are able to pull and retain their customers at their physical stores. There is a need for reducing the wait time of customers. Technological gadgets need to be implemented in the feasible zones to attract the young customers. The shelf layout must be changed to make customers feel the online kind of experience. The number of stores is needed to be increased, so that, accessibility rate could increase (Pantano, 2014). There are environmental concerns which are drawing the attention of the national government. Greenhouse gas emission and waste production are the matter of worries for supermarket giants. The supply chain operation which also includes the logistics operation is a resource to greenhouse gas emission. Supermarket brands are under a strict scrutiny of the national government due to its contribution to the greenhouse gas emission. There is a need for effective strategies to effectively reduce the level of greenhouse gas emission (Hosken, Olson Smith, 2018). They are in a way involved in the production of wastages. Packaging which is an important part of operation contributes to environmental pollution. It effectively contributes to the greenhouse gas emission. Recycling of older products is also a concern (de Waal, van Nierop Sloot, 2017). The Australian grocery and retail industry needs to follow certain legal policies or else they may be in danger or scrutinized for violating any of such policies. They are scrutinized under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 which protect any unfair practice in regards to competition and trade. The purpose is to enhance the welfare of Australians (Corones, 2016). As earlier being stated that the duopoly of Woolworths and Coles have already attracted scrutinized move of the public body. Hence, Aldi will need to ensure that do not come across such obligations. TheGreenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) Act 2012 governs a national framework guiding the product energy efficiency in Australia (Corones, 2016). Giant supermarket brands like Aldi may be required to continually deploy thoughts to remain safe from any such obligation. This is also necessary to prove their image as a socially responsible firm. The Australian supermarket and grocery industry has witnessed a wide variety of stores like convenience stores, specialty grocery stores, and farmer's markets. However, the market is now reaching the saturation stage (Medlin Ellegaard, 2015). Additionally, the technological disruption does already exist in the form of online shopping platforms. The existing supermarket giants like Woolworths, Coles, and Aldi can only consider improving the shopping interface through incepting a few of technological innovations. Brands can improve the shopping experience of their customers but, only through feasible technological interventions (Arup, Beaton-Wells Paul-Taylor, 2017). Hence, it appears as if there are no more scopes for a substitute business. The sheer competition from online shopping giants has produced the necessity for few modifications in the existing store format. Modifications need to be in regards to such as improving the shopping interface, reducing the wait time for customers and increasing the number of stores. Hence, firms with the effective business model may be a possibility. Lidl, for example, has made a knocking entry in the Australian retail industry (Methner, Hamann Nilsson, 2015). Despite the fact that the market is close to the saturation stage, it has still space available for innovative firms. There are scopes in regards to technological disruption in the store layout to make it appealing to customers in specific to Millennials (Pantano, 2014). The Australian grocery and retail industry is highly competitive. The competition was redefined by a duopoly dominance of Woolworths and Coles. It was further stormed with an entrance of Aldi in 2001. The cost-effective business model of Aldi has helped the company to establish its own image. At the current moment, Aldi is giving a strong fight to Woolworths and Coles. Actually, Woolworths and Coles are feeling the heat of Aldi (Calvo-Porral, Faa Medn Montes-Solla, 2016). The competition reached a different level with the technological disruption of online shopping platforms. It has influenced the shopping behavior of Millennials significantly. It has also attracted the Baby Boomers. The incrementing internet usage has encouraged customers to online shopping. They found this rather user-friendly due to the convenience of shopping, availability of large stocks, comparative study of different brands in terms of product features prices and the home delivery (Arup, Beaton-Wells Paul-T aylor, 2017). Consumers drive the Australian grocery and retail industry which is also evident through the successive dominion of Woolworths Coles, cost-effective dominion of Aldi and online shopping platform. Consumers have always been the drivers. Consumers drive it through their behaviors not necessarily confined only to shopping behaviors (Methner, Hamann Nilsson, 2015). Customers had needed cheapest yet the quality product. Such behavior of customers had given space to discounted stores. When retailers have felt the necessity to provide a convenient shopping experience they had come up with the convenient stores. Aldi had identified the need to offer all those three elements such as value, quality product and shopping convenience under one roof. Online shopping platforms can be regarded as an outcome of incrementing internet usage (Calvo-Porral, Faa Medn Montes-Solla, 2016). The Australian supermarket brands have been able to manage an effective relationship with suppliers. Hence, they had been able to manage it according to their needs. Till the time, when duopoly of Woolworths and Coles had existed they had been dominating their relationship with suppliers. They were the biggest buyers and hence, they had the advantage (Hosken, Olson Smith, 2018). Aldi, on the other hand, moved along a different line to manage an effective relationship with suppliers. The first move was to reduce the number of stock keeping units (SKUs). They had also offered a very limited range of products than Woolworths and Coles do. In this way, Aldi was able to reduce the bargaining power of suppliers (de Waal, van Nierop Sloot, 2017). Few of the exclusive private-label brands were accountable for a 90% shelf space payment (de Waal, van Nierop Sloot, 2017). In this way, Aldi was able to reduce the cost of production and also the bargaining power of suppliers. Factors driving the industry towards a change: Few factors are worth mentioning due to its impact on the Australian retail industry. The Australian customer landscapes especially the Ethnic Australians and Millennials are shifting towards a new direction. They want fresh, healthy and quality products from a resource other than the online shopping platforms. They are well educated on the impact of business on the global society. This is why they now wish to pay more to brands that they trust as a potential choice for environmental betterment. Brands with a positive impact on society are an emerging demand of customers. A sustainable business with a strong preference for local production is an emerging trend (Methner, Hamann Nilsson, 2015). Technological disruption is the other driving force, especially for physical stores. Physical stores have faced tough challenges from the online shopping platforms. Millennials who will be the future customers have a high addiction to online shopping. On the other hand, physical stores in any format are not that much capable to pull back Millennials to the concept. They are also not accessible at every location (Luck Benkenstein, 2015). These are the few factors to concentrate in future. Until and unless physical stores do not come up with technological interventions they will not be able to establish a strong fight to online platforms. Aldi has been quite successful in the last five years and also able to give tough competition to Australian supermarket duopoly of Woolworths and Coles. However, it needs to implement some technological interventions in order to redefine the shopping experience and also attracting back the Millennials who are at present significantly disconnected. The company is still expanding its number of stores in Australia. There is a need to open up more such stores to make it accessible in most locations (Hosken, Olson Smith, 2018). Additionally, customers can be provided with technological gadgets like a computerized interface in stores. This will provide tracking of required areas in stores and also the other useful stuff. The products can be designed on a shelf in a way which is very much similar to the online shopping platforms. An app specially dedicated to stores can also be introduced using which customers will be able to book their desired products which will be delivered to them with in the given time period of delivery (Medlin Ellegaard, 2015). Effect of the change in the industry: The first change which was for a socially responsible business may bring significant changes to the shopping behaviors of customers. Customers especially those who are well-informed of the societal values will look for going to the changed option. It means customer loyalty will increase. This is actually necessary for a sustained business (de Waal, van Nierop Sloot, 2017). Technological interventions that have been suggested to compete against the online platforms may also produce necessary outcomes. Millennials may feel like visiting physical stores if it is available to their desired location. The smart technology at stores like computer interface can be a guiding experience for customers. The recommended app may also prove to be an engaging experience. Customers, in particular, the Millennials will roam around the store with the help of guidelines available on the computer interface. It is also time-effective as instant information will be generated. Customers will not require roaming around the stores and searching for their desired products. They will be to their desired location with just a slight work on the interface (Borraz et al., 2014). Millennials may be delighted also with this new experience and feel like using the service again. The use of app may also give them an experience similar to the online shopping where they can book their orders and get it delivered at their doorstep. It means that they are physically viewing their products. Hence, they will have no doubts on whether the chosen product is exactly the same as it looked like. This is quite possible in online shopping where it is very challenging to judge a few things like color textures, designs, and a real look. However, if supermarket stores like Aldi come up with the concept, customers will actually be able to judge products based on their parameters of needs (Arup, Beaton-Wells Paul-Taylor, 2017). The product layout arrangement in the line of the online shopping platforms may give the Millennials a feel for online shopping. They will find the products arranged exactly the way it used to be on the online shopping platforms. Hence, habits of browsing the products on the online platforms can also be relived in such physical stores (Arup, Beaton-Wells Paul-Taylor, 2017). Conclusion: Therefore, the retail and grocery industry in Australia has a declining trend at present. This is largely due to price wars between the supermarket giants. The war has benefitted the customers; however, reduced the profit margin for firms. The annual growth of the grocery and supermarket industry is also being hampered by it. The indirect impact of the circumstances is expected to affect the countrys economy. Aldi has been very successful in the last five years. A strategically aligned business practice is the reason behind its success. The business model that it uses has supplied the three essential needs or wants to customers like value, quality of product and the shopping convenience. Woolworths and Coles have struggled to be in the price wars due to their incapability to reduce the total production cost. Aldi, on the other hand, has intelligently managed to keep it low. The strategy to keep the numbers of stock keeping unit (SKUs) low is one of the intelligent moves of Aldi which has benefitted the firm immensely. However, the online shopping platforms is a serious threat to physical stores and to counter which it needs to consider a few technological interventions as suggested in this assignment. Aldi and other supermarket giants will also be needed to prove their stand in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR). References: Arup, C., Beaton-Wells, C., Paul-Taylor, J. (2017). Regulating supermarkets: The competition for space.UNSWLJ,40, 1035-1039. Borraz, F., Dubra, J., Ferrs, D., Zipitra, L. (2014). Supermarket entry and the survival of small stores.Review of Industrial Organization,44(1), 73-93. Calvo-Porral, C., Faa Medn, J. A., Montes-Solla, P. (2016). Relational, Functional benefits and customer value in large retailing: A cross-format comparative analysis.Journal of International Food Agribusiness Marketing,28(2), 132-148. Corones, S. (2015). Regulating unilateral supermarket misconduct as customer/acquirer of goods and services.Australian Business Law Review,43(5), 400-419. Corones, S. G. (2016). Applying an Effects Test under s 46 of the Competition and Consumer Act. de Waal, A., van Nierop, E., Sloot, L. (2017). Analysing supermarket performance with the high-performance organisation framework.International Journal of Retail Distribution Management,45(1), 57-70. Hosken, D. S., Olson, L. M., Smith, L. K. (2018). Do retail mergers affect competition? Evidence from grocery retailing.Journal of Economics Management Strategy,27(1), 3-22. Ibisworld.com.au. (2018).Supermarkets and Grocery Stores Australia Industry Report | IBISWorld. [online] Available at: https://www.ibisworld.com.au/industry-trends/market-research-reports/retail-trade/food-retailing/supermarkets-grocery-stores.html [Accessed 10 Apr. 2018]. Knox, M. (2015).Supermarket monsters: The price of Coles and Woolworths' dominance(Vol. 6). Black Inc.. Luck, M., Benkenstein, M. (2015). Consumers between supermarket shelves: The influence of inter-personal distance on consumer behavior.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,26, 104-114. Medlin, C. J., Ellegaard, C. (2015). Conceptualizing competition and rivalry in a networking business market.Industrial Marketing Management,51, 131-140. Methner, N., Hamann, R., Nilsson, W. (2015). The Evolution of a Sustainability Leader: The Development of Strategic and Boundary Spanning Organizational Innovation Capabilities in Woolworths. InThe Business of Social and Environmental Innovation(pp. 87-104). Springer, Cham. Pantano, E. (2014). Innovation drivers in retail industry.International Journal of Information Management,34(3), 344-350. Price, R. (2016). Controlling routine front line service workers: an Australian retail supermarket case.Work, employment and society,30(6), 915-931. Singh-Peterson, L., Lieske, S., Underhill, S. J., Keys, N. (2016). Food security, remoteness and consolidation of supermarket distribution centres: Factors contributing to food pricing inequalities across Queensland, Australia.Australian Geographer,47(1), 89-102.

There is no room for individual identity in South African literature Essay Example

There is no room for individual identity in South African literature Essay Literature has often been used as tool to capture a sense of the self in society. The issue has clearly had pertinence in South Africa since the introduction of apartheid policies. Apartheid was the system of legal racial segregation imposed by the National Party government of South Africa between 1948 and 19931. Under apartheid whites were given a political-racial identity which was synonymous with superiority. The coloured characters in Athol Fugards play Boesman and Lena were left helpless by the racism, as Lenas song illustrates when she sings about how Boesman is not merely a name, it is also a label and an identification of ones culture. The sense of individuality appears to have been superseded by the need to conform in a malicious, segregated society. The thought of being exposed to such a hostile land is discussed in poems such as Landscape of Violence, where Currey uses a simile to liken the politics of South Africa at the time to hailstorms, showing just how crippling the results of prejudice can be. We will write a custom essay sample on There is no room for individual identity in South African literature specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on There is no room for individual identity in South African literature specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on There is no room for individual identity in South African literature specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Indeed, those caught outside the comfortable life of the elite are depicted as having only a horse to shelter them from the hail. Racial prejudices are by far the most obvious restriction on personal identity; the characters I have studied are defined first and foremost by the colour of their skin. Though Afrikanerdom saw itself as culturally distinct from the English-speaking South Africans, both groups exercised apartheid policies to persecute black or coloured Africans, forcing them into subservience. The fact that Fugards Boesman and Lena begins with A coloured man uggests that everything from that moment forward has been as result of his skin colour. Fugard goes further to show that Lena is highly disadvantaged as a result of being coloured; her dreams of reinventing herself are met by Boesmans What do you think you are? A white madam? highlighting that there are distinct limits to her possibilities. Outa is ever only referred to by Boesman as a kaffir, disregarding any personality the character might have and basing his prejudice purely on his social status. In Landscapes of Violence, Currey endorses Fugards view that apartheid catalyses the loss of identity when he writes that racial attitudes, [are] like snakes And every brown and white child wakes/Beside a sloughed-off love one day, the simile here suggests danger; racial attitudes will creep up, and just like the bite of a snake infiltrates your blood bit by bit, they will infiltrate ideology. The metaphor of the shed snake skin suggests the racial hatred in South Africa is a manufactured phenomenon which has stolen innocence from the previously integrated society. The dehumanising and depersonalising effects of apartheid are shown yet even more clearly in Unto Dust, where Oom Schalk Lourens likens black people to animals. He states his horror that white people may be laid to rest just anyhow, along with a dead wild cat, maybe, or a Bushman. Even the seemingly accepting Lena, in a fit of frustration tells Outa to stop that baboon language, implying that she sees him as a being incapable of human speech, and therefore perhaps incapable of feeling human emotion. However, writers such as (Mbuyiseni Mtshali) in An Abandoned Bundle have chosen not to explicitly describe people in terms of their race, and it could be argued this is due to the lack of need; the reader will be able to assume race from the conditions described. Yet, providing a more likely alternative, explanation also is found in the Suppression of Communism Act (1950) which is was in effect the legal gagging of opposition to the apartheid government2. Others such as Herman Bosman, who, in the words of Christopher Heywood possesses a light touch even when dealing with heavy issues3, address the injustices of racial attitudes in a more subtle way. In Makapans Caves Lourens appears to have genocidal racism4 when collating black people with a cattle-destroying plague (I could never understand why [the Almighty] made the kaffir and the rinderpest). It should perhaps be noted here that the use of the word kaffir, although totally unacceptable in todays society, would not necessarily have raised even the most liberal eyebrows in 1930. Nevertheless, Lourens is considered racist because despite defying expectation placed on him by caring for Hendrik, Nongaas is fatally wounded because Lourens automatically assumes him to be the enemy due to his race. Though these images of racism have made Bosmans stories unpopular to a modern readership, I feel that to take this view is to fundamentally misunderstand the narrative distance between Bosman and Lourens. In the vast majority of Bosmans stories, explicit authorial intervention is limited exclusively to the Oom Schalk Lourens said which punctuates each storys prefatory statement. This authorial marker is a vital tool because it immediately establishes a separation between author and storyteller. Apartheid has caused divisions further than a simple black/white divide though, seeping into groups of similar ethnicity. Marico Scandal presents a white man chased from his home by the villagers scandalous story. The sibilance of the narration emphasises the malicious nature of the remarks made by the Marico farmers. The drastic action taken by Koos Deventer to stop Gawie getting involved with Francina causes Gawie to leave Drogevlei and the Groot Marico for ever. This shows the gravity of the accusation of being mixed race and the social stigma attached to such a label. Tragically, his paramour Francina is left alone and pregnant something considered shocking due to the highly Christian outlook in South Africa explaining Francinas stern, purposefully monosyllabic assertions that Gawie is white He is as white as I am. Similarly, in Fugards play, despite Lenas compassionate attempts to sympathise with Outa, Boesman reinforces the distinction between the coloured status and the old mans inferior social standing; hes not brown people, hes black people. To Boesman Outa is worthless and should have been a burden to his own class, Go die in your own world! It is often forgotten, however, that the Whitemans identity is also predefined, and he too is unable to change it. Whilst Fugard was watching a black woman walk like a somnambulist beside the Swartkops river just north of the city one bitterly cold July in 1968, he realised that to her, he and his companions were merely white men5. Fugard, who was a poor white man himself, manages to get his own identity across by writing in a uniquely South African idiom, which reflects both the uncertainty and the potential of his culture by mingling English, Afrikaans and sometimes African speech. An ear for dialect is one of Fugards strengths, and we are reminded of class markers in his own speech that locate him in the underprivileged communities6. While whites do not appear to suffer to the extent of coloured and black people in Fugards depiction, with the exception of baas Robbie, they are prohibited the luxury of identity. This may reflect the lack of interaction whites had with Boesman or Lena (who as coloured people were not even allowed to possess land in a white area), however I feel it is more likely to be intentional irony, twisting the employment of stereotypes used by whites onto them. The absence of names was a feature of the literature which struck me as poignant. The poem To a Small Boy who Died at Diepkloof Reformatory describes a small child, with the alliteration oh lost and lonely one emphasising the childs helplessness and isolation. Yet despite the poem being written as a direct elegy to him, the boy is never given a name. This appears to be a reflection by Alan Paton on the distant, cold-hearted nature of the South African justice system. The description of judges, magistrates lice, and sociologists, / Kept moving and alive by your delinquency suggests self-serving, corrupt officials fail the mistreated young boy. Undoubtedly the use of the indefinite a in the title was intended, and could imply that this tragedy is by no means isolated (likewise with the title of the poem An Abandoned Bundle). The identical here is the preceding both the document of birth and certificate of Death demonstrate the brevity and insignificance of the boys life in the eyes of the impersonal clerks. Paton appears to lament the lack of emotion conveyed in the document of birth while for the needs of society the simple where and when may suffice, the poet realises that these facts ignore the unique aspects of the childs life and identity, viewing it as more important whether he felt joy or sorrow. Gender is another issue which has weight with regards to identity. All racial and ethnic groups in South Africa have long-standing beliefs concerning gender roles, and most are based on the premise that women are less important and subordinate men. As Albert Wetheim remarks, Lena is doubly marginalised for she is as a coloured, victimized by whites as a woman, victimized by a male and the assault of his fists7 furthermore Lena has been unable to fulfil her role as a woman, that of the child bearer. A life of hardship and dissipation has arguably stripped Lena of genuinely positive emotion and when later talking to Outa she laments once youve put your life on your head and walked you never get light again. There are a number of parallels between Lena and the mother depicted in the final stanza of An Abandoned Bundle. Both are forced to continue living in a world which does not recognise the terrible tragedies of their past; the image of the abandoned bundles mother melting into the rays of the rising sun seemed to be presented through the eyes of the child, who would have been looking up at its mothers face as she drew away. However, melt may also suggest her fading away again into a crowd, an innocent face concealing her terrible secret. Comparably, Lena is not allowed to remember her lost child properly, due to Boesmans inability to discuss it with her on a personal level. Parallels may also be drawn against Sally (from Casey Motsisis The Efficacy of Prayer) who, like Lena, dreams of breaking free from the restrictions placed on her by society. Her dream to be just like Dan the Drunk comes true with the irony that the best Sally could become was something Dan the Drunk already was and whilst he was underachieving for a white man, this was the best a black girl may hope for. Athol Fugard is quoted as saying of Boesman and Lena, Its an examination of a relationship between a man and a woman in which the man is a bully. . . . I think my wife has been on the receiving end of a lot of that sort of greed and selfishness. 8 Yet despite the guilt the author carries abuse is almost commonplace in South Africa. One in every three women in South Africa is in an abusive relationship, a woman is killed by her partner every six days and there is a rape every 35 seconds9. Lenas arrival on stage immediately sets up their relationship and their identities. As she follows Boesman onto the stage and asks Here? both the action and the question are a deferral of power to him. In questioning Boesman she gives him the authority to decide her history and identity, and he is happy to occupy the seat of power in this relationship because he does not have to reflect on his oppressed life. Instead, he has become the oppressor, white man reincarnated. Lena is both bitter and ironic when she says He walks in front. It used to be side by side. Yet, although she is conscious of Boesmans faults, Lena remains inextricably tied to him, for she believes he holds the key to her past, and so her identity, for if she can be hit and bruised, then she exists. Lena in particular evokes sympathy in a modern western audience as Boesmans cruelty becomes clear this is despite Fugards intention to avoid the basic issue that it is not as simple as Lena being the victim and Boesman the oppressor10. Roy Campbells The Zulu Girl describes a place when in the sun the hot red acres smoulder, / Down where the sweating gang its labour plies. These depictions of a life ruled by labour are common, and Campbell hints that many women simply accept the sullen dignity of their defeat; although this certainly could not be said of Lena (I want my life. Wheres it? ). In an interview in 1992, Fugard acknowledged that his life has been sustained by women, the first of whom was his mother, a woman of such moral probity11. Fugards respect for women is reflected in Lenas strong character and desire that her life be witnessed, to go beyond resignation and despair in the secular world to which they are condemned. Her escape through memory contrasts Boesmans deep-rooted shame the power in their relationship begins to shift as Boesman discredits himself through violence and cruelty towards Lena and Outa. Though Bosmans stories rarely feature a central female character, possibly because whilst his stories tended to centre around the representation of society, women were considered to have little to no say on the African culture and were considerably marginalised. However, when he does cast a lead female role they tend to be tough, assertive girls. For instance, Minnie from Ox-Wagons on Trek manages to dream beyond her role as a farmers daughter and gained enough authority to refuse to marry Frans du Toit. The satisfaction Minnie gains from such liberation is shown through the use of light-hearted language such as romped and splashed. South Africas turbulent past has seen many a war, particularly between competing colonial powers trying to control it. Bosmans Mafeking Road is set during this the Second Boer War (1899-1902), concerning a son killed for wanting to defect from the Boer to the British army. Though Bosmans likely intention is to suggest the value of life is worth more than the shame Floris van Barnevelt would have felt, you cannot deny the sense of pride from being a Boer which comes through. Similarly, in his The Affair at Ysterpruit (also set during this time, without a narrator) he says he does not care whether a Boer commander is cunning or competent, for it was enough for [him] that [they] had fought. Stellenbosh by Rudyard Kipling indicates this is true for British colonies too the emphasis and repetition of the word might signifies the disappointment felt by the soldier that his General would not allow them to answer Brother Boers attack. Kiplings own son died in battle during the First World War after being continually encouraged by his father to fight for his country. South Africa has been home to various tribes since its birth, and the idea that you can take a sense of identity from your ethnic background is one which runs through all three texts. Despite being ashamed of who and what he is, even Fugards Boesman can attribute some of his identity to his ethnic background his use of sun to identify his bearings is something his forefathers would have done for centuries. However more imperative, as Stanley Kauffman astutely observed of the 1970 New York production of Boesman and Lena, is that this is a play in which the ground is important, On this mud, out of which we all come, Boesman and Lena make their camp12. All they have ever known is to use the earth, and whilst this is certainly more significant in Fugards plays, Bosman also gives credit to the African soil. Bosman unapologetically uses terms like krantz, withaak and the like without translation. We may speculate that it is this attempt to render the veld as foreign as possible, in contrast to the tameness of English country meadows which filled popular literature at the time, yet there also appears to be a certain love for the land ingrained the in African soul. Bosman wanted something more primitive to write about than the too civilised Marico, with its tractors and roads. Similarly, Mrs. A. C. Dube seeks to demonstrate patriotism at its utmost in her poem Africa: My Native Land by denying it will ever cause despair. Africa is, to her, the dearest Land ever known, and worth fighting for Till every drop of blood within my veins / Shall dry upon my troubled bones. The lack of rhyme scheme gives the poem a sense of roughness, imitating the land it is describing. This physical description demonstrates how embedded Dubes patriotism is, and this level of devotion to ones country becomes even more moving in the context of struggle. Lenas struggle always brings her back to the land, Boesman and Lena with the sky for a roof again, as in her first monologue, delivered with urgent passion, she seeks to bring meaning to her life through location. Her hard mother is something shared with every character, story or poem referring to South Africa; a binding point, a basis for a collective South African identity. Athol Fugard was labelled a political playwright against his will, stifling his own sense of identity. It is thus interesting that his text provides the least hope for those whom society stereotypes. Whilst it could be considered that the use of coloured people an artistically exacting touch as people of mixed blood Boesman and Lena are of indeterminate race, neither black nor white enabling the characters to represent all races Lena does not manage to break from the oppression and impoverishment, suggesting a cyclic existence. Nevertheless, the 2000 film version of Boesman and Lena contains flashback scenes where the couple are happy, and in one transcendent moment Lena starts singing, shuffling out a few dance steps at the same time before she laughs triumphantly. However, Elegiac poem For Richard Turner is to me the clearest example of the power of the individual, proving it is possible to make your voice heard within South Africa. Whilst its style is extremely personal, the presence of a name gives an extra poignancy. The way Turner is banned; neither to be published/ nor quoted in any form and forbidden to teach, represents a persistent attempt by the state to prevent his influence on others. While the line a gunman called you to the door shows the juxtaposition of politics and a domestic setting, the state imposing its views on the lives of others, even in the face of death, Turner is the more powerful figure. Even if, in reality, Turner did not choose the circumstances of his death, he did choose to resist oppression, in spite of knowing the risks. Similarly Dhlomos belligerent harangue Because Im Black aggressively explains that diversity means not disunion, and speaks out against those who harbour childish [delusions]. As individuals we find ourselves caught up in greater events, and must choose whether to look on passively, and thrust (our cold hands) into/ our ultimately private pockets, or to stand up for what we believe in. As a country it is important to rely upon each other, rather than the state, for validation. Yet in a country with as rich and polarised a political history as South Africa, its literature find will it difficult to survive without ever really avoid focussing on the social contexts which have played such an integral part in the shaping of the country it is today.