Style and Technique
By its setting and its point of view, “Mrs. Plum” gives readers a realistic glimpse of life in a particular place and time—South Africa in the 1960’s. Greenside, Johannesburg, is a wealthy suburb of a major city. By law, the only people who live there are white families, in large, walled-off homes, and their black servants, who live in small spartan quarters in the back. Like Karabo and her friend Chimane, many of these servants come from small villages. They send part of their wages back to support their families and are granted one brief vacation a year to visit. “Mrs. Plum” presents, through Karabo’s eyes, vivid descriptions of the parts of Greenside accessible to the servants, the bus ride between city and village, and the segregated shops and schools in those sections of Johannesburg catering to blacks. Because of social and political impediments, there is little fiction depicting black South Africa under apartheid from a black writer’s point of view. This scarcity lends “Mrs. Plum” a significance beyond its inherent qualities as a work of fiction.
Also striking in “Mrs. Plum” is the point of view. The story is told in the first person by Karabo, a humble servant girl from the village of Phokeng. Karabo’s sentence structures and vocabulary represent the language of a particular class of people who are not often depicted in literature—and it should be noted that when Karabo speaks English to her employer she is using her second or third language. Everything in the story is filtered through Karabo’s eyes. Her growing awareness of the system of apartheid becomes the reader’s growing awareness. Things that seem strange to Karabo—including Mrs. Plum’s choices of food and her attempts to be friendly with her servants—appear strange to the reader. Presenting small details of life under apartheid in the authentic voice of one of its victims is one of Mphahlele’s most important accomplishments in “Mrs. Plum.”
Historical Context
South Africa and Apartheid
Mphahlele penned ‘‘Mrs. Plum’’ while residing in Paris, having fled South Africa. He departed because he could no longer endure living and working under the oppressive apartheid laws.
Historical records indicate that various dark-skinned peoples have lived in what is now South Africa since the eleventh century. The first Europeans arrived in 1488, and by the mid-seventeenth century, Dutch settlers known as Boers had begun farming and establishing communities. By 1779, the white population had grown to fifteen thousand, while millions of blacks from various ethnic groups inhabited the region. These black communities had intricate systems of kingship and primarily engaged in herding and farming. However, their lack of advanced technology, particularly modern weaponry, prevented them from defending their lands and power against the white settlers. British settlers arrived in 1820, and by the turn of the century, a conflict between the British and the Boers concluded with South Africa becoming a self-governing colony of Great Britain. Established in 1910, the new colony primarily served British interests, while the black population was largely regarded as a nuisance.
Initially, blacks could serve in the colony's parliament if nominated by whites, but racial segregation was heavily promoted. In 1948, D. F. Malan, a Dutch Reformed Church minister, became prime minister, and segregation, known as apartheid, was codified into law. Malan aimed to encourage blacks who had migrated to cities to return to their homelands, leaving urban areas for the whites, who constituted about twelve percent of the population. Blacks, Asians, and mixed-race individuals referred to as ‘‘coloureds’’ were limited to separate entrances at public facilities, including post offices...
(This entire section contains 689 words.)
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and train stations. Separate restaurants and cinemas were designated for each group, and marriages between whites and nonwhites were outlawed.
From 1950 to 1957, the year Mphahlele left South Africa, restrictions tightened further. All citizens were required to carry identity documents called ‘‘passes,’’ which indicated their race. Blacks were prohibited from living in white areas and could only work in locations specified on their passes. If a black worker in a white area lost their job, they had just six days to find new employment or face eviction from the district. The Bantu Education Act established separate schools for different races, mandating that all students learn English and study English history and literature instead of their own cultural heritage. In some regions, blacks were dispossessed of their farmland and forced to reside in townships with no means of support other than sending family members to cities to work for whites.
In South Africa, responses to oppression varied widely. Some black South Africans formed political parties to challenge the apartheid system. Opposition leaders were imprisoned, and writers critical of government policies faced censorship. As blacks grew poorer and more disenfranchised, many whites became wealthier and more powerful. However, numerous whites opposed apartheid, including liberals like Mrs. Plum who believed in reforming the system legally. Others, who engaged in civil disobedience and worked outside the law, were also jailed or banned.
African Humanism
Due to prolonged European colonization, generations of Africans were educated primarily in European culture, leading to the Europeanization of African art, governance, and social structures. As African nations gained independence in the 1960s, intellectuals sought to uncover the essence of African identity beneath the layers of Western influence. Mphahlele emerged as a pivotal scholar in defining "African humanism" through his works, including The African Image (1962) and other critical writings.
In an interview with Richard Samin, Mphahlele described the core values of African humanism: a reverence for ancestral spirits and elders, a strong community ethos shaping human interactions, a deep connection between humans and the natural world, and a seamless continuity between the living and the nonliving. These beliefs set Africans apart from Western consumer culture, though consumerism can infiltrate and weaken African humanism.
Critic Ruth Obee argues that Mphahlele’s fiction is deeply rooted in this belief system, as she explores in her 1999 book, Es’kia Mphahlele: Themes of Alienation and African Humanism. According to Obee, Karabo’s intense need to return home to mourn her uncle and honor her aunt exemplifies her African humanism, which "stands in dramatic contrast to Mrs. Plum’s materialism."
Literary Style
Setting
The setting of ‘‘Mrs. Plum’’ is crucial not only for its location but also for its time period. The story unfolds in the white suburb of Greenside, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa's largest and most populous city. In the 1960s, as now, Johannesburg was a modern metropolis featuring skyscrapers and industry at its core, with areas of poverty to the south and west and affluent suburbs to the north. During this era, South Africa was rigidly segregated, and Greenside was exclusively inhabited by white people with large homes and black servants who tended to their needs. The servants resided in modest quarters on their employers' properties. Like Karabo and Chimane, most of them left their families in distant small farms or towns, sending money home whenever possible. Typically, they visited their families only once a year.
Mphahlele assumes his audience has some knowledge of apartheid, often referencing laws, locations, and individuals without explanation. To him, Mrs. Plum and Karabo represent typical South Africans of the 1960s. However, his focus on Karabo’s character ensures that even readers unfamiliar with South African history can grasp her growth and development despite the unfamiliar setting.
Point of View
The narrative is delivered in the first person by Karabo, who addresses an unseen reader or listener. Consequently, everything is presented through Karabo’s perspective. She recounts what she observes and hears and describes her reactions to the events. However, Karabo is not deeply introspective, and her responses are more instinctive actions than lengthy rational analyses. For instance, she mentions that when her former employer’s cousin touched her inappropriately, she ‘‘asked the madam that very day to give me my money and let me go.’’ She does not dwell on her compromised dignity or position, allowing her actions to convey her feelings. Other characters, including Mrs. Plum and Kate, are revealed solely through their speech and actions; the reader does not gain access to their inner thoughts.
Narrating the story from Karabo’s viewpoint makes her the most well-developed character and enables readers to quickly form a sympathetic connection with her. Mphahlele’s work was banned in his homeland, and books are generally expensive throughout Africa. The initial readers of ‘‘Mrs. Plum’’ would have been educated and relatively affluent Africans and Europeans. Since they likely did not share Mphahlele’s experiences of living in segregated poverty, his choice of point of view was vital for fostering a connection between his readers and his character, helping them perceive the world through her eyes.
Bildungsroman
A bildungsroman is a narrative that focuses on a young individual's journey to adulthood. The term is German and translates to "education novel." Several critics have identified "Mrs. Plum" as a bildungsroman because it chronicles Karabo’s journey towards a "total awareness of self" by the story's conclusion. Her repeated affirmations, "I learned. I grew up," along with the encouragement from Lilian Ngoyi and Mrs. Plum regarding her education, highlight the significance of Karabo's personal growth and development. Throughout the story, Karabo not only becomes increasingly aware of the peculiarities of the white society in which she temporarily resides, but her comprehension of these observations also deepens. While Mrs. Plum remains unchanged by the end of the story, Karabo emerges as a wiser individual. She returns to Mrs. Plum's home, but this time with a newfound clarity and awareness.
Compare and Contrast
1948: South African Prime Minister D. F. Malan establishes apartheid, a series of laws designed to limit the rights of blacks and maintain the dominance of the white minority.
1961: With South Africa's declaration of independence from Great Britain and the succession of Hendrik Verwoerd as Prime Minister, apartheid policies become even more stringent. Blacks are prohibited from residing in white cities and towns but are allowed to travel to these areas to serve as low-cost labor for whites. They are also denied the right to vote.
1990: President F. W. de Klerk announces the dismantling of apartheid and advocates for a new bill of rights and a government system where every adult can vote. Four years later, South Africa elects its first democratically chosen president, Nelson Mandela, a black activist.
1949: The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act is enacted, making it illegal for whites to marry individuals from other racial groups.
1990: The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, along with many other apartheid restrictions, is repealed.
1950s: The South African government strips mixed-race people, known as "coloureds," of their voting rights. In response, the Women's Defense of the Constitution League, also known as the Black Sash, stages silent protests against racial injustice and supports victims of oppression for the next forty years.
1990s: Women continue to champion equality in South Africa. Approximately one-third of the members of the post-apartheid parliament are women.
1960s: Abortion is illegal in South Africa. Women seeking abortions often have to resort to unsafe "back alley" procedures performed in unsanitary conditions by untrained individuals.
1990s: Abortions, legalized since 1977, are now performed under safe conditions by doctors and midwives, though the practice is still discouraged.
Bibliography and Further Reading
Further Reading
Akosu, Tyohdzuah, The Writing of Ezekiel [Es’kia] Mphahlele: South African Writer: Literature, Culture and Politics, Mellen University Press, 1995. This book provides a crucial overview of the critical reception of Mphahlele’s work and evaluates his literary contributions. Akosu argues that aesthetic questions regarding African literature are misplaced and suggests that Mphahlele’s work should be examined from a functionalist perspective—specifically, how it operates as literature.
Barnett, Ursula A., Ezekiel Mphahlele, Twayne, 1976. Despite being published before Mphahlele’s return to South Africa from exile in 1977, this volume remains the best introduction to his early and mid-life work. It features a chronology, biography, and detailed analysis of his major writings, including ‘‘Mrs. Plum.’’
Egejuru, Phanuel Akubueze, Towards African Literary Independence: A Dialogue with Contemporary African Writers, Greenwood Press, 1980. This book consists of interwoven interviews with several significant writers, including Mphahlele, discussing the importance of African literature for both Africans and Westerners. Mphahlele addresses the challenges of being an African in exile and the complexities of writing for an African audience while being published and read by Westerners.
Hodge, Norman, ‘‘Dogs, Africans and Liberals: The World of Mphahlele’s ‘Mrs Plum,’’’ in English in Africa, Vol. 8, No. 1, March 1981, pp. 33–43. Hodge's article offers an in-depth analysis of ‘‘Mrs. Plum,’’ highlighting the story's critique of white liberals in South Africa during apartheid.
Manganyi, N. Chabani, Exiles and Homecomings: A Biography of Es’kia Mphahlele, Ravan Press, 1983. This insightful biography, written by a clinical psychologist with full cooperation from Mphahlele and his family, is unique in its use of a first-person narrative voice.
Obee, Ruth, ‘‘‘Mrs Plum’: The Authoritarian Personality and Black Consciousness,’’ in Es’kia Mphahlele: Themes of Alienation and African Humanism, Ohio University Press, 1999. Obee examines the psychological background behind Mrs. Plum’s acceptance of morally corrupt laws and Karabo’s African humanism.
Ruth, Damian, ‘‘Through the Keyhole: Masters and Servants in the Work of Es’kia Mphahlele,’’ in English in Africa, Vol. 13, No. 2, October 1986, pp. 65–88. This essay explores the theme of the relationship between white employers and black employees in South Africa under apartheid, as depicted in three of Mphahlele’s short stories. In each story, the white employer is oblivious to the humanity of the employee, while the employee is perceptive and able to grow.
Woeber, Catherine, and John Read, Es’kia Mphahlele: A Bibliography, National English Literary Museum (Grahamstown, South Africa), 1989. This bibliography is a comprehensive yet unannotated collection of Mphahlele’s publications in journals and books, as well as critical articles and reviews of his work.
