The Story of an African Farm Characters
The main characters in The Story of an African Farm are Waldo Farber, Lyndall, and Em.
- Waldo Farber is the son of the farm’s overseer. He is a dreamer who struggles with his faith, falls in love with Lyndall, and leaves the farm to find work but later returns.
- Lyndall is Em’s orphaned cousin. She is determined to receive an education and becomes an independent thinker who rejects marriage and religion.
- Em is the stepdaughter of Tant’ Sannie, the owner of the farm. She eventually runs the farm herself and agrees to marry the Englishman Gregory Rose.
Characters
Waldo Farber
Waldo Farber stands out as the protagonist of The Story of an African Farm. From a young age, he is depicted as a dreamer with a yearning for lofty ideals, yet he is prone to despair when those ideals elude him. As a boy, Waldo longs for a connection with God, but when he perceives no response, he concludes either divine enmity or the absence of God. This early disillusionment sets the tone for his character's evolution.
As Waldo matures, he discovers the pleasures of reading and the pursuit of knowledge. His romantic feelings for Lyndall emerge, adding complexity to his emotional world. However, the demise of his father at the hands of Bonaparte Blenkins and Tant’ Sannie introduces Waldo to cruelty and hardship, fostering a growing cynicism and coldness within him. This emotional turmoil peaks when he leaves the farm for work but eventually brings him back to his familiar surroundings.
The death of Lyndall strikes Waldo deeply, nearly overwhelming him with grief. Yet, he finds solace in the concept of the Universal Life, a spiritual ideal that grants him peace. At the novel's conclusion, Waldo is depicted passing away amidst the beauty of nature, his dreams finally offering comfort and reconciliation.
Lyndall
Lyndall, an orphan of considerable complexity, embodies both dreams and cynicism. Despite her lack of material wealth, Lyndall possesses grand aspirations. She seeks education and power, convinced she can forge a significant life for herself. Her determination leads her to persuade Tant’ Sannie to send her to a finishing school, although her most profound learning comes from personal experiences and extensive reading.
Returning to the farm, Lyndall is brimming with ideas about women's oppression, power dynamics, and the constructs of marriage and love, which she shares with Waldo. Her convictions are paradoxical, as she professes disbelief in anything, claims to lack conscience, and feels little love. Most people are mere tools in her eyes. Though she desires Gregory's name, she refrains from marrying him, opting for a life of perceived freedom.
Her relationship with a mysterious stranger underscores her contradictions. She ends up alone and ill, asking Gregory, disguised as a nurse, to cover her child’s grave with a cloak, despite earlier claiming she did not love the child. Lyndall's life, marked by contradictions and unfulfilled aspirations, culminates in her death in a wagon, reflecting on her reflection.
Em
Em, Lyndall’s cousin, is depicted as a paragon of goodness. Characterized by her caring nature, she consistently prioritizes others' needs and desires over her own. Em is humble, regarding herself as neither exceptionally good nor beautiful. When Gregory professes his love for her, she feels blessed by his affection.
However, upon realizing Gregory's affections have shifted toward Lyndall, Em courageously breaks off their engagement. Despite her heartache, she refrains from blaming Gregory or Lyndall. Em remains a supportive anchor for her cousin and Waldo, offering them the stability they crave. She manages the farm with efficiency, concealing her emotions while maintaining a balanced and cheerful demeanor amidst personal trials.
Lyndall’s Stranger
Lyndall’s enigmatic stranger becomes her lover. Despite professing love, she refuses marriage, fearing it would rob her of freedom and independence. He persists in his marriage proposals, yet he acquiesces to her desire to live without legal bonds. His condescending manner, referring to Lyndall as "poor little thing," reveals an underlying arrogance.
Gregory Rose
Gregory Rose is a character marked by indecisiveness. He professes deep, abiding love for Em, only to be diverted by Lyndall’s allure. Gregory is loyal to Lyndall to the extent of adopting a female disguise to nurse her during...
(This entire section contains 949 words.)
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her final illness. However, after her death, at Lyndall's behest, he returns to Em, entering a marriage unlikely to bring true happiness to either of them.
Otto Farber
Otto Farber, the German overseer and Waldo’s father, is a man of unwavering faith and naiveté. Otto's belief in the goodness of others, even in the face of deceit, is a testament to his trusting nature. He is generous to a fault, sharing his meager resources with those he perceives as needier, viewing such actions as service to humanity and Christ.
Otto's misplaced trust in Bonaparte Blenkins leads to his downfall, yet he accepts his fate with grace and prepares to leave his home with joy, dying in peace and innocence.
Tant’ Sannie
Tant’ Sannie, the proprietor of the African farm, is portrayed as a shallow and superstitious woman. She is easily swayed, first by Otto's genuine trust in Bonaparte, and then by Bonaparte's own manipulative ways. Tant’ Sannie is impulsive, mocking Waldo’s suffering and belittling Otto despite his loyalty, and physically punishing Em.
Her superstitions temper her cruelty, particularly toward Em and Lyndall, as she fears retribution from her late husband's ghost. Despite her shortcomings, Tant’ Sannie finds some happiness in her marriage to Piet and her new baby, although she clearly dominates her husband.
Bonaparte Blenkins
Bonaparte Blenkins epitomizes deceit and manipulation. Despite his outward show of religious devotion and gratitude, his true intention is self-gain. His objectives include acquiring wealth, comfort, and authority. Once in power, Bonaparte exploits his position, subjecting Em to punishment, falsely accusing Otto, and abusing Waldo. His deep-seated cruelty and malice manifest in his enjoyment of others' suffering, particularly targeting Waldo.
An unrepentant hypocrite and opportunist, Bonaparte's character remains unchanged throughout the narrative, culminating in his marriage to Tant’ Trana for financial gain.
Waldo’s Stranger
Waldo’s stranger is a pivotal influence on the young boy, appearing unexpectedly at the farm to recount a tale about the elusive nature of truth. Despite claiming disbelief in anything, the stranger imparts a distinct philosophy that significantly alters Waldo's worldview.
