Small Things by Nthikeng Mohlele (2014)
(summarized chronology of the novel)
This document provides a summarised chronology of this novel. The chronology is
provided in a table format that consists of chapter by chapter summary. Each
chapter lists: involved characters, setting; significant/historical events as well as
themes, supported by quotes from the novel. The document will accelerate your
understanding of the novel. It can also be useful during examination because it will
help you to easily locate and identify these features in the novel.
For more info contact:
, SMALL THINGS (NTHIKENG MOHLELE, 2014)
Take note: in relation to page referencing, I will indicate to the referred page as, for example; (p5),
instead of using this preferred method (Mohlele, 2014:5). This will be carried out throughout the
chapters.
CHAPTER 1
Characters Setting Themes Significant events
1. The narrator 1. Sophiatown (Main 1. African religion 1. The narrator’s date
setting) of birth. He describes
2. Desiree (The It is suggested through it as the day Truman
narrator’s love interest, 2. Sub-settings Father Goebbels’ bombed Hiroshima
p5) speech: “Don’t be like (p28). This day (06
i. School (this is where your people, bowing to August 1945) has
3. Father Goebbels the narrator and dead things, and universal significance
(the priest of the Desiree first met. “I drumming to evil for it is the day a
Catholic school, p8). caught her roving eye spirits” (p10). nuclear bomb was for
on me one morning the first time used in
4. Bra Todd (The during mass” (p5). 2. Friendship warfare, during World
narrator’s friend and War II.
mentor, p11) ii. Orphanage Friendship is apparent
“Catholic sanctuary for between Bra Todd and 2. We also learn that
abandoned souls” (p8). the narrator, as implied The Dutch came to
This is the school in this statement: “I the Cape in 1652
where the narrator was hang out with Bra (p10). This particular
raised under the Todd, a respected year has national
guidance of Father newsman”: significance because it
Goebbels. *They listen to records; indicates to the
the narrator also beginning of
iii. The newsroom polishes Bra Todd’s colonisation and later
(where the narrator shoes and helps with apartheid, an
worked as a journalist the dishes. oppressive system
apprentice, p12). *The friendship is under which the
depicted as intimate, narrator was born.
iv. Odin Cinema where Bra Todd
Here the narrator spent teaches the narrator
most Sundays “sophisticated ways to
watching dancers, jazz wow a lady” (p11).
bands and choral
music groups compete 3. Inequality
(p12).
*He also watched Inequality is explored
Desiree sing with her through the “life of
band “the Fleeting servitude lived by most
Birds” (p12). black people, as the
narrator mentions:
black people “shone
floors and dug furrows;
they also had to carry
pass books” (p10).
4. Crime
Crime is depicted
though Sophiatown
street gangs’ such as
“The Americans and
the Spoilers who
picked unwilling
, beauties up off dance
floors” (p10). And from
the statement: “Souls
stabbed in dark alleys,
covered with
newspapers, and
fliescome morning”
(p10).
5. Music
This theme is explored
through Desiree as the
lead singer of the
Fleeting birds, and Bra
Todd’s appreciation of
jazz records (p12).
CHAPTER 2
Characters Settings Themes Significant events
1. The narrator 1. Sophiatown 1. Injustice 1. The demolition of
(Main setting) Sophiatown in
2. Bra Todd The demolition of February 1955 as a
2. Sub-settings Sophiatown, simply result of apartheid
3. Major Joubert: because the act was regime’s separate
He is the police officer i. The Daily Argus motivated by racism development policy
who places the narrator newsroom (p18). remains a significant
under arrest (p17). The place where Bra moment in the history
Todd informs the 2. Protest literature of South Africa’s
narrator that he (the In can be seen through sociopolitics (p. 15).
narrator) is on the list the narrator’s writing of
of those wanted by a published article titled 2. The death of Steve
police (p16). “State of Neurosis” Biko in 1977 under the
(p18). apartheid is another
ii. The narrator’s noteworthy event.
home 3. Loss Steve Biko was an
Where the narrator is *Is suggested through influential and revered
arrested by a police the people of figure in South African
squad that includes Sophiatown’s loss of politics because he
Major Joubert (p17). their homes and roots carried the hopes of
due to the demolition of the marginalised
iii. Republic House the area by the masses (p22).
A police facility where apartheid regime (p15).
the narrator is detained 3. The mentioning of
(p18). *The narrator loses the Freedom Charter
Desiree’s friendship (published by the ANC
because after the in 26 June 1955) in
demolition of also noteworthy.
Sophiatown she goes
to live with her uncle in
Alexandra Township
(p15).
*The narrator loses Bra
(summarized chronology of the novel)
This document provides a summarised chronology of this novel. The chronology is
provided in a table format that consists of chapter by chapter summary. Each
chapter lists: involved characters, setting; significant/historical events as well as
themes, supported by quotes from the novel. The document will accelerate your
understanding of the novel. It can also be useful during examination because it will
help you to easily locate and identify these features in the novel.
For more info contact:
, SMALL THINGS (NTHIKENG MOHLELE, 2014)
Take note: in relation to page referencing, I will indicate to the referred page as, for example; (p5),
instead of using this preferred method (Mohlele, 2014:5). This will be carried out throughout the
chapters.
CHAPTER 1
Characters Setting Themes Significant events
1. The narrator 1. Sophiatown (Main 1. African religion 1. The narrator’s date
setting) of birth. He describes
2. Desiree (The It is suggested through it as the day Truman
narrator’s love interest, 2. Sub-settings Father Goebbels’ bombed Hiroshima
p5) speech: “Don’t be like (p28). This day (06
i. School (this is where your people, bowing to August 1945) has
3. Father Goebbels the narrator and dead things, and universal significance
(the priest of the Desiree first met. “I drumming to evil for it is the day a
Catholic school, p8). caught her roving eye spirits” (p10). nuclear bomb was for
on me one morning the first time used in
4. Bra Todd (The during mass” (p5). 2. Friendship warfare, during World
narrator’s friend and War II.
mentor, p11) ii. Orphanage Friendship is apparent
“Catholic sanctuary for between Bra Todd and 2. We also learn that
abandoned souls” (p8). the narrator, as implied The Dutch came to
This is the school in this statement: “I the Cape in 1652
where the narrator was hang out with Bra (p10). This particular
raised under the Todd, a respected year has national
guidance of Father newsman”: significance because it
Goebbels. *They listen to records; indicates to the
the narrator also beginning of
iii. The newsroom polishes Bra Todd’s colonisation and later
(where the narrator shoes and helps with apartheid, an
worked as a journalist the dishes. oppressive system
apprentice, p12). *The friendship is under which the
depicted as intimate, narrator was born.
iv. Odin Cinema where Bra Todd
Here the narrator spent teaches the narrator
most Sundays “sophisticated ways to
watching dancers, jazz wow a lady” (p11).
bands and choral
music groups compete 3. Inequality
(p12).
*He also watched Inequality is explored
Desiree sing with her through the “life of
band “the Fleeting servitude lived by most
Birds” (p12). black people, as the
narrator mentions:
black people “shone
floors and dug furrows;
they also had to carry
pass books” (p10).
4. Crime
Crime is depicted
though Sophiatown
street gangs’ such as
“The Americans and
the Spoilers who
picked unwilling
, beauties up off dance
floors” (p10). And from
the statement: “Souls
stabbed in dark alleys,
covered with
newspapers, and
fliescome morning”
(p10).
5. Music
This theme is explored
through Desiree as the
lead singer of the
Fleeting birds, and Bra
Todd’s appreciation of
jazz records (p12).
CHAPTER 2
Characters Settings Themes Significant events
1. The narrator 1. Sophiatown 1. Injustice 1. The demolition of
(Main setting) Sophiatown in
2. Bra Todd The demolition of February 1955 as a
2. Sub-settings Sophiatown, simply result of apartheid
3. Major Joubert: because the act was regime’s separate
He is the police officer i. The Daily Argus motivated by racism development policy
who places the narrator newsroom (p18). remains a significant
under arrest (p17). The place where Bra moment in the history
Todd informs the 2. Protest literature of South Africa’s
narrator that he (the In can be seen through sociopolitics (p. 15).
narrator) is on the list the narrator’s writing of
of those wanted by a published article titled 2. The death of Steve
police (p16). “State of Neurosis” Biko in 1977 under the
(p18). apartheid is another
ii. The narrator’s noteworthy event.
home 3. Loss Steve Biko was an
Where the narrator is *Is suggested through influential and revered
arrested by a police the people of figure in South African
squad that includes Sophiatown’s loss of politics because he
Major Joubert (p17). their homes and roots carried the hopes of
due to the demolition of the marginalised
iii. Republic House the area by the masses (p22).
A police facility where apartheid regime (p15).
the narrator is detained 3. The mentioning of
(p18). *The narrator loses the Freedom Charter
Desiree’s friendship (published by the ANC
because after the in 26 June 1955) in
demolition of also noteworthy.
Sophiatown she goes
to live with her uncle in
Alexandra Township
(p15).
*The narrator loses Bra
