STORIES
FLARDE
NOTES/ANSWERS
UNISA EXAM
,FLARDE NOTES, ANSWERS 2025
SUBGENRE OF FLARDE
Novella (novelle in Afrikaans)
AUTHOR OF FLARDE
Marlize Hobbs
Flarde is an autobiography written by Marlize Hobbs. She got the inspiration
through working as a social worker in Ganyesa.
MEANING OF THE TITLE (FLARDE)
Flarde means tatters [torn pieces of cloth]. It introduces the theme of the
novella by referring to something made up of shreds. In this story, you’ll find
different characters experiencing social issues and how it links to the title.
MAIN IDEA OF FLARDE
The main idea in Flarde is based on the idea of broken people and a broken
society.
THEMES – there are many themes in the novella:
child abuse
family violence
drug addiction
alcoholism
family murder
poverty
abuse of women
unwanted pregnancy
suicide
,The book is divided into a number of short chapters and the names of different
characters are used as chapter titles. Different characters also act as narrators
who give different perspectives on the events. [each chapter has a different
narrator].
3 RECURRING MOTIFS – fire, wind and dust
FAMILY PLAYING THE CENTRAL ROLE IN FLARDE - (Dipeko-familie)
, SHORT SUMMARY
The most important characters (main characters) in Flarde are Mama Minoto,
the social worker Lisa, and Kabelo. They can also be considered the
protagonists, because they play a central role in the novella.
Mama Minoto - is an elderly foster mother. She is described as fat, loud,
funny and caring. She expresses her love for Kabelo and would always take
care of him. She fights really hard to become Kabelo’s legal foster parent.
Even though she hated Oneboy Dipeko, she still goes to Lisa the social
worker to help bury Oneboy. This shows she is a kind hearted lady. She
receives money to take care of one foster child and also sells chicken legs to
make extra money. She keeps secrets about the Dipeko family but later
reveals everything. She carried a burden with her but couldn’t hold it in any
longer. She lives in poverty, this social problem affects her lifestyle and
ability to care for Kabelo. Pulane is the man Mama Minoto loved but could
not marry. She believed in Modimo (God) even though they were battling
she was grateful. [This character is linked to the theme poverty]
The social worker Lisa – she is a social worker in Ganyesa. Her childhood on
the farm Mooirust has her made very happy until a hail storm destroys her
father's fields. This character started drinking because of her problems and
takes on the image of her alcoholic father who was emotionally devastated.
After school, Lisa studied Social Work in Johannesburg. After her studies,
Lisa does Missionary work in Hillbrow for a year. Here she experiences the
dark side of life and she loses her faith in religion. After her time in Hillbrow,
she started on 1 February 1999 in Ganyesa, a small country town village,
working as a social worker. She is the only white person in the community
and she struggles to cope with the difficult social circumstances. She tries
her best to help the community and especially gets involved in the Dipeko
family. She helps Mama Minoto become Kabelo's legal foster parent and to
bury Oneboy Dipeko after his death at state expense. During her stay in
Ganyesa, Lisa is attacked by a young man. This is for her a traumatic event
during which she also has a severe epileptic seizure. In the
FLARDE
NOTES/ANSWERS
UNISA EXAM
,FLARDE NOTES, ANSWERS 2025
SUBGENRE OF FLARDE
Novella (novelle in Afrikaans)
AUTHOR OF FLARDE
Marlize Hobbs
Flarde is an autobiography written by Marlize Hobbs. She got the inspiration
through working as a social worker in Ganyesa.
MEANING OF THE TITLE (FLARDE)
Flarde means tatters [torn pieces of cloth]. It introduces the theme of the
novella by referring to something made up of shreds. In this story, you’ll find
different characters experiencing social issues and how it links to the title.
MAIN IDEA OF FLARDE
The main idea in Flarde is based on the idea of broken people and a broken
society.
THEMES – there are many themes in the novella:
child abuse
family violence
drug addiction
alcoholism
family murder
poverty
abuse of women
unwanted pregnancy
suicide
,The book is divided into a number of short chapters and the names of different
characters are used as chapter titles. Different characters also act as narrators
who give different perspectives on the events. [each chapter has a different
narrator].
3 RECURRING MOTIFS – fire, wind and dust
FAMILY PLAYING THE CENTRAL ROLE IN FLARDE - (Dipeko-familie)
, SHORT SUMMARY
The most important characters (main characters) in Flarde are Mama Minoto,
the social worker Lisa, and Kabelo. They can also be considered the
protagonists, because they play a central role in the novella.
Mama Minoto - is an elderly foster mother. She is described as fat, loud,
funny and caring. She expresses her love for Kabelo and would always take
care of him. She fights really hard to become Kabelo’s legal foster parent.
Even though she hated Oneboy Dipeko, she still goes to Lisa the social
worker to help bury Oneboy. This shows she is a kind hearted lady. She
receives money to take care of one foster child and also sells chicken legs to
make extra money. She keeps secrets about the Dipeko family but later
reveals everything. She carried a burden with her but couldn’t hold it in any
longer. She lives in poverty, this social problem affects her lifestyle and
ability to care for Kabelo. Pulane is the man Mama Minoto loved but could
not marry. She believed in Modimo (God) even though they were battling
she was grateful. [This character is linked to the theme poverty]
The social worker Lisa – she is a social worker in Ganyesa. Her childhood on
the farm Mooirust has her made very happy until a hail storm destroys her
father's fields. This character started drinking because of her problems and
takes on the image of her alcoholic father who was emotionally devastated.
After school, Lisa studied Social Work in Johannesburg. After her studies,
Lisa does Missionary work in Hillbrow for a year. Here she experiences the
dark side of life and she loses her faith in religion. After her time in Hillbrow,
she started on 1 February 1999 in Ganyesa, a small country town village,
working as a social worker. She is the only white person in the community
and she struggles to cope with the difficult social circumstances. She tries
her best to help the community and especially gets involved in the Dipeko
family. She helps Mama Minoto become Kabelo's legal foster parent and to
bury Oneboy Dipeko after his death at state expense. During her stay in
Ganyesa, Lisa is attacked by a young man. This is for her a traumatic event
during which she also has a severe epileptic seizure. In the
