Flarde notes + tips
Module code: AFK1506
(THIS DOCUMENT IS WRITTEN IN ENGLISH TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE
NOVELLA. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE USING MY WORK, USE THIS AS A GUIDE TO
PARAPHRASE YOUR OWN NOTES BEFORE YOU TRANSALATE)
WRITTEN BY: CASSANDRA YAGAMBARAM
IMPORTANT DETAILS:
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.
SUBGENRE OF FLARDE – Novella (novelle in Afrikaans)
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)
, SUMMARY OVERVIEW
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
Module code: AFK1506
(THIS DOCUMENT IS WRITTEN IN ENGLISH TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE
NOVELLA. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE USING MY WORK, USE THIS AS A GUIDE TO
PARAPHRASE YOUR OWN NOTES BEFORE YOU TRANSALATE)
WRITTEN BY: CASSANDRA YAGAMBARAM
IMPORTANT DETAILS:
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.
SUBGENRE OF FLARDE – Novella (novelle in Afrikaans)
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)
, SUMMARY OVERVIEW
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
