July's People

Even if the violence of the events in the book did not reflect what really happened during the fall of apartheid in South Africa, the emotional reaction of the characters rings true in Nadine Gordimer's book, July's People. Gordimer was predicting what would happen when the black vs white conflict came to a head. The Smales family went through a huge transition of feelings toward the black people of Africa. At first they were left-wing sympathizers who wanted equality. Then after living with July's extended family for a while they acted more and more like they wanted nothing to do with the rural folk. I think the following quote shows the relationship (and repressed disdain) between July and the Smales quite well:

"What do the blacks think? What will the freedom fighters think? Did he join the people from Soweto? He took his whites and ran. You make me laugh." Page 128

I cannot even imagine what it would be like to go from living in a large house in a big city to a mud hut with no doors or windows, let alone luxuries like plumbing. This book makes me remember how fortunate I am to have what I have. I hope that I never will experience that kind of loss. But then again, I also can't image what it would be like to have a servant live in my yard, as July did with the Smales family.