If Only I listened (Short story)

IF ONLY I LISTENED

A short story by Teboho Masakala

It was a cold night in June, with the onset of withering winter and everybody dressed warmly and all in their homes safe and warm. Right there in the town of Roadridge there was a family which was sitting around the fire, with the father perched on the chair holding his daughter on his lap and telling her stories while the mother was busy washing the dishes.

“Now the story comes to an end,” said the father”

“But Dad I want to hear more stories,” said the young girl.

“No Lucia! It’s time to go to sleep “said the father.

“But dad” the girl started again.

“Okay Lucia it’s bedtime, but before that you should first take a bath” said the mother, Elizabeth, firmly. Thereafter Lucia went to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. “OK Christopher, there was no need to be so ‘impolite’ with the child” said Elizabeth with a smile.

“But honey I wasn’t so bad,” Christopher retorted with a smile too.

After some minutes Lucia had done with her bath and was on her way to bed. ,” DAD! I’m done” said Lucia. “Okay honey I’m coming,” replied the father.

Moments later Christopher put Lucia to bed and sung her a lullaby like he always did. Moments after singing, he said to her “My dear child, will you promise me something?’ “What dad? What can I promise?” said Lucia.

“Promise me that you will always listen to your mother, respect her, always do what she says,” said Christopher.” I promise I will dad and I swear I will” said Lucia,” Good girl, and here is a little teddy-bear doll as a gift to you my child” said Christopher smiling, “Thanks dad, I love you” said Lucia. He kissed his daughter on the forehead and went to bed.

One Sunday morning Christopher became sick and was coughing and Elizabeth helped him to bed. “My dear Chris what’s wrong?” said Elizabeth. “I am sick the doctor said that I have a lung problem”said Christopher and he was coughing. Elizabeth and Lucia who loved him so much began to cry, but Christopher told them to stop crying. Lucia went to her room and began crying. The days went by and Christopher was close to dying. Ultimately he called Lucia and Elizabeth; and he said to Elizabeth: “My dear love, you know that I love you right?”
“Yes I know” the distraught lady replied.

“Please take care of Lucia,”

“I will” promised Elizabeth. Then Christopher said to Lucia “Remember what you promised me,” “I do remember dad” said Lucia.

“I can now rest in peace,” said Christopher. He looked at them and died. Elizabeth and Lucia cried all day long.

The funeral passed and Elizabeth and Lucia were all alone in the house, they looked at Christopher’s pictures crying disconsolately.

Time passed, and presently Elizabeth said to Lucia “My child, tomorrow you are starting high school, please make sure you make your dad proud because he is watching over you and know that he is with you in spirit “.

“I will mom and I promise you” said Lucia and she kissed her mum on her cheeks and went to her room.

Monday was the first day of the school and Lucia was already dressed up for school, agog with excitement. “Today is your big day,” said Elizabeth, “Thanks mum” said Lucia. Lucia told her mother to take her to school and she did so. As Elizabeth was about to return home from the school premises, Lucia said to her, “Mom I love you”. “Me too” said Elizabeth and she went home.

Lucia was on her way to class and she saw two girls looking at her. They came to her and one of them said “Hello, my name is Sharon and this is Emily…welcome to SYDNEY TL High School” “Thanks” said Lucia shyly; then the three of them went to class and they were introduced to their attractive teacher, MR MARVELLOUS CRAIG.

Lucia’s first day at school went well and she told her mother all about it and her mother said to her: “Lucia, please behave yourself at school, be aware of bad friends and always pray,” said Elizabeth.

“I will mum. I promise,” and Lucia went to sleep in her room and was excited about her day at school.

The following day at school, Sharon and Emily, now close to Lucia went to her with Emily saying: “I have a party tomorrow, it will be fun!”

“But I can’t go, my mum will kill me,” said Lucia.

“Don’t be a chicken, you are in high school now” said Sharon, “or you can sneak out during the night,” Then they went to the class and as MR MARVELLOUS CRAIG was busy teaching, he looked at Lucia and smiled at her. Lucia smiled back shyly and Emily and Sharon noticed everything. They said to Lucia “MR MARVELLOUS is a fine guy, a nice guy, if he comes and proposes to you, just say yes…”

Lucia winced. “But I am too young to be in love” said Lucia.

“Don’t worry Lucia. MR MARVELLOUS is very rich and will take care of you” said Emily. The school was out, and Lucia was back at home and her mother Elizabeth, as if sensing something, said to her:

“Lucia, you are my only child. Please beware of bad friends, please”

“I will” said Lucia. The next day at school Lucia was with Emily because Sharon was not at school; she said to Lucia “Come to a house party at Monica’s place tomorrow”

“NO!!” said Lucia.

“Oh you are afraid of Mummy” said Emily and she laughed. She teased the young lady in front of her now blossoming into a very attractive female.

“I will come’ said Lucia in the end.

And after school MR MARVELLOUS went to Lucia and proposed her and she found herself agreeing. Sadly she had forgotten what her mother said. Lucia started going to parties, sneaking out at night and lying to her mother. Lucia would tell her mother that she was going to study but she would wait for her mother to sleep and then go out through the window and come back later at night.

At school “Marvelous” came to Lucia and he said to her “Come to the party and I will be there”

“I will my love” she said, now having a crush on him. She kissed MR MARVELLOUS on the lips. Sharon and Emily knew that Lucia and Marvelous were now close. “I love him because he gives me money” Lucia told them, “you know my father is dead”

“Just accept the money, my friend” Sharon said and they told Lucia to come to the party and because Marvelous will be there. Lucia now met with Marvelous after school.

Elizabeth called Lucia one Saturday morning and said to her. “My child, many girls are pregnant and some are dead, please promise me that you that you won’t be one of them and that you will take care of yourself and love yourself”

“I will mum,” said Lucia guiltily, knowing that she was no longer a model daughter. Yet her mother now kissed her on the cheeks and forehead.

The grand party arrived and Lucia told her mother that she was going to read, but she wanted her mother to go to sleep so that she could go to the party. Elizabeth went to the study room and saw Lucia apparently reading - not knowing that she was pretending and she went to sleep. When Lucia saw that her mother was sleeping, she got out of the window and went to the party.

At the party Lucia met Emily and Sharon and Mr. Marvelous was there and he saw Lucia looking at him and called her. Lucia was tentatively shy, but Sharon said: “Your man is calling you, go now,

“OK my sugar daddy needs me! See you girls,” Lucia quipped.

When they were together Marvelous said to Lucia “Come with me and I will show you something” Marvelous took Lucia to the backroom and made love to her. Lucia was in a whirl as she went back to the party. She confessed to Emily and Sharon that she had slept with Marvelous.

As time went on, Lucia started feeling unusual but thought it would go away, but it didn’t. Elizabeth noticed something wrong about her but she thought her daughter was just gaining weight and she carried on with her life.

After two months Lucia found out that she was pregnant and that Mr. Marvellous was the father of her un-born child, and told her friends about her status. Emily and Sharon said brusquely: “It’s your fault that you slept with him and it’s up to you to see what you do with the baby”

“I thought you guys were my friends!?” sighed Lucia in despair. They laughed all together and said “You are on your own, we are not friends with pregnant people”. They left her alone and told the whole school about her pregnancy and that Mr. Marvellous was the father.

Lucia’s world came crashing down on her and she felt all alone. She told Mr. Marvellous that she was pregnant and that he was the father of her un-born child. “What?!” exclaimed Mr. Marvellous. “I have kids and a wife, now you are telling me that I’m the father of your baby? You want to destroy me!” With his rage he slapped Lucia in the face and by so doing he left for his car leaving her standing on her own.

The next day Lucia did not go to school. She did not know how to tell her mother that she was pregnant but instead she locked her self up in her room crying and crying. She knew what her mom’s reaction to the news would be. At a distance, Elizabeth heard Lucia weeping and came rushing to her room which was unfortunately was locked. “Lucia, Lucia open the door honey” “No, I don’t want to” “Honey but why not?” “Just go away, I have disgraced you Mama”

“Open the door for me, PLEASE!!!” “I won’t”. And Lucia cried even more loudly. Elizabeth had heard enough. With all her might she slammed her rotund body on the door until it opened and she gained entry into her daughter’s room. “Lucia, what did you do, tell mommy what’s wrong” “Mom, I did not honor my promise to you and dad” “how my child, tell me what’s wrong, maybe I can be of aid”.

With her imagination going wild it was hard for Lucia to murmur the words, but she finally said “Mom I’m…..I’m pregnant”

“You…..you….Lucia you are what?!!!”

“I’m pregnant and the father is none other than my school teacher. And he’s very angry with me too”.

With the thoughts of how her daughter disgraced her, Elizabeth started to cry. “I told you to behave and you went out and slept with your teacher, why? Why did you do this? And Elizabeth looked at Lucia and cried.

Lucia went to the kitchen and took out a knife. “Put that knife down” said Elizabeth. “No mother, I am killing myself” said Lucia with determination. “No, don’t” said Elizabeth

“Bye mom” said Lucia pointing the knife on herself, “No we can talk about this, you are my only child Lucia, please don’t kill yourself” said Elizabeth.

“Bye Mom” reiterated Lucia, a glint in her eyes. She stabbed herself on the stomach and blood came out, and she fell, face down on the floor. Elizabeth, screaming shrilly, looked at her muttering “IF ONLY YOU LISTENED”

Lucia cried, “I am sorry mother”. She closed her eyes and died, blood dripping from her lifeless body, Elizabeth cried a lot because her only child was dead. She stood there looking Lucia, tears coming out of her eyes, “If only you had listened, my child” said Elizabeth, and she continued crying because she knew that her only child will never come back to her. She tore her dress and covered the face of Lucia and continued crying. The horror, pain and distress, was too much for her. A few minutes later, she had a heart attack and also died.
Copyright Teboho Masakala

Introducing Toni Morrison

(Above) Toni Morrison

Introducing Toni Morrison

By Marika du Plessis

Recently I read a magnificent novel, titled Beloved. I found out that I just could not put it down! Only a very talented female author could produce such a book, I strongly felt. The author of the book, Tony Morrison, I soon learnt, was actually the first black woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

On the evidence of Beloved, Morrison certainly deserves great awards. I found myself doing more research on this lady and the following background information would be useful to those being introduced to her: (I’m indebted mainly to Wikipedia for the information)

Toni Morrison is one of the greatest black writers the world has ever seen. An American by birth, she was born in Lorain, Ohio, the second of four children in a working-class family. As a child, Morrison read constantly; among her favorite authors were Jane Austen and Leo Tolstoy. Morrison's father, George Wofford, a welder by trade, told her numerous folktales of the black community (a method of storytelling that would later work its way into Morrison's writings).

In 1949 Morrison entered Howard University to study English. While there she began going by the nickname of "Toni," which derives from her middle name, Anthony. She received a B.A. in English from Howard in 1953, then earned a Master of Arts degree, also in English, from Cornell University in 1955, for which she wrote a thesis on suicide in the works of William Faulkner and Virginia Woolf.

After graduation, Morrison became an English instructor at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas (from 1955-57) then returned to Howard to teach English. She became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Morrison began writing fiction as part of an informal group of poets and writers at Howard University who met to discuss their work. She went to one meeting with a short story about a black girl who longed to have blue eyes. The story later evolved into her first novel, The Bluest Eye (1970), which she wrote while raising two children and teaching at Howard. In 1973 her novel Sula was nominated for the National Book Award. Song of Solomon (1977) brought her national attention. The book was a main selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club, the first novel by a black writer.

In 1988 Morrison's novel Beloved became a critical success. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Beloved was adapted into a film. The New York Times Book Review named Beloved the best American novel published in the previous twenty five years. In 1993 Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, the first black woman to win it.

I also learnt that Toni Morrison’s works have impressed and influenced a number of South African black female writers, and even the very young ones like Neo Mvubu. It was also interesting to read the part in one of Pule Lechesa’s books where he writes that when Toni Morrison was announced as winner of the Nobel award for literature, another fellow American asked: “Who is he anyway?” The ‘joke’ being that Morrison was actually a woman and the man was genuinely ignorant about her! I urge South African ladies to try to get hold and read any books written by the eminent Ms Morrison.

SELEKE BOTSIME is Free State Columnist of the Year (2008)

How SELEKE BOTSIME was named “Free State Columnist of the Year (2008)”

The formal Citation on the Winner:

“We are very proud to present the inaugural edition of the ‘Free State columnist of the year’ Award. Let it be stated from the outset that we shall be having only one winner every year – the reasons for this are obvious; but suffice it to say that if we are having 2nd and 3rd prizes etc yearly, the columnists would be exhausted very soon!

Yes, this country (South Africa) is blessed with many marvelous columnists. We confess unashamedly that our emphasis are the black African columnists as a lot still has to be done to boost the morale of such columnists who we know are always assailed with multi-faceted doubts. Who is reading me? Do I have readers? Do I write and publish “nonsense”? Why don’t I get more feedback from readers? These are a few of the questions that often assail our columnists.

In the Free State here, we have admitted that we are particularly impressed with Mangaung Issue columnists; they have the grassroots touch with an ear to the ground as it were. But it has to be noted that regularity and longevity are important components of writing a column; there is a dearth of this with most black columnists.

Also, it must be admitted that we are still way, way behind the situation overseas, where many columnists are read by hundreds of thousands of people! In England for example, Julie Burchill has hundreds of thousands of readers writing in a popular newspaper, Sun. Burchill is famed for the wide reaching topics she dwells on and her intellectualism; yet she still has a powerful personal touch.

For 2008, our panelists have been very impressed with columnists who strengthen the moral fibre of the country; such columnists hardly revel in sensationalism or frivolities; they are more or less spiritual upholders and teachers. Hence Rolang Motlanke of THE WAY and Seleke Botsime of Free State news figured very high in the ratings.

Mr. Motlanke is a brilliant writer and columnist; quite international class, in the way he brings sundry ideas together, with adroit allusions and deductions. He has influenced the lives of many positively and hopefully his impact would continue to grow. The only drawback is that his magazine- and columns- come out only intermittently, not on a very regular basis.

Now we come to the Silhouettes column written by Mr. Seleke (SLK) Botsime. Virtually throughout 2008 the column came out on a weekly basis, celebrating the virtues of spirituality, intrinsic knowledge, and wisdom from the Bible, and intellectual spouting that we can enjoy on a regular basis.

The profundity of the column has to be specially commended. These are not just articles we can just pick up and read quickly. We have to savour slowly the special language and intellectualism that bedecks them; we ponder over the same, re-read and appreciate. Old fashioned values are celebrated – with society at large exhorted to be morally strong.

The Dec 12 (2008) edition of “Silhouettes” column serves as an example of a very outstanding, lustrous write-up. Virtually all the lines and sentences are polished, full of wisdom and philosophy, meant to enlighten and move us forward. Obviously this is a man who takes especial care in his writings, with unbelievable inspiration and intellect.

It must also be pointed out that Seleke Botsime, also known to many as a cerebral musician, already has a national and international profile of his own. On the world online encyclopedia, Wikipedia he is included amongst South Africa’s noteworthy jazz musicians. But our concern here is mainly his column.

In sum, we at Phoenix Press and Club are proud to announce that the winner of the inaugural ‘Free State Columnist of the year’ (2008) is Mr. Seleke Botsime, the man behind Silhouettes column in the Free State news. Congratulations!”
Courtesy of Phoenix Literary Press and Club

ES'KIA MPHAHLELE DIES

ES’KIA MPHAHLELE DIES

By Peter Moroe

The literary community in South Africa and the world in general is reeling after the demise of Es’kia (Ezekiel) Mphahlele, one of the all-time greats of African literature. Cliches and superlatives are often carelessly used to describe certain people, but Ntate Mphahlele was a veritable giant in the world of literature and letters. His prolific publications included books and essays (including critical articles). In fact the National English Literary Museum in Grahamstown has hundreds of articles written on the works of this great man.

The achievements of Es’kia Mphahlele were such that by the late 60s he was already regarded as one of the greats of African writing! We recall that the late Richard Rive (in an interview) described Es’kia decades ago as “the grand old man of African literature”. By this time Es’kia had already published excellent works, including the classic, Down Second Avenue.

Just as Chinua Achebe (for example) will always be remembered for publishing Things fall apart, so would many continue to remember Es’kia for the work, Down Second Avenue. In the book, we follow the progress of the young literary prodigy from infancy, with his love for words and his burgeoning proficiency in the English and Afrikaans languages. We realize the great importance and selflessness of “African mothers” in general; and how people could survive despite daunting odds.

We also appreciate the author’s controlled humour. For example when at the end of his tether with an arrogant white lady always referring to him as “boy” (although he was very much a grown man then) Es’kia retorts: “What makes you think I am a boy, and not a girl?” This type of humour - in tow with his always impeccable (literary) style- is a characteristic of virtually all his works.

In the field of fiction, Es’kia contributed to African fiction with excellent works like The Wanderers, and Chirundu. The Wanderers focuses on a peripatetic émigré (rather like the author) who lived in different continents and countries. The work won important awards and still makes interesting reading.

Back to autobiography, (like his Down Second Avenue) Es’kia published a sequel to his first classic, titled, Africa my Music. This book is a must for all lovers of African literature in general, especially the key writers over the decades. Es’kia was personal friends with most of them and it is fascinating reading about when these writers were all quite young – and Es’kia’s astute comments on them. These writers include Wole Soyinka, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Chinua Achebe, Efua T Sutherland, and Ama Ata Aidoo.

For many years (before he began to write novels) Es’kia was known as a powerful short story writer. Early in life against all odds he published his first collection of short stories, Man must live (in the 40s) The book was fairly successful – and he went on to write many more including acclaimed novellas like Ms Plum. Other collections included In Corner B. And need we mention Es’kia’s successful stint at Drum magazine decades ago when he contributed many excellent short stories?

As for Eskia’s contributions to the genre of literary criticism and scholarship – one is not qualified to go into this. Suffice it to say that he was revered worldwide for his erudition and proficiency. The “ES’KIA” books (containing most of his critical essays) will remain an indelible tribute to him.

Rest in peace, Es’kia Mphahlele.

Stephen Gray vs Zakes Mda

Tiff between revered literary critics

By Raphael Mokoena

8/10/08

The literary scene in South Africa this week has been largely dominated by the literary “brickbats” between two of the country’s greatest academics and writers, Stephen Gray and Zakes Mda. Mr. Gray published a piece in a national newspaper (Mail and Guardian) where he criticised a number of aspects of Mr. Mda’s writing. The latter responded vigorously – both of them rather strongly picking on each other with more than a hint of personal attacks.

The furore awakened what many black African people in the literary business have known for years. The genre of literary criticism does not sit too well with most of our writers, and in the end it becomes difficult to separate authentic literary criticism from personal attacks. Over the decades as African literature grew by leaps and bounds, friendships between writers had been ruptured, with resentment in the air all because of “literary criticism”

Writer and cultural activist, Aryan Kaganof has referred to “mean spiritedness” (accusing Stephen Gray of this). But the history of literary criticism over the years and centuries shows that in so many cases critics can easily be accused of this, even if this might not be their intention. Often literary criticism goes too far and it does seem as if the pertinent critic has something against the writer being “attacked”.

A case in point was the way James Joyce’s immortal masterpiece, Ulysses, was greeted by some top critics after the book was first published. The great Virginia Woolf remarked on it thus: “Ulysses is the work of a queasy undergraduate scratching his pimples”; DH Lawrence, top writer commented: “The last part of Ulysses is the most indecent, dirtiest, most obscene thing ever written. It is filthy”; literary critic, Edmund Goose said: “The author (of Ulysses) is a charlatan…the book is an anarchical production, infamous in taste, in style, everything”

As regards the “tiff” between Stephen Gray and Zakes Mda, both of them remain formidable literary activists and writers. I can not agree with the suggestion that a literary figure can only be judged on their prolificacy and having books on the shelf almost on a yearly basis. Whether Chinua Achebe published any more novels after his classic Things fall apart came out fifty years ago, he would always be revered for his pioneering masterpiece (indeed, Achebe has not published any new novel for over 20 years). Stephen Gray is ensconced as a very important critic and imaginative writer whose works have been published world-wide, with many different editions.

On his own part, despite the fact that Zakes Mda began publishing novels less than fifteen years ago, he has already proved that he’s at the top of his craft, and he has quickly joined the elite of the all time great novelists in the continent. Works of his like Heart of Redness, Madonna of Excelsior, Ways of Dying belong to the top drawer. Of course he is also a veritable academic too. He and Stephen Gray know only too well that the genre of literary criticism is often an acerbic one. But one always regrets seeing personal attacks between illustrious people (in this case, wordsmiths.)
Mr. Mokoena, a literary activist, lives in Qwaqwa.

Gcina Mhlophe struts her stuff in Bloemfontein!

Gcina Mhlophe struts her stuff in Bloem!

By Flaxman Qoopane

Dr. Gcina Mhlophe, an award winning storyteller, poet, director, playwright and performer wowed the Free State with her considerable talents in September (2008). She was invited to do storytelling at Botlehadi Primary School in Mangaung townships.

Molaodi Matobako, co-ordinator East Region from the Mangaung Library Services had said: “In celebration of Literacy Week, the Mangaung Local Municipality jointly with the Mangaung Library Services invited the renowned storyteller Gcina Mhlophe to Bloemfontein to raise public awareness of literacy among our children by telling some of her wonderful African tales at Botshabelo Library, Wilgehof Primary School, Fitchard Park library and at Botlehadi Primary School”.

The staff and learners at Botlehadi Primary School, officials from the Free State Department of Education, the South African Police Services and the representatives from the following sponsors: Shoprite/Checkers, Vodacom, Netcare, Pelonomi Private Hospital, Maskew Miller Longman Free State could not hide their excitement at seeing Mhlope live, taking the stage! Indeed she was warmly welcomed by the audience.

She thanked the Mangaung Library Services for inviting her to the Free State to showcase her skills as a storyteller. She emphasized the importance of Literacy Week. “Ideally, it is about reading and writing in all our languages” she pointed out. She shared some of her stories with the audience.

During the occasion, Kananelo Rabele, a Grade One learner at the school read from a book Ntja ya ka (“My dog”) to her school mates in celebration of Literacy Week.

During the programme, the school choir led by teacher Ruta Moses, rendered several songs. A group of Mohobelo Cultural Group entertained the crowd with Sesotho dances. Another cultural group that took part at the event was Tshwaraganang Cultural Group. Invited guests ate and drank traditional food and African beer.

Donald Bojang, Regional Manager of the Maskew Miller Longman in the Free State said: “On behalf of Maskew Miller Longman Publishers, I have brought a box of reading books for Botlehadi Primary School,” The books were handed over to Lucas Mlamleli, the School Principal, by Gcina Mhlophe – the lady of the moment!

THE SUBTLE TRANSGRESSOR

A trenchant play

Review by Peter Moroe


Play: The Subtle transgressor
Author: Omoseye Bolaji
Publisher: Eselby Junior Publications (South African edition)

The Subtle transgressor is a powerful drama, shocking in some respects and with convincing (grassroots) dialogue the author is noted for. The play addresses a number of social issues in this our increasingly sophisticated world. Alas as society advances it appears the moral fibre continues to be undermined. It is a reality we have to face.

The pressures assailing the young can be clearly seen in this play – especially young ladies. They become aware of their sensuality and attractiveness to members of the opposite sex; they have their own desires and foibles; for those from rather poor backgrounds (as the protagonist Kate is) the pressures multiply even further. There are many men and “boys” out there ready to take advantage of them, realizing their vulnerability.

Needless to say a young woman (note that the play focuses not only on Kate but her two close female friends too) must “take care of herself” – she needs the basics, including toiletries; nowadays many of them hanker for “airtime” “credit” for their mobile phones. The “sugar daddies” swoop in also. It goes on and on.

In this play Kate’s father Job initially comes across as a man battling against odds to “discipline” his daughter, maybe teach her some values in life. That he goes as far as stabbing her (!) smacks of some sort of desperation. In the modern world with so many rights, this could have led to punitive measures for him if Kate had for example reported the matter to the Police. But she does not.
Hence we realize that there is some sort of intriguing relationship between Kate and her father Job. Other characters like the loquacious “Uncle” contribute to the particular ambience of the play. Kate certainly seems to understand her father well – a man who frowns upon his daughter’s closeness not only to “boys” but also to her best female friends. There can be no possibility that Kate would desert her friends. Or vice versa.

As characteristic of Omoseye Bolaji’s fiction it is only at the end of the play that we realize that Job has been abusing his own daughter sexually since she was a kid! This extraordinary revelation is presented quite convincingly with Job being utterly humiliated, but hardly punished for his deeds. We now realize that he is doubly guilty of abuse – not only has he stabbed her with a knife, but had abused her sexually throughout her young life.

Job is the ultimate hypocrite: his trenchant outbursts - claiming he is “principled” and only out to foment discipline in his daughter assumes a very hollow ring. He is a villain: an authentic subtle transgressor. And what about his poor abused daughter? Is it not likely that she would always feel inadequate, somewhat depressed and traumatized? Under the circumstances we can only but admire her feisty attitude and character.

We live in an age where the young ones (particularly females) are subjected to terrible things. We are not only thinking of rape or domestic abuse at home, but with increased reports of “date rapes” – e.g the male “spiking” the drinks of a female to render her unconscious and then going on to rape her; sometimes with a gang rape of the hapless female taking place… it seems as society becomes more advanced women become even more vulnerable.

The subtle transgressor tries to address some of these societal problems from what one might call the “tap root” – incest perpetrated by a father on his own daughter. In other words a dysfunctional background for a young female – what prize that this traumatic experience would not follow her around even as she grows up?