What are the key themes in Tsotsi?
As the story develops, so does the theme of survival. It becomes less of a physical survival and shifts to an emotional and spiritual survival. Not only does Tsotsi save himself but others too, he gives them hope. In saving others Tsotsi saves himself and his conscious.
What are tsotsis 3 rules?
He creates three rules: rule of the working moment (always be able to see his knife), never disturb his inward darkness, tolerate questions from no others. These rules are what allow him to survive as Tsotsi and have no need to become David again. He becomes the leader of a gang who commit crimes in order to survive.
What type of character is Tsotsi?
The main character in the novel is a gangster known as Tsotsi, which is an informal word for a violent young criminal. He is the unquestioned leader of a gang that preys mainly on township community members. The members of his gang are Boston, Die Aap and Butcher.
What is the importance of Tsotsi’s knife?
Tsotsi has three rules that he follows in his life and the first one is to always make sure he has his knife on him before he does anything. The knife was very important to Tsotsi; it symbolizes his want for a safe place to live where nothing can hurt him, and where he does not need a weapon to feel protected.
What does the rain symbolize in Tsotsi?
The water supple that man people are lines up for in the story is a symbol of life. Water is essential in the survival of a human being and without it you will eventually perish. It shows us how desperate blacks under Apartheid are for the most basic necessity. They are lines up for the ability to continue on.
Why is the Reverend Ransome so troubled?
Answer: He is plagued by thoughts of the baby, Boston, the bluegums and the beggar. Chapter 8 – Boston awakes to the sound of church bells and begins to think about his faith in God. Reverend Ransome is still disturbed by not knowing Gumboot’s name – he prays to God for help.
What is Miriam’s role in Tsotsi?
Miriam is someone who nurtures, nourishes, saves, and forgives. She is like Mother Mary. Through their relationship of her feeding little David, Tsotsi understands the importance of leaving the past behind, living for the future, the value of a mother’s love, and that mothers do love their children.
What mood is created in the first paragraph of Tsotsi?
What mood is created in the first paragraph and what does it lead you to expect? The mood is sombre, creating an expectation that something bad is about to happen. There is something of a contradiction here. Die Aap and Tsotsi are said to listen attentively, yet they do not seem really interested in the stories.
How did Tsotsi overcome his inner darkness?
The only way David can deal with his trauma is to forget his past. He has to pretend that he has never known anything else so that he can survive and turns to a life of crime. A series of events leads Tsotsi out of the darkness of the life he has chosen for himself to a concept of love, light, god and forgiveness.
What is surprising about Tsotsi hands?
What is surprising about Tsotsi’s hands? His hands are delicate, rather like those of an artist. One would not expect someone who is involved in violence to have hands like those. Butcher actively hates Tsotsi but remains a member of the gang because he recognises Tsotsi’s skill as a leader.
Why does Boston slap Rosie?
Boston seems to dislike violence. What possible reason does he have for slapping Rosie? Boston is sickened by the violence and he feels the need to raise questions about the morality of what they are doing. The others see killing merely as part of the operation.
What is the moral of Tsotsi?
To survive Tsotsi kills and ribs innocent people in order to get money. As the story develops, so does the theme of survival. It becomes less of a physical survival and shifts to an emotional and spiritual survival. Not only does Tsotsi save himself but others too, he gives them hope.