What does the train symbolize in the train from Rhodesia?
The train comes from Rhodesia, a privileged British colony in South Africa, and thus symbolizes British colonialism. The old man and his impoverished neighbors are incidental; the train is merely passing through on its way to another British outpost.
What is the historical context for the train from Rhodesia?
“The Train from Rhodesia” takes place shortly after apartheid, or “separateness,” became the law of the land in South Africa. This story, published in 1952, reflects the system of racial segregation instituted by the National Party in 1948.
What is the tone of the train from Rhodesia?
There is a tone of isolation and alienation.
What is South Africa’s real name?
Republic of South Africa
Since 1961, the long formal name in English has been the “Republic of South Africa” and Republiek van Suid-Afrika in Afrikaans. Since 1994, the country has had an official name in each of its 11 official languages.
When did Nadine Gordimer write the train from Rhodesia?
“The Train from Rhodesia” (1952) is one of Nobel Prize winning author Nadine Gordimer’s earliest published short stories. It appeared in her debut work, The Soft Voice of the Serpent and Other Stories (1952). This short story collection established her as one of the leading white critics of aparthied in South Africa.
When was the train from Rhodesia to South Africa?
The Train From Rhodesia, Nadine Gordimer, South African, 1952 The train came out of the red horizon and bore down towards them over the single straight track. The stationmaster came out of his little brick station with its pointed chalet roof, feeling the creases in his serge uniform in his legs as well.
What was the theme of the train from Rhodesia?
Themes. In “The Train from Rhodesia,” a train’s short stop in a poor African village highlights the racial and class barriers that typify South African life in the 1950s. Though only a few pages long, Gordimer’s story encompasses several themes besides racial inequality, including greed, poverty, and conscience.
What did Gordimer write about in the train?
The short piece about a train’s brief stop in an impoverished African village exhibits the concise complexity that marks much of Gordimer’s other work. As a native South African of European heritage, Gordimer has focused much of her writing on the injustice of apartheid as practiced in the country.