In this Nadine Gordimer story, poverty-stricken villagers hawking food and local crafts swarm an African passenger train during its short stop at an isolated station. A young passenger admires a beautifully carved lion offered by a frail old man, but rejects it as being too expensive. She becomes upset when her husband later presents it to her, proudly announcing that he paid less than half the asking price. Although clearly outraged by his pleasure in humiliating the old man, her anger may imply other problems in their relationship. Themes: racial inequality, wealth and poverty, greed, exploitation, shame, identity and independence.
In addition to subtly highlighting South Africa’s problems of racial inequality, the story has a feminist element. It appears that the couple’s relationship is a relatively new one. (…he is for good now. Odd …somewhere there was an idea that he, that living with him, was part of the holiday, the strange places.) Part of the woman’s anger may be attributable to a perceived loss of identity and independence in marriage. The asking price was not the only reason she rejected the lion; she had decided they already had too many souvenirs. Although obviously trying to please her, the husbands purchase not only suggests a different value system (greed and exploitation), but fails to respect her decision.
Original Text / PDF (2,000 words)