Ambigious Apartheid
...Elias to stay with him against a policy prohibiting a black person living in his neighborhood. As well as he allows his other black friend named HE to come visit Elias, not to mention Elias’ girlfriends. There are many ways the narrator helps out his African friends. The story clearly shows his concern for Elias and how he tries to keep Elias away from distraction of the white man world by converting garage for him to work in instead of sending him to other artist as an apprentice. Unlike the narrator, Elias and HE don’t realize the importance of being in touch with own African culture. Driven by desire to see the world outside, they are ready to compromise the only thing they have - their home. Even when Elias fails to receive a passport to go to America, and his friend HE gets it “first try,” Elias decides to take an exit permit and leave South America forever. The death of Elias is an ambiguous one, since the narrator doesn’t know much about his life in America. He only can make assumptions why Elias committed suicide. Among the few explanations is cultural shock, loneliness, nostalgia for home. The same way the narrator can only guess about HE, whether or not HE was a police spy or a political activist or both together. Was it a pure luck for HIM to get a passport or stay free while his friends were arrested for being involved in illegal political activities, or was it something else? Either way it gave HIM the chance to obtain the passport and return back to South Africa. For Elias it was only a one way trip. Both characters, Elias and HE, are presented as close friends. They both come from the same background and share similar interests. When HE goes to study abroad, Elias takes his chances to go with him. However at the time they are in the new world, their attitudes change. Unlike HE, Elias is having trouble adjusting to a new environment. He still wears African robes and acts a lot like real African black. His obsessive desire to see the outside world turns into a desperate wish to be back home. At some point they both break their relationship with the narrator. As the narrator describe...