Ben Du Toit is one of a relatively small number of South African whites during the apartheid era to stand up and publicly oppose the regime. He seethes at the racial injustice around him, which is brought home to him by the suspicious disappearance of his black gardener, Gordon. Ben sets out to uncover the truth of what happened to Gordon, but this is a dangerous undertaking. South Africa at that time was a virtual...
Ben Du Toit is one of a relatively small number of South African whites during the apartheid era to stand up and publicly oppose the regime. He seethes at the racial injustice around him, which is brought home to him by the suspicious disappearance of his black gardener, Gordon. Ben sets out to uncover the truth of what happened to Gordon, but this is a dangerous undertaking. South Africa at that time was a virtual police state, with sudden disappearances and extra-judicial killings of the regime's opponents frighteningly common. Ultimately, and perhaps inevitably, Ben's incredible bravery costs him his life.
Ben's courage stands as a stark contrast to the general apathy of many white South Africans in the 1970s, the time in which the story is set. The title of the book itself is an allusion to this general malaise as it manifests itself in the life of the unnamed narrator. But Ben's selfless sacrifice acts as an inspiration to the narrator, holding out the possibility that other white South Africans may follow his shining example and stand up to challenge a system based on racism, injustice and brutal repression.
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