Chapter 4

1. What do members of "Black Consciousness" organization believe in?
2. Explain what a "liberal" is?
3. Do you know more about the "System" now?
4. Why does Woods' idea of reverse roles make Biko laugh?
5. "It was the beginning" ends chapter 4. What do you think it was the beginning of? Imagine the sequel of the novel for a while. Dev.

Chapter 5

1. Why is the hospital an important symbol for black people?
2. What is Biko's suggestion to Woods?
3. What do you think Biko wants to achieve in doing so?
4. What sort of life does Woods live? Compare both men's respective life. What do you think about it? Dev.
5. How does Wendy react to Woods'account of his meeting with Biko? What does it show?

Chapter 6

1. What setting up do they have to use to allow Biko to exit his own house?
2. What's the matter with Woods' clothes? Why are the blacks making fun of him?
3. What does Woods realize on his taxi trip ?
4. What does Woods become aware of during his "educational journey"? What does it imply? Dev.
5. Biko tries to explain Black people's feelings to Woods. Is the latter receptive to it? How would you react if you were in his shoes?

Chapter 7

1."You've managed to do what even American slavery didn't do" What does this sentence refer to? Do you agree with it? What is the difference between the situation in the nineteenth century US and South Africa in the seventies?
2. What's the problem with "homelands"
3. Which metaphor do they use to talk about South Africa?
4. In what ways are black and white cultures different?
5. What do the two men finally agree on at the end of the discussion?

The Homelands were created under apartheid as being the traditional "tribal" areas to which ALL members of the Black population were allocated (whether they had been born there or not!) and in which areas the Black population would have "rights" (such as voting etc.) which they were denied in "white" (i.e. the rest of the country) South Africa. Everyone whose family came from one of these areas was declared a "citizen" even if they were not living there. This left the rest of the country (the good parts, economically speaking) for the whites.

There were 10 Homelands, 4 of which became "independent" All the Homelands had their own "legislative" assemblies and had a limited amount of autonomy. Those that became "independent" were considered by the South African government as such although this was never recognised by any other government.
All the Homelands were reincorporated into South Africa on 27 April 1994 and ceased to have separate identities.

Chapter 8

1. What revolution takes place at the Daily Dispatch?
2. What is Ken's reaction to it? What does it show us about the average white educated class?
3. Why do black people gather at football matches?
4. What is Biko's message to the crowd? What do you think about it? Dev.
5. What change can you observe in Woods' behaviour?

Chapter 9

1. What is a "trial"?
2. What does "SASO" stand for?
3. Who are people like Nelson Mandela, Robert Sobukwe and Gowan Mbeki? Try to gather information on these men. Why does Biko refer to them?
4. What dominant impression does the trial convey?
5. "We believe we have interpreted history correctly - that the white man is going to eventually accept the inevitable" . Do you share this opinion? What is really going to happen as far as you know? Dev.

Chapter 10

1. What consequences did the article bring to the Community Centre?
2. What happened during the following day? Who led the operation ?
3. How did the interview between Kruger and Woods go? On what impression does Woods leave Kruger's place?
4. What is Kruger's opinion on South Africa and its future? On what grounds does he base his statements? Do you share his views? Dev.
5. What happened to Biko's papers during the poilicemen's visit?
6. What do we learn about transit camps at the end of the chapter. How do you react to it?



Quotes from Biko

# "The system concedes nothing without demand, for it formulates its very method of operation on the basis that the ignorant will learn to know, the child will grow into an adult and therefore demands will begin to be made. It gears itself to resist demands in whatever way it sees fit."
("The Quest for a True Humanity", ibid.)
# "In time, we shall be in a position to bestow on South Africa the greatest possible gift—a more human face."