July's People

Reflecting on the unexpected role that July played in her family’s escape from Johannesburg, Maureen compares him to “the chosen one,” a “savior,” and a “frog prince.” What other allusions to the Bible or fairytales does Gordimer use to contextualize July and the “transformations” of Maureen’s life in the interregnum? How do these allusions serve the novel’s themes?

July’s mother scolds him for killing a hen that was still laying eggs instead of the “white one with the broken foot” (21). He responds defensively, saying that the white hen will be more useful in the future. How does this quarrel serve as a parable for the dispute between July and his mother regarding the Smaleses?

In their new, close quarters, Maureen and Bam find that “lack of privacy kill[s] desire” (79). Citing evidence from the text, discuss how them being relocated to July’s tiny hut, which disrupts all their customary routines, affects their physical attraction to each other, contributing to their estrangement.