Athol Fugard’s drama, “Master Harold” .
. . And The Boys, waswritten during a time of great conflict in South Africa, where hewas raised. Fugard was torn between his mother, who was”Afrikaaner,” (1291) and his father, who was “of English decent”(1291). These differing influences caused Fugard to use thediscussions between Sam and Hally to demonstrate the religious,racial, and political tensions of his lifetime in South Africa.
The discussion between Sam and Hally about who was “a man ofmagnitude” (1300) represents the religious tensions of Fugard’slifetime in South Africa between the growing belief in evolutionand Jesus Christ’s teaching of Creation. Hally says that CharlesDarwin was “a man of magnitude,” (1300) because he was “somebodywho benefited all mankind” (1301). He admires Darwin “for hisTheory of Evolution” (1301), which according to Hally, proves”where we come from and what it all means” (1301). Sam totallydisagrees with Darwin’s “Theory of Evolution” (1301) becauseevolution is in contrast to the Bible’s teaching on Creationism,and he says that just because it is in a book it “does not mean[he’s] got to believe it” (1301).
Sam believes that “JesusChrist” (1302) was “a man of magnitude” (1300). Hally isobviously against Sam’s suggestion of Jesus Christ, because Hallymakes it clear that he is “an atheist” (1303). This disagreementbetween Sam and Hally is really just an example of the religioustensions in South Africa during Fugard’s lifetime between the”Theory of Evolution,” (1301) which was becoming more accepted,and Christianity, which was taught by Jesus Christ. A second discussion between Sam and Hally that occurs after Hallylearns that his father has gone home demonstrates the racialtensions of Fugard’s lifetime in South Africa. When Sam startslecturing Hally about how he treats his father, Hally becomesangry and tells Sam that he is “treading on dangerous ground”(1321). Hally also tells Sam that his “mother is right”(1322)about “warning [him] about allowing you to get to familiar”(1322).
The climax of the argument is when Hally tells Sam thathe is “only a servant” (1322). This is the first noticeablestatement that Hally makes that demonstrates the racial tensionsexperienced in South Africa. The next racial statement Hallymakes is when he tells Sam that his father is his boss because”he’s a white man and that’s good enough for [him]” (1322). Hally then takes things even further by commanding Sam to “startcalling [him] Master Harold” (1323). Hally tells Sam that if hedoesn’t follow this command that he “might just lose [his] job”(1323).
Hally really makes matters worse when he tells Sam hisfather’s favorite joke. His father would ask Hally, “It’s notfair, is it, Hally” (1323)? Then Hally would ask, “What, chum”(1323)? Then his father would say, “A nigger’s arse” (1323). Another example of the racial tensions during the argument ismade when Sam points out that when Hally’s father got drunk at abar, that Hally had to go “in first . .
. to ask permission”(1325) for Sam to be able to go in to get his father. A finaland the most noticeable example of the racial tensions in SouthAfrica is made by Sam when he informs Hally about the reason whyhe didn’t stay with him the day they flew the kite. Sam tellsHally that the bench he had sat on was a “Whites Only” (1325)bench and Sam wasn’t allowed to sit on it. All of theseexamples are used to represent the racial tensions that werepresent in Fugard’s lifetime in South Africa.
The final discussion between Sam and Hally about theirexperiences during the day and the dance championship that Samand Willie are going to participate in demonstrates the politicaltensions in the world during Fugard’s lifetime. Sam points outto Hally that people are “bumping into each other all the time”(1317) and nobody “knows the steps and there’s no music playing”(1317). Sam said, “I’ve bumped into Willie, the two of us havebumped into you, you’ve bumped into your mother, she bumping intoyour Dad_(1317). Sam is using their experiences that day torepresent how countries are in constant conflict.
He points outto Hally that “America has bumped into Russia, England is bumpinginto India, rich man bumps into poor man” (1317). Sam says thatat the dance, they’re “going to see six couples get it right, theway we want life to be” (1317-1318). Sam uses the dance torepresent the hope that was held by people in Fugard’s lifetimeabout the political future of the world by looking at these sixcouples’ success. He convinces Hally that the world does havehope for political stability because Hally states that “maybethere is some hope for mankind after all” (1318). Sam uses allof these examples about their experiences during the day and thedance championship to demonstrate the political tensions thatwere present in Fugard’s lifetime. Although the discussions between Sam and Hally seem to beconfined to the characters’ lives, the discussions are much morecomplex than they appear.
These three discussions between Samand Hally demonstrate the religious, racial, and politicaltensions that Athol Fugard grew up facing in South Africa. Thediscussion about who is “a man of magnitude” (1300) demonstratesthe religious tensions. The second discussion that occurs afterHally learns that his father is coming home demonstrates theracial tensions. Finally, the third discussion about Sam andHally’s experiences during the day and the dance championshipdemonstrates the political tensions of Fugard’s lifetime in SouthAfrica.
