A Literary Analysis of The Suit by Can Themba: A PDF Guide
A Literary Analysis of The Suit by Can Themba: A PDF Guide
The Suit is a short story by the South African writer Can Themba, first published in 1963 in the inaugural issue of The Classic, a literary journal founded by Nat Nakasa and Nadine Gordimer. The story was banned by the apartheid regime for its portrayal of the harsh realities of life in Sophiatown, a township of Johannesburg that was forcibly cleared of its non-white residents in the 1950s. The Suit tells the story of Philemon, a doting husband who discovers his wife Matilda's infidelity and punishes her by making her treat her lover's suit as an honored guest. The story explores themes of betrayal, revenge, power, identity, and agency in the context of a society oppressed by racial discrimination and violence. This PDF guide provides a summary and analysis of the story, as well as some questions to consider and further resources to explore.
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Summary of The Suit
The story begins with Philemon, a clerk who works for a lawyer, preparing breakfast in bed for his beautiful wife Matilda, whom he calls Tilly. He does this every day, taking pleasure in serving his wife rather than the whites whom he is obliged to serve under apartheid. He leaves for work after kissing her goodbye, but returns shortly after to fetch his pass that he forgot at home. He meets his friend Maphikela on the way, who reluctantly informs him that Matilda has been having an affair with a young man who visits her every morning.
Philemon rushes back home and finds Matilda in bed with her lover, who flees the scene leaving his suit behind. Philemon pretends to be calm and acts as if nothing has happened. He tells Matilda that he has brought a guest home and that she should prepare lunch for them. He then reveals that the guest is the suit and orders her to treat it with respect and care. He makes her hang it in the wardrobe, set a place for it at the table, and take it for a walk in the afternoon. He warns her that if she fails to do so, he will kill her.
Matilda is humiliated and terrified by Philemon's cruel punishment. She obeys his commands and tries to appease him with her cooking and cleaning. She hopes that he will forgive her and forget about the suit, but he persists in his torment. He invites his friends over for dinner and makes Matilda serve the suit as well. He takes the suit with him to church and to work. He even buys it a new hat and a coat.
Matilda gradually becomes accustomed to the suit and starts to see it as a harmless object rather than a symbol of her shame. She even begins to joke about it and sing to it. She regains some of her happiness and beauty that she had lost under Philemon's wrath. She also tries to reconnect with Philemon and show him affection, but he remains cold and distant.
One day, Philemon surprises Matilda by telling her that he has forgiven her and that they should celebrate by going to see a concert in town. He tells her to leave the suit at home and get ready. Matilda is overjoyed and dresses up in her best clothes. She also decides to make a special gesture for Philemon by ironing his shirt and polishing his shoes. She leaves the suit on the bed while she does so.
Philemon comes back home earlier than expected and sees the suit on the bed. He assumes that Matilda has defied him and resumed her affair with her lover. He flies into a rage and confronts Matilda in the kitchen. He accuses her of being unfaithful and ungrateful. He drags her to the bedroom and shows her the suit. He tells her that she has killed him with her betrayal.
Matilda realizes that Philemon has misunderstood her gesture and tries to explain herself, but it is too late. She collapses on the floor from a heart attack and dies. Philemon is shocked and horrified by what he has done. He cries out for help, but no one comes.
Analysis of The Suit
The Suit is a powerful story that exposes the effects of oppression and injustice on human relationships and emotions. The story can be seen as a critique of apartheid, a system that dehumanized and degraded black people in South Africa for decades. The story also explores how individuals cope with or resist oppression in different ways.
Philemon is a character who represents the internalization of oppression. He has accepted his subordinate position in society and tries to find dignity and joy in his domestic life. He loves his wife dearly and treats her well, but he also expects her to be loyal and obedient to him. He does not question or challenge the authority of the whites who rule over him, but he exercises his power over his wife when he discovers her infidelity.
Philemon's punishment of Matilda is an act of violence that mirrors the violence inflicted by apartheid on black people. He humiliates, isolates, and controls Matilda by making her live with the constant reminder of her sin. He denies her agency and identity by reducing her to an object that serves his whims. He also denies himself any possibility of reconciliation or forgiveness by holding on to his anger and resentment.
Matilda is a character who represents the resistance to oppression. She is not satisfied with her limited role as a housewife and seeks adventure and passion outside her marriage. She does not conform to Philemon's expectations or demands, but asserts her own desires and needs. She also does not give up hope or dignity under Philemon's punishment, but adapts to it and tries to overcome it.
Matilda's affair with her lover is an act of rebellion that challenges the norms imposed by apartheid on black people. She defies the restrictions on movement, expression, and sexuality that apartheid enforced on black people by having an illicit relationship in her own home. She also defies Philemon's authority over her by choosing another partner who makes her happy.
The suit is a symbol that represents both oppression and resistance in the story. It is initially a sign of Matilda's infidelity and Philemon's revenge, but it becomes a sign of Matilda's resilience and Philemon's remorse.
Conclusion
The Suit by Can Themba is a short story that reveals the impact of oppression and injustice on human relationships and emotions. The story can be seen as a critique of apartheid, a system that dehumanized and degraded black people in South Africa for decades. The story also explores how individuals cope with or resist oppression in different ways. Philemon is a character who represents the internalization of oppression. He has accepted his subordinate position in society and tries to find dignity and joy in his domestic life. He loves his wife dearly and treats her well, but he also expects her to be loyal and obedient to him. He does not question or challenge the authority of the whites who rule over him, but he exercises his power over his wife when he discovers her infidelity. Philemon's punishment of Matilda is an act of violence that mirrors the violence inflicted by apartheid on black people. He humiliates, isolates, and controls Matilda by making her live with the constant reminder of her sin. He denies her agency and identity by reducing her to an object that serves his whims. He also denies himself any possibility of reconciliation or forgiveness by holding on to his anger and resentment. Matilda is a character who represents the resistance to oppression. She is not satisfied with her limited role as a housewife and seeks adventure and passion outside her marriage. She does not conform to Philemon's expectations or demands, but asserts her own desires and needs. She also does not give up hope or dignity under Philemon's punishment, but adapts to it and tries to overcome it. Matilda's affair with her lover is an act of rebellion that challenges the norms imposed by apartheid on black people. She defies the restrictions on movement, expression, and sexuality that apartheid enforced on black people by having an illicit relationship in her own home. She also defies Philemon's authority over her by choosing another partner who makes her happy. The suit is a symbol that represents both oppression and resistance in the story. It is initially a sign of Matilda's infidelity and Philemon's revenge, but it becomes a sign of Matilda's resilience and Philemon's remorse. a27c54c0b2