Kaffir Boy

Perception of the World

Kaffir Boy basically deals with a young boy named Mark from South Africa who endures lots of pain in his town because of his lack of wealth and also because of his skin color. Growing up and having to deal with all of these troubles he notices how unfair his life seems and thinks there can be nothing good in it, at least not for him. This reflects Kant's idea of how we use sensing and reason to influence how we perceive the world. Mark's conception of the world can be described as very negative and to him nothing appeared good so he knew he had to get out in order to achieve true happiness.

Kant's idea basically dealt with how humans saw the world depending on how they lived it. If someone had a good life they would consider life to be wonderful. If someone lived an unfortunate life then they would see the world as a cruel unjust place. Kant also believed that everyone has innate moral reason, and that moral actions are ones we perform out of a sense of duty. When we do so, we become free, because we are following our reason, a part of the world as it appears in itself. We as humans become happiest when we act according to our reason and also according to what benefits us the most.

In Kaffir Boy Mark is an unfortunate boy living in the ghetto of South Africa. He and his family along with their many neighbors and friends appear looked down upon by society. All treated horribly, they see that the world has nothing good to offer them at all. Mark while going with his grandmother to where she cleans realizes how good the wealthy people have it. He then decides he wants that for himself. By getting an excellent education and getting accepted into college seems like the only way to go to achieve his goal. In addition to getting an excellent education and being very smart, Mark becomes a wonderful tennis player. His family becomes very happy for him but at