Review of Fiela’s Child

Review of Fiela’s Child

Fiela’s Child tells the story of Fiela Komoetie, a brown woman in 19th century South Africa who found a white baby boy at her door. After not being able to find the boy’s parents it didn’t take her long to decide to raise the child as her own. She names him Benjamin and loves him like she loves her other children, but when he is a teenager his original family, the van Rooyens, reclaims him. Benjamin’s (or Lukas’s as his original family seems to insist) transition from one family to the other brings Fiela’s unconditional love to forth and emphasizes the true meaning of being a mother.

Dalene Matthee initially ties identity to race, as Benjamin struggles to adapt to his white family whilst continuously empathizing more with his black pseudo-parents, but in the end Matthee shows that one’s identity is ultimately independent of one’s race. As in the end of the novel he decides to be Benjamin, not because he learns the truth of his origins but because he associates more with his black family than his white ones. Which shows how our identity is independent of our race.

This story is told by an omniscient narrator from the third point of view with Benjamin Komoetie as the protagonist and Elias van Rooyen as the antagonist, the bigotry might be said to be the antagonist as well. The story takes place in Long Kloof, Wolwekraal, Knysna, Barnard’s Island and the forest. The use of literary devices in the book is endless. It makes use of a paradox when Dawid (Fiela’s other boy) tells him not to cry in front of white people, the paradox is that Benjamin is white too. In the beginning foreshadowing takes place with all the omens that should have warned her but she was too busy focusing on the ostrich and she didn’t heed the warnings. Personification is used in “She is a ship”.

Some of the themes in the book include; The Formation of identity as Benjamin struggles with his, questioning if he’s Lukas or Benjamin, questioning his origins and his existence. As despite being physically similar to his family, Benjamin can’t seem to identify as a white child, behaving as a colored child and calling his father “boss”. Within Benjamin’s crisis, the use of rhetorical questions, repetition and ellipsis cements his uncertainty and anxiety. Class discrimination as the British immigrants were often liked with status, power and wealth over the black and white inhabitants. The dependence that they had on white female children (like Nina) as nannies for their children also shows that it is nationality that is ultimately superior as these immigrants use their material wealth to entice and exploit the local population. Matthee maybe uses tension to underscore deeper conflicts faced during that time that still happen today.

Male dominance is also a prominent theme in Fiela’s child as Matthee uses juxtaposition to illustrate differences within the two families. Fiela is portrayed as the matriarch of her household, making important decisions and telling her husband what to do. Elias is presented as the patriarch, asserting his power with physical force. Here Matthee brings Fiela’s compassion and Elias brutality to forth and by using them in juxtaposition to each other. Gender roles are a part of the family dynamic as well, both families are presented as opposites of each other. Discrimination is also based on gender – illuminating the patriarchal society of nineteenth century South Africa. Elias uses the term ‘girl’ multiple times in this novel, and the demeaning way he uses it captures the misogynistic views of the Forest society. Also, the constant repetition of Nina having to follow a set path reinforces the misogynistic tendencies of this society.

The elephants and ostriches are both metaphors for nature and the way they are treated reflect the different approaches humans have towards nature. With reference to the elephants you can either seek to manipulate or control nature through the use