A
s an English First Language
candidate you are expected
to analyse literature
independently from the
internet. This is often a huge mountain
for many of you; however, let me
assure you, with the correct attitude
and approach this mountain can
become an molehill. The A and O of
personal interpretation is the context
and literary knowledge that you have.
Allow me to guide you into writing
an assignment as requested by the
syllabus. Let us look at the following
topic:
Discuss freedom in general in “The
Road to Mecca”.
Step one: Always just enjoy the read.
After you have read the play, many
of you may want to chuck it into the
corner as you will feel you have just
had enough of Fugard. However, now
is the time to start your research.
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8•
• June/July 2014
Step two: Do your research. Research
definitely does not mean you should
google the question posed to you. It
is impossible to understand “The Road
to Mecca” fully without knowing the
context of the play, who the author is
and what he stands for.
Your research must be about the
core of the question, freedom. Try
to find out what Athol Fugard’s take
is on freedom. Consult a diversity of
dictionaries to find the most suitable
definition of freedom for your essay.
After having read up about Athol
Fugard, you may realise that he was
also struggling to use his art to voice
his own opinion in his restrictive,
political environment.
Step three: Define the core of your
question. An example would be the
definitions from the Oxford Advanced
Learners’ Dictionary. “Freedom” is the
(a) “right to do or say what you want