Essay Topic: Explore how La Guma uses language to create a sense of menacing, foreboding violence in the story ‘ The Lemon Orchard’.

The Lemon Orchard is a story written by Alex La Guma, a South- African writer, in the 1960s.One which shows the interaction between an educated black teacher and the uneducated white tormentors. It heavily criticizes the Apartheid movement/ racial discrimination. Although the ethnicity of the characters is given away through a careful choice of descriptive words, La Guma keeps them anonymous as to stress the point that anyone can become a victim or/ and a criminal of racial discrimination as well as to help the reader’s to experience the different characters viewpoints.

La Guma starts off the story by establishing the setting. Throughout the first few paragraphs, Nature and language devices asscociated with it ( Pathetic Fallacy), are heavily used. One of the recurring motifes which La Guma displays is of the moon, at the beginning of the story the moon is ‘hiding’ behind clouds as if ashamed to witness what is about to happen, while at the end of the story, the moon has revealed it self. The moon is a representative of the people/ society. This expression suggests how staying put and not going against a wrong action is a form of crime in itself, as it nurtures the habit of violence.

Another symbol of the people used by La Guma are the crickets and dogs. ‘The night close around was quiet now that the crickets had stopped their small noises, but far out others that did not feel the presence of the men continued the monotonous creek- creek- creek. Somewhere, even further, a dog started barking in short high yaps, and then stopped abruptly.’ The crickets near the men and the dog, mimics the human nature, on how people who knew of what was about to happen decided to wait and anticipate, instead of going against this wrong cause. While the crickets who were further away from the men, seem to potray human beings who could not care less about it.

Through contradictions (Irony), La Guma seems to emphasize, how racial discrimination is wrong and goes against human norms and morale. The use of contrast such as ‘ clouds which hung like dirty cotton wool’ as well as ‘ bitter- sweet citrus smell’ shows how a cloud which should be white, pure, innocent and fluffy is viled by racism. Of how a joyful, summery and sweet place like the lemon orchard should host such a horrendous event.

Another form of paradox in the story is how at first, nature seems to condemn the act of torture, how it is ‘ cold, damp, chilled and dark’ ( semantic field & lexical choice), provides no warmth, reassurance and approval to the white tormentors. But at the end, the lemon trees transform to become sharp and angled, like weapons, adding to the horror of the story, it is as if nature has betrayed its origins, has turned perverse.

Besides actively participating in the crime, Nature is sometimes described as a powerless and vulnerable viewer. Some examples from the last few paragraphs are ‘ the night crouched’ and the ‘ perfume of lemons seemed to grow stronger, as if the juice was being crushed from them.’ Nature seems to be powerless from being engulfed by the destructive, disruptive and barbaric crime.

As the story progresses, La Guma starts to illustrate the Leader. The white leader is shown to wear ‘khaki trousers, laced- up riding boots and an old shooting jacket.’ All a familiar trademarks of a hunter. It suggests how the leader is familiar with the practice of violence. What is striking, is how La Guma positions the leader at the ‘rear’, this shows how the white leader is actually a coward, knowing that his doings are wrong, as well as showing how Apartheid is causing humanity to regress.

A similar message is presented through a comparison in between the battery powered lantern and the moon. They are both a source of light. But unlike the moon, the lantern is artificial. It represents a fake hope, which the white men are following, only bringing them more harm than good. While the moon, which is the better option, is covered by clouds, making it difficult for the men to see.

A second description of the leader is given in the middle of the story. It focuses on the leaders face which is filled with ‘ mass of tiny wrinkled and deep creases which covered the red-clay complexion of his face like the myriad lines which indicate rivers, streams, roads and railways on a map.’ His features seem to be quite sharp and defined. La Guma uses a simile to describe the leader’s eyes, ‘ hard and blue like two frozen lakes’, which shows how cold blooded, emotionless, hard and sinister the leader is.

When La Guma describes the leaders face, he is actually describing the leader’s country.Showing that racism is not uncommon, but is so common that even a whole country may justify it. By comparing the face to rivers, streams, road and railways, La Guma gives a hint that the Leader comes from the rural areas of the countries, where racism is much more common, in a city, the economy and education adheres the different social classes, thus reducing racial discrimination.

Another paradox which La Guma uses is how the leader demands so much superiority, shown in the line ‘ I will shoot whatever hotnot or kaffir I desire, and see me get into trouble over it. I demand respect from these donders. Let them answer when they’re spoken to.’. In fact the leader seems to feel so powerfull that he becomes omnipotent, he is above the law. When in fact the black teacher posesses a deeper understanding and is far more educated than the whites, shown by the black prisoners proffession as well as actions ( decides to sue church minister). Thus making the white mens only “ advantage” is their skin color.

In this story, La Guma seems to take a much more severe case of a racist ( the leader), but he does not deem the whole ethnicity as evil. For instance, the white lantern bearer, is shown to be reluctant to shoot the black teacher, but as he is afraid of the leader he is powerless. Again, La Guma seems to be stressing, how although one denies the act, if no action is taken to stop it it is still a form of crime.

The Lemon Orchard is a vivid reminder of the horors of the Apartheid movement. Alex La Guma, has succeeded in creating an ominous, menacing, foreboding violence in the story by showing just how easy it is to take part in the movement, just by neglecting it. How accessible it is for people of all classes to discriminate each other. La Guma does this by using powerful language devices, such as Irony and Pathetic Fallacy.