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Walter becomes infatuated with Frances, but this blossoming romance is quickly torn asunder by Victor.
Walter purchases Boggis and the horse becomes an intimate and vital companion to the priest.
ANCESTORS AND FATE
Marguerite Poland's Shades begins with a brief hint about the "Shades" or Ancestors and
their influence upon the life of a group of people at St Matthias Mission somewhere beyond the
Keiskamma Hoek area of the Eastern Cape.
It is a work of art and, as with all works of art, it does not do to compare the accuracy of the background
to real history or to the real culture of the Xhosa people. It is roughly correct but not necessarily fully so.
Indeed, you will always find discrepancies. It is better to accept the story for what it is: an imaginary tale
that has a semi-real historical and cultural milieu as its backdrop.
The Shades or Shadows are the spirits of the ancestors which are capable of influencing the fortunes of
the people still living upon this earth.
It is a point made later in the novel that, upon the death of someone, his or her body -- or at least the
spirit of that dead person -- must be transported back to its ancestral home.
Failure to do this would cause the spirit to wander aimlessly, causing mischief to all concerned.
The story opens with a graphic description of Walter Brownley's emotions upon his arrival in the
Keiskamma Hoek area. He feels abandoned.
In his first journal entry, he speaks of "an odd sense of predestination". He is determined to leave
before it controls him. "I shall leave before I am its victim," he writes.
What was it that caused this fear? The novel only hints at the historical circumstances.
Back in the early 19th century, warfare devastated this region that was formerly a frontier between the
Xhosa and the Cape Colony.
The conflict was brutal. British superiority in weaponry was matched by the sheer weight of Xhosa
numbers.
The battles, however, left thousands of dead bodies strewn across the countryside -- bodies that would
never be buried but would be left as the prey of hyenas and other predators.
According to the novel, if the bones remained thus unclaimed -- and the spirits of the dead were not
taken back to their ancestral homes -- then they would continue to haunt the region, bringing about the
mischief of the "Shades".
It would seem that it is the presence of these Shades which affects Walter's mood as he approaches St
Matthias. He feels them. He becomes vaguely aware of their closeness to him, and perceives their power
to meddle in his life, to control him.
In short, they have become agents of fate and predestination which he is determined not to allow into his
life.
The novel often alludes to this mischief: the drought, the rinderpest, the ghosts which terrify Hector the
horse and cause him to bolt. Are not the leading characters also controlled by these forces?
As you read the book, you must be able to answer such questions as:
- To what extent do the Shades influence Frances's life?
- Is Victor merely an agent in the meddling influence of the Shades?
- To what extent is it the meddling of the Shades which causes Crispin's downfall?
- Does Walter's emotional anguish arise from the influence of the Shades?
- How do the Shades influence the other people at the mission: the Pumani brothers, Helmina Smythe,
the Farboroughs, Benedict Matiwane?
Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?
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TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:
CROSSING THE RIVER
"Charles," said Emily Farborough, "I have this idea that Walter Brownley might court Helmina. It would
be very appropriate." Father Charles smiled down at her and squeezed her hand but he said nothing: he
had seen Walter Brownley's face as he had lifted Frances from the horse."
- What does this passage tell you about Emily's poor perception? (4)
[Need help?]
You would need to look at the following aspects:
- Helmina was desperately reserved towards Walter while on the horse;
- Opposed to this was Frances's open and unreserved attitude, even leaning into Walter;
- What was Walter's reaction to both Helmina and Frances?
- Was there in fact any indication that Walter was more drawn to Helmina than to Frances -- or vice
versa?
- What then did Emily actually see that Charles did not? Anything?
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- Be able to explain what happened at the river crossing. (4)
[Need help?]
This is a pretty easy answer, isn't it? This question needs just a simple summary of the narration.
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- How was Helmina's reaction to being carried across the river on Walter's horse very different to that
of Frances's crossing? (6)
[Need help?]
Helmina was aloof and made absolutely no effort to relax while up on the horse with Walter. Indeed, her
close proximity to him made her feel desperately nervous.
Frances, on the other hand, was so relaxed and natural -- like a child riding with a friend.
She revealed an immediate rapport with Walter and was able to lean her body back into his and speak
to him about things which interested her -- and in such a way that she could not do with Victor.
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HELMINA SMYTHE
Be knowledgeable of Helmina's failed attempt at love. (6)
[Need help?]
This is also pretty straight forward. Notice, though, how extremely reticent Helmina is. Her behaviour is
not exactly the way to encourage a would-be lover, is it?
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- Why would Helmina have been a poor marital partner for Walter? Why would Frances have made
a better wife for him? (10)
[Need help?]
Frances is intelligent, humourous, sometimes quite flirtatious, young, eager, clearly becoming more and
more sensuous.
Helmina, on the other hand, does very little to attract a man or make an intimate companion. Does she
not rather have more of the attributes of a good servant than those of a good wife?
Her age also meant that she could not compete with Frances -- she was already in her mid-thirties
whereas Frances was only eighteen.
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FRANCES & WALTER
Comment on how Walter's infatuation with Frances affected his short stay at Keiskamma Hoek. (6)
[Need help?]
How would you feel (if you were a man) to have had a young woman sitting very close to you on a horse,
giving every indication that she is willing to become a special friend -- and then along comes a rival who
gives every indication of being virtually engaged to that same woman?
Walter is clearly very confused -- and somewhat rattled. The rest of his stay at Keiskamma Hoek shows
this. How?
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Explain the role played by Boggis in Walter's life. (5)
[Need help?]
The life of the missionary is pretty lonely at most times. There was no-one at the mission station with
whom Walter could confide.
Given that Walter had serious things to think about, is it surprising that he chose to confide his innermost
thoughts to his horse?
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FRANCES & VICTOR
What actually happened between Victor and Frances that day when Walter surprised them at the
river? (6)
[Need help?]
It does seem that Frances and Victor had started to kiss in a rather sensuous way. (Does one need to
point out that they certainly did not have sex?)
But consider: In Victorian times, kissing was to be confined to engagement -- even to marriage.
- How then would Walter judge them?
- Given that Frances was a woman of her times and believed in the harshest of punishment from God
for any sin, how would she feel about herself after having indulged in this kiss, knowing indeed that she
was not even engaged to Victor?
Every action thereafter reveals a girl who is torn by her sense of guilt. Although she clearly liked the kiss,
the knowledge that it was forbidden -- and sinful -- made her desperately unhappy and in need of
solace.
She needed to speak to Walter about it but could not pluck up the courage.
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How did Walter interpret this event? (6)
[Need help?]
In Victorian times, kissing was to be confined to engagement and marriage. How then would Walter judge
them?
It becomes pretty apparent that Walter believes Frances and Victor to be at least promised to each other
-- and therefore close to engagement. Being a gentleman, therefore, he makes every effort to distance
himself from Frances and allow her to pursue her relationship with Victor without his interference.
Walter would also know that Frances's kissing of Victor was not morally acceptable in those times. And
yet, what could he do about it? What should he do about it?
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