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Questions on "The Ultimate Safari" by Nadine Gordimer

jxdx

What is the effect of this particular narrative voice in “The Ultimate Safari”?

Reply 1

jxdx

Why is the story titled “The Ultimate Safari”? :confused:

Reply 2

jxdx

What is significant about the ending of “The Ultimate Safari”, and how does it characterize the grandmother, the speaker, and the interviewer?

Reply 3

HeretoHelp:)

Original post by jxdx

What is the effect of this particular narrative voice in “The Ultimate Safari”?

The story is introduced by a young female refugee at the age of 9, growing until 11 by the end, whose family escapes to a refugee camp from a civil war in Mozambique. By viewing the experience in the eyes of a younger character, the audience is able to distinguish her childlike wonder and innocence juxtaposed by the harsh reality that she is forced to face on her journey.

Gordimer demonstrates her innocence and limitation of knowledge through simplistic language and descriptions of her environment. The narrator’s lack of understanding contributes to her young age of being unable to properly comprehend the social conflict between the whites and blacks during the apartheid, and between the government and the bandits. This is prevalent when she shares her thoughts on her grandmother’s response to the white people who interviewed her: “Why does our grandmother say that? Why? I’ll go back. I’ll go back through that Kruger Park. After the war, if there are no bandits any more, our mother may be waiting for us.”
This creates dramatic irony, revealing the child’s optimism towards the unfortunate events her family is forced into. The narrator declares this with confidence, showing that she is too young to properly understand the loss of her family members and her home. This is in contrast to her grandmother’s cold, pessimistic tone which shows the generational gap between them, allowing the audience to understand the painful truth of their reality against the narrator’s false sense of hope instilled in her mind.

Moreover, Gordimer chose not to use any African slang phrases, terms or expressions, but rather to have the narrator speak English fluently, almost like if she grew up in an English-speaking country. The portrayal removes the barrier between black people and white people, and allows the reader to sympathize for the young girl, emphasizing that she is just like “One of us”.

Finally, by utilizing first person point of view, the readers are able to experience the journey of a refugee leaving home, as well as the harsh reality of living in a racially segregated society.

Does this make sense?

Reply 4

HeretoHelp:)

Original post by jxdx

Why is the story titled “The Ultimate Safari”? :confused:

I studied this text last year, and here is what I remembered... :/

The title of the story can be interpreted in two different perspectives according to the characters who experience Kruger Park.

As a tourist visiting South Africa, their version of “The Ultimate Safari” would consist of a luxurious trip to sightsee and photograph animals in the wildlife. It is an experience for pleasure, in which the tourist feels that they have wholly exposed themselves to the true nature of the country and are able to appreciate it. Truthfully, they are ignorant of the refugees who hide in the bushes of the safari, who have lost their homes to a civil war and are living not to experience the pleasure of life as the tourists do, but solely to survive.

On the other hand, the narrator’s family and fellow villagers experience their “Ultimate safari” differently, consisting of being starved, traveling long distances on foot, and being prey to the wild animals. For the refugees, the safari is not for personal enjoyment, but a desperate journey to safety.
In conjunction to both interpretations, this title is indicative of white people’s treatment of black people: They view Africa as a room for tour and expedition, completely neglecting the native population which is consequently the cause of their suffering.

Reply 5

HeretoHelp:)

Original post by jxdx

What is significant about the ending of “The Ultimate Safari”, and how does it characterize the grandmother, the speaker, and the interviewer?

Grandmother:
She answers the question in a pessimistic tone. Her declarative and assertive response, along with her devoid of emotion communicates the tone of suppressed anger. This is because apartheid has taken everything away from her, and now she is left with nothing: no home, no hope, no future. From the interview, it also demonstrates that racial segregation creates a language and cultural barrier. The white interviewer and the grandmother cannot communicate fluently, even through a common language.

Narrator:
Her initial reaction to her grandmother’s response to the interviewer’s question was shock and disbelief. She stresses the importance of family and home, as these are the major factors in determining her sense of belonging. Her reaction conveys her optimistic and hopeful view of the future, which is the complete opposite of her grandmother’s view. The girl delivers the last paragraph in a hopeful and passionate tone, whereas her grandmother answered the questions in a pessimistic tone. The effect is to display the contrast of attitude on hope and the future between the two generations.

Interviewer:
The questions she asked were very vague and unclear. (eg. “How long have you been living like this?”). Her unwillingness to describe the horrendous living conditions the refugees are living in reveals the white people’s lack of sympathy towards the refugees, as they are trying to avoid admitting the brutal reality of apartheid. It also shows their lack of understanding of the situation the refugees are in, which emphasizes their ignorance, a consequence created due to apartheid. Furthermore, the interviewer has a fairly optimistic and polite tone, which may be due to the fact that she is not able to comprehend the refugee’s loss since she has not experienced it herself, and would not be able to fathom their sufferings.

:smile:

Hope this helps! :smile:

Reply 6

Mimi1306

Original post by jxdx

What is the effect of this particular narrative voice in “The Ultimate Safari”?

The narrative voice of the little girl in "The Ultimate Safari" convey the suffering and segregation of black Africans during the Apartheid movement. The choice of a little female voice is captured and depicted as the lens to the truth of suffering and the journey in the eye of the little girl.