38 pages • 1 hour read
Bessie HeadMaru
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1971A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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BetaEssay Topics
What is the most significant theme developed in the novel? You may choose any theme, but you must write about at least three characters in the novel according to that theme. For example, how does Margaret exemplify or surpass the stereotypes of the Bushman or Masarwa? What are the characteristics of the Masarwa, according to other characters in the novel?
How does Margaret’s character grow and change, or not, through the course of the novel? How does her marriage to Maru fulfill her character or contradict it?
Why does Maru marry Margaret? What does his marriage reveal about his character? What does the marriage reveal about Margaret’s character?
Why does Moleka marry Dikeledi? What does his marriage reveal about his character? What does her marriage reveal about Dikeledi’s character?
Who among the four main characters—Margaret, Dikeledi, Maru, and Moleka—is the greatest hypocrite? Who remains true to their own nature? How is this demonstrated in the novel? Explain.
Who is the more subversive character in the novel: Maru or Dikeledi? Write an essay in which you compare and contrast these two characters and their acts of subversion.
What is the elder Margaret Cadmore’s “experiment”? Is it successful? How or how not? Explain.
Are any of the four main characters—Margaret, Dikeledi, Maru, and Moleka—happy at the end of the novel? How or how not? Explain.
What is Maru’s greatest character flaw? How does it affect his life and the lives of others? You may also choose a different character and address the same question: for example, what is Margaret’s greatest character flaw?
What are the symbols that Head uses within the novel? Explain the meaning and usage of at least two symbols, such as yellow daisies, bombs, or mad dogs? Explain.
Related Titles
By Bessie Head
