Mrs. Plum by Ezekiel Mphahlele
"Mrs. Plum" is a poignant narrative by Ezekiel Mphahlele that unfolds through the eyes of Karabo, a young black South African woman serving as a housemaid and cook for Mrs. Plum, a white woman, during the 1960s apartheid era. The story explores the complexities of race, class, and personal identity within the oppressive context of South Africa's segregationist policies. Initially perplexed by Mrs. Plum’s seemingly progressive attitude—encouraging her to engage with literature and partake in family meals—Karabo grapples with the blurred lines between employer and employee, and the tensions these interactions create.
As Karabo immerses herself in current affairs and community discussions, she begins to see the broader implications of the daily injustices faced by black South Africans. The narrative delves into personal conflicts, particularly as Mrs. Plum's daughter, Kate, challenges societal norms by pursuing a relationship with a black doctor, which strains her mother’s liberal beliefs. The story also touches on themes of loyalty and betrayal, illustrated through the experiences of Karabo and her friends. Ultimately, Karabo’s journey leads her to assert her own identity and negotiate for respect, culminating in a powerful decision to return to her roots while still navigating the complexities of her relationship with Mrs. Plum. This narrative provides a rich exploration of personal growth against a backdrop of social change and moral conflict.
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Mrs. Plum by Ezekiel Mphahlele
First published: 1967
Type of plot: Political
Time of work: The 1960's
Locale: Greenside, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa
Principal Characters:
Mrs. Plum , a white widow in a Johannesburg suburbKate Plum , her daughterKarabo , a young black domestic working for Mrs. PlumChimane , Karabo's best friend, another domesticDick , Mrs. Plum's garden boy
The Story
"Mrs Plum" is told in the first person by Karabo, a young black South African woman who works for the title character as a housemaid and cook. The time is the 1960's, and South Africa is still under the strict system of segregation and oppression known as apartheid.
As the story begins, Karabo has been working for Mrs. Plum only a short time and is bewildered by her new employer. Unlike other whites for whom she has worked, Mrs. Plum seems to take a personal interest in Karabo and encourages her to read the newspapers, to learn to sew and to cook from recipes, and to eat her meals at the table with the family. All of this makes Karabo uncomfortable; for her, the boundaries between whites and blacks, between employers and servants, are clear and impermeable, and she does not understand why Mrs. Plum wants to upset things. As she reads the newspapers and attends lectures at the Black Crow Club, Karabo comes to understand that seemingly isolated beatings and arrests of blacks are part of a larger pattern. She learns that Mrs. Plum writes books and pamphlets calling for better treatment for blacks, but she cannot understand why the white woman feels qualified to speak for others.
Mrs. Plum has two dogs, Malan and Monty, on whom she dotes. The dogs have special food, and special beds with pink linen in Mrs. Plum's room. Dick, the gardener, is charged with feeding and brushing the dogs. Mrs. Plum constantly worries that he is not doing a good job, although he is honest and conscientious and much too afraid of white people ever to fail in his duties. To Dick and Karabo and their friend Chimane, the idea of white people talking to animals and worrying more about them than they do about other people is simply ridiculous, one more astonishing and incomprehensible thing about white people.
In Karabo's third year working for Mrs. Plum, several important things happen. Kate, Mrs. Plum's college-age daughter, goes through a period of rebellion, playing loud music and staying out late. When Kate falls in love with a black doctor who has been invited to dinner parties at her mother's house and announces that she will marry him, Mrs. Plum's liberal convictions are challenged. She will not allow her daughter to marry a black man, and the mother and daughter try to work out the tension between them by confiding separately in Karabo. Karabo refuses to be drawn into the dispute or to express her opinions about anything to her employers. Soon Chimane finds that she is pregnant and has an abortion. Karabo helps her friend through the operation and raises money to make up for her lost wages, while her employers remain unaware that Karabo has worries of her own.
One day, Karabo hears odd noises coming from Mrs. Plum's bedroom. Looking through the keyhole, she discovers Mrs. Plum on the bed masturbating and holding onto one of the dogs. Shortly afterward, Mrs. Plum fires Dick unfairly, and Karabo decides that she has had enough. She leaves Mrs. Plum and goes back to her village. After a few days, Mrs. Plum drives out to fetch Karabo back. Stronger and wiser now, Karabo negotiates better terms and more respect for herself and goes back to Greenside with Mrs. Plum.