Chapters VI and Vll

These chapters mostly turn around Steve Biko’s trial. Mr. Woods makes a sensible decision that is publishing Biko’s words which have been used to defend him at the trial. Of course, the government does not want this to happen but for the surprise of their life, Woods argues that is totally legal to publish words that have been used in court.

Consequently, Biko’s words begin to echo all around the country, his clever and bright words ignite the hearts of most black people, ignite the flame of hope and freedom.

The government becomes aware of the fact that they are losing the “war”, their whole system against just a man. The more they pressure him, the more popular and important Steve Biko becomes. So they go wild and start threatening Steve Biko’s inner circle.

To make this long story a short one, up to this point the government realizes that their Cristal house is already cracked and that is just a matter of time to get broke and come down into pieces. So they start on threatening everybody and not realizing that Steve Biko has already lighted the fire of hope in the black community, and that what they are doing is trying to blow it off without realizing that their blow contents air, and air contains oxygen which is the best fire “fuel” injector. So instead of putting out the fire they are stoking it up.

  Picture from: http://mikehoolboom.com/thenewsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/8-Cry_Freedom.jpg

Chapters IV and V

Up to this point, a strong bond of friendship has been forged between Mr. Woods and Steve Biko, because they have met a lot lately and shared and discussed different ideas and points of view. Steve Biko starts getting more and more admired among black people for his revolutionaries’ ideas on Black Consciousness, he claims that the only way to finish these brutal differences between the white and black society was “confrontation”. I really admire Steve Biko’s sensible ideas, he claims that they need to kill the idea that one kind of man is better than another kind of man, and he insists that the only way of doing this is not by asking the white men to give it, but by something they (black society) make out by themselves.

The black revolution in South Africa is around the corner, so Steve Biko gets arrested in order to be intimidated, but of course it does not work since he is a truly and fearless leader. Now he is facing a trial for accusing the government of terrorism, he says that confrontation is necessary to struggle and fight against the situation of black people in South Africa. He explains his beliefs that black people must not give in, they must find ways to develop hope.

Here I share some quotes that are directly connected with these chapters.

Being black is not a matter of pigmentation - being black is a reflection of a mental attitude.                                                             Steven Biko

The most potent weapon of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.                                                                                                  Steven Biko

So as a prelude whites must be made to realize that they are only human, not superior. Same with Blacks. They must be made to realize that they are also human, not inferior.                                                       Steven Biko

Picture from: http://www.today.com/slideshow/today/mr-washington-goes-to-the-movies-34749938/let-freedom-ring-46/

Quotes from:    http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/steven_biko.html

Chapters II and III. Education of a Liberal

This chapter starts with Mr. Woods driving his way in a white Mercedes through the black township (banned area) because he has a meeting with Mr. Biko. In this meeting they mainly discuss about ideas, the government and the differences between the white and black world. Later Mr. Biko takes Mr. Woods through a journey to show him some buildings that were built by the black community, a church, a hospital, schools, etc. What Mr. Biko wants by doing so is making Mr. Woods aware of how different South Africa is for the black people than is for the white people. It shows that slavery was not abolished, it was just changed…

For example for a black person to live legally in a township, the white boss must sign a pass every month, the white government tells a black person which house to live in and what the rent is. Black people can never own a land or pass anything on to their children; the land belongs to the white man and so on. After reading these chapters the reader realizes that slavery was not abolished but transformed.

After experiencing all this, Mr. Woods starts looking South Africa from a different perspective, in the sense that he starts wondering if it is fair that his “white world” should be sustained by the misery and suffering of the “black world”.

Picture from: http://www.top10de.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Cry-Freedom.jpg