Mrs. Hattingh withholds Nour’s letters to Soraya. Do you think she does this because she can’t control when her son’s letters arrive? Or perhaps so that she can have control over Soraya?
“The person is the pen. The person is the paper. The person is the holy book’s memory.” This line carries so much weight even in today’s context. What do you think of its significance and how it’s a pillar that grounds Soraya?
Why do you think Mrs. Hattingh was so insistent on Soraya sharing how much she wanted to kiss Nour?
Mrs. Hattingh says: “It wears one out so, this constant holding of others’ feelings and dreams.” Who do you think truly holds the weight of the others’ feelings in this relationship?
After returning to her room, Soraya shares with us that despite all that Mrs. Hattingh is doing, she will never know Nour and subsequently Soraya. What do you think of this?
We finally find out what Mrs. Hattingh has been doing to Soraya’s words. Soraya is rightly upset by the embellishments. What do you think of the altercation that follows?
How effectively does Part One establish the power dynamics and tensions that will drive the story forward?
At the start of Chapter Eight, we find ourselves in the market. What do you think of the atmosphere created by the description of the market?
At the spice shop, the daughter of the owner shares gossip about Mrs. Hattingh and the house. Does some of this gossip align with things you’ve thought?
How does the information about Master Timothy change your understanding of the family’s situation?
At the end of Chapter Eight, Soraya realizes that every woman wishes to escape. What do you think Mrs. Hattingh and Soraya wish to escape from?
While cleaning Master Timothy’s room, Soraya sinks into the pages of a book. Do you experience the same sinking feeling as she does?
Mrs. Hattingh goes to Mrs. Cunningham’s for lunch. Soraya, with no work left to do, explores the house and finds herself in Mrs. Hattingh’s room. What do you think of what Soraya finds?
Upon her return to the house, Mrs. Hattingh shares that Mrs. Cunningham wishes to speak to her son that has passed on. What do you think of Mrs. Cunningham asking to hold the ceremony at Heron Place?
What do you think of the seer being the Irish woman?
The seer commences her ritual. Through Soraya’s skeptical eyes, we don’t experience the ghost or the supernatural. What do you think of this gathering? Do you think the seer is just taking these English women for a ride?
10 responses to “Cape Fever Day Three”
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1. Mrs Hattingh withholds Nour’s letters to Soraya. Do you think she does this because she can’t control when her son’s letters arrive? Or perhaps so that she can have control over Soraya?
The latter. Everything she has done so far points to a need for control, and withholding the letters feels like another way to assert power over Soraya.
2. “The person is the pen. The person is the paper. The person is the Holy book’s memory.” This line carries so much weight even in today’s context. What do you think of its significance and how it serves as a pillar that grounds Soraya?
Reading and memorising (The Quran) is very significant in Islam, with many benefits.
Also, as Muslims, we have seen a lot of hostility and even the burning of our Holy Book. Yet the Quran lives on because it exists within us, in our memories, our hearts, and the way we live our lives. When the Quran is committed to memory, it cannot be erased, even if every physical copy were destroyed. This idea feels like a strong pillar for Soraya, grounding her identity and giving her a sense of resilience and continuity no matter what happens around her.3. Why do you think Mrs Hattingh was so insistent on Soraya sharing how much she wanted to kiss Nour?
I think that because Mrs Hattingh has become so involved in writing the letters, her curiosity got the better of her. She increasingly wants to know more than she should, crossing personal boundaries and inserting herself deeper into Soraya’s private life. It’s as if she is living vicariously though Soraya.4. Mrs Hattingh says, “It wears one out so, holding of others’ feelings and dreams.” Who do you think truly holds the weight of others’ feelings in this relationship?
Definitely Soraya.
5. After returning to her room, Soraya shares that despite all that Mrs Hattingh is doing, she will never truly know Nour and, by extension, Soraya. What do you think of this?
I think Soraya is absolutely correct. Mrs Hattingh only knows what she is told, but she will never truly understand what it feels like to have lived those experiences. Soraya recognises that some parts of her life, and her connection with Nour, cannot be fully understood or possessed by someone else.
6. We finally find out what Mrs Hattingh has been doing with Soraya’s words. Soraya is rightly upset by the embellishments. What do you think of the altercation that follows?
It’s unsettling to see just how manipulative Mrs Hattingh becomes when Soraya expresses her discomfort at having her words changed. Her attempts to present herself as kind and always doing things for others feel very calculated, especially when they come at the expense of Soraya’s voice. It shows how she reshapes situations to suit her own narrative, even when it causes harm.
7. How effectively does Part One establish the power dynamics and tensions that will drive the story forward?
Very effectively. The tension between Soraya and Mrs Hattingh is clear. There is a sense of unease that steadily builds, suggesting something major is about to happen.
8. At the start of Chapter 8, we find ourselves in the market. What do you think of the atmosphere created by the description of the market?
The market feels like a space where there is more equality, despite the squalor. It brings together all kinds of people and cultures, creating a sense of diversity and shared humanity.
9. At the spice shop, the daughter of the owner shares gossip about Mrs Hattingh and the house. Does some of the gossip align with the things you’ve thought?
Mrs Hattingh is definitely strange, and the gossip about her son aligns with some of the suspicions I’ve had. There is definitely more beneath the surface and the unease surrounding the household is not unfounded.
10. How does the information about Master Timothy change your understanding of the family’s situation?
It doesn’t change much, except that it makes me suspect there’s something deeper going on. Perhaps an injury or another secret that Mrs Hattingh isn’t revealing. Or perhaps he has passed on, and she’s in denial.
11. At the end of Chapter 8, Soraya realises that every woman wishes to escape. What do you think Mrs Hattingh and Soraya wish to escape from?
I think Mrs Hattingh wishes to escape her deteriorating life and financial difficulties, while Soraya wants to escape her employer and the constraints of being a maid.
12. While cleaning Master Timothy’s room, Soraya sinks into the pages of a book. Do you experience the same sinking feeling as she does?
Yesssss! This book has the same effect on me. I get completely engrossed and lose track of everything around me. It’s immersive and captivating, just like Soraya’s experience.
13. Mrs Hattingh goes to Mrs Cunningham’s for lunch. Soraya, with no work left to do, finds herself in Mrs Hattingh’s room. What do you think of what Soraya finds?
I’m surprised by how much Mrs Hattingh has held onto her personal items, including costumes and other belongings, especially given how much she has been struggling financially. It shows that she clings to certain possessions as a way of preserving her identity and past, despite the challenges around her.
14. Upon her return to the house, Mrs Hattingh shares that Mrs Cunningham wishes to speak to her son who has passed on. What do you think of Mrs Cunningham asking to hold the ceremony at Heron Place?
I didn’t think much of it. Her reasoning makes sense, that her son spent a lot of time at Heron Place, so it’s a valid location for the ceremony.
15. What do you think of the seer being the Irish woman?
I wasn’t too surprised. The Irish have cultural traditions like All Souls’ Day. Also, when Soraya first met her, she was noticeably different from the usual white women in the way she was dressed (I was actipicturing a gypsy).
16. The seer commences her ritual. Through Soraya’s skeptical eyes, we don’t experience the ghost or the supernatural. What do you think of this gathering? Do you think the seer is just taking these English women for a ride?
Yes, I believe she is. The way she adjusts her “visions” based on their responses shows that the ritual is performative. Soraya herself is skeptical, and since she’s open to seeing spirits, her doubt speaks volumes.
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1. Maybe both, but my initial feeling was that she was doing it to have more control over Soraya.
2. In today’s context, the line feels significant because it suggests that people themselves carry truth and memory, and that really matters in a world where so much can be distorted or forgotten. For Soraya, I think it helps to remind her that her value and identity come from something deeper than her circumstances.
3. I think Mrs. Hattingh was living through Soraya in that moment.
4. Soraya definitely carries the weight of Mrs. Hattingh’s feelings, and not the other way around.
5. I think that it is true, and fair.
6. I think Mrs. Hattingh thinks way too highly of herself and her writing, as well as this ‘good deed’. What she is doing to Soraya is completely unfair.
7. It sets the scene well for what’s to come.
8. The market was a living, breathing place. I loved the part about the ‘rhymes about selling oranges’ – that sounds very familiar!
9. Yes, a lot of it does.
10. I think so, yes, a bit.
11. For Mrs. Hattingh, it is loneliness, and Soraya does not wish to do this type of work.
12. Yes, that definitely happens to me too!
13. The things she finds seem frivolous, so I’m not really surprised.
14. Mrs. Cunningham mentioned that her son spent a lot of time there.
15. There was a bit of foreshadowing, so it wasn’t too surprising.
16. I am a skeptic, so I would say yes.
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The latter.
I really liked this quote, and I agree that it is relevant even today. I’m not sure what significance it has to her since she is able to read and recite.
Maybe she was curious to know how far their relationship had gone.
Well, Mrs. Hattingh doesn’t actually know Soraya’s true feelings on any matter, so it is difficult for her to make this statement. I think w how Soraya defended Mrs. Hattingh in the District maybe she might argue that she carries the feelings in the relationship.
It makes sense, as she said before they control the external so we cannot grant them access to the internal. Her relationship w Nour is sacred to her, that’s why she didn’t share that they had kissed, or that she lied and said Nour did not share the same birthday as Timothy.
I don’t know that I think it was such a bad thing for Mrs. Hattingh to add colour to her speech. I am fond of letter writing and I agree that it is a form or art and painting those written pages w images is a real treat for the reader.
I’m not sure. To be fair it’s hard to say, I mean we have the obvious employer employee relationship but there are moments where it seems to blur. An example is how Soraya responded to Mrs. Hattingh when she returned to from the District so there are changes continuously at play.
It’s groovy, I like it.
To be honest, no. I think Soraya has always been able to see strange things, given her choice of stories but also in seeing the goblin so I don’t think there is spirits who are without rest still lingering at Heron Place.
It’s sad if true. But it can’t be that bad since he seems to have landed himself a girl, and I don’t think his mother would mind the state of him.
I don’t think there is one thing that they want to escape from, I think it must be a whole host of things.
Yes, if the book is compelling enough. But also, if I disconnect from my surrounds and sort of get lost in the book’s pages.
I found it a little strange.
I mean, I suppose since her husband is sceptical and Mrs. Hattingh has no husband to object it seemed like the best place to do it.
I legit cackled. And that look of don’t tell them we know each other was funny.
Defs taking them for a ride.
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I’ve been saying from the beginning that it feels more like a control thing, I just don’t know why.
Knowing that knowledge, memories, information, stories, are carried through people and will be, even if every book is burned, somehow feels poetic .
I have no idea but she is way too interested and invested in, and judgemental of other people’s business.
I think it’s Soraya. Mrs. Hattingh somehow knows a lot and nothing at all, all at the same time. It’s a show.
I agree with her. She’s asking a lot of questions but it’s not for genuine reasons. Again, I feel like it’s to gather ammo for whatever reason.
I do not like Mrs. Hattingh’s character. She got caught embellishing and not staying true to Sorayas words, then immediately played the victim when she got “caught”. She gaslit Soraya into feeling guilty for having that reaction. She’s manipulative.
I think Part 1 perfectly displayed the power dynamics between Mrs. Hattingh and Soraya. It’s a good foundation for what’s to come without feeling like an info dump.
It was described in a way that made it feel nostalgic.
It does. I also wondered if Timothy Hattingh is alive but then wonder, if he isn’t, who’s writing the letters and sending the money?
I don’t know because it’s gossip. Is it even true?
Soraya wants to be with Nour and Mrs. Hattingh, her son.
I don’t “sink” into the pages. But I do get comfy and struggle to put a book down when I’m enjoying it.
Mrs. Hattingh is “struggling financially” but somehow still has all this… stuff… why?
I think it’s so that she can control the narrative.
I wasn’t expecting that. Seems strange.
I did until the end when she started rambling. Then I wasn’t so sure…
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Mrs. Hattingh withholds Nour’s letters to Soraya. Do you think she does this because she can’t control when her son’s letters arrive? Or perhaps so that she can have control over Soraya?
1. No, I think she is desperate to control Soraya. She has a need to be in the power seat at all times, and she uses the letters to control Soraya life even more.
“The person is the pen. The person is the paper. The person is the holy book’s memory.” This line carries so much weight even in today’s context. What do you think of its significance and how it’s a pillar that grounds Soraya?
2. Memories and truth are etched in the soul. No matter if texts are lost, the memory of a time or of anything sacred is kept alive in a person. We are the pens, we are the paper, we keep memories alive.
Why do you think Mrs. Hattingh was so insistent on Soraya sharing how much she wanted to kiss Nour?
3. I found that so weird. She makes me so uncomfortable, and it aggravates me how she feels she even has the right to know personal information like that. They are not best friends. It gave me the ick.
Mrs. Hattingh says: “It wears one out so, this constant holding of others’ feelings and dreams.” Who do you think truly holds the weight of the others’ feelings in this relationship?
4. Soraya of course. Mrs H couldn’t care less about anyone but herself and her son. She pretends to care but I really do feel that there is an ulterior motive.
After returning to her room, Soraya shares with us that despite all that Mrs. Hattingh is doing, she will never know Nour and subsequently Soraya. What do you think of this?
5. It’s a comfort to know that Mrs H , will never get the PRIVILEGE of knowing Nour or Soraya fully. They pick what they want her to see and know. She doesn’t deserve to truly know them.
We finally find out what Mrs. Hattingh has been doing to Soraya’s words. Soraya is rightly upset by the embellishments. What do you think of the altercation that follows?
6. Soraya really shows much more grace that the average person would. I would have lost my mind. What a condescending, idiotic thing to do to Soraya.
How effectively does Part One establish the power dynamics and tensions that will drive the story forward?
7. I think it totally establishes the ominous nature of what is to come.
At the start of Chapter Eight, we find ourselves in the market. What do you think of the atmosphere created by the description of the market?
8. I thought it was chaotic and wonderful. A beautiful blend of different people, and LIFE. Soraya could breathe again !
At the spice shop, the daughter of the owner shares gossip about Mrs. Hattingh and the house. Does some of this gossip align with things you’ve thought?
9.Yes.
How does the information about Master Timothy change your understanding of the family’s situation?
10.I feel there is more to it that we think. I suspect that there is something wrong with Timothy, I feel that Mrs H is not telling us the whole truth.
At the end of Chapter Eight, Soraya realizes that every woman wishes to escape. What do you think Mrs. Hattingh and Soraya wish to escape from?
11.Mrs H wants to escape her financial stress, her worry for her beloved son. Soraya wants to escape Mrs H and the financial problems her family is facing.
While cleaning Master Timothy’s room, Soraya sinks into the pages of a book. Do you experience the same sinking feeling as she does?
12.Yes absolutely. I escape into my stories.
Mrs. Hattingh goes to Mrs. Cunningham’s for lunch. Soraya, with no work left to do, explores the house and finds herself in Mrs. Hattingh’s room. What do you think of what Soraya finds?
13.She clings on to her past, tries to hang on to who she was so she keeps tokens as reminders.
Upon her return to the house, Mrs. Hattingh shares that Mrs. Cunningham wishes to speak to her son that has passed on. What do you think of Mrs. Cunningham asking to hold the ceremony at Heron Place?
14.I found that interesting, but she didn’t want her husband to find out about it, so she asks her friend to help her.
What do you think of the seer being the Irish woman?
15.I was not very surprised to be honest. We met her earlier in the book and she struck me as completely different. The Irish have a great spiritual culture, filled with folklore, myths and music.
The seer commences her ritual. Through Soraya’s skeptical eyes, we don’t experience the ghost or the supernatural. What do you think of this gathering? Do you think the seer is just taking these English women for a ride?
16.I don’t think so, anything is possible. It is not out of the realm of possibility that this woman can truly see the other side.
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1. I think it’s because she wants to have control.
2. In today’s day and age written historically “facts” are often twisted to suit a narrative; but peoples’ lived experiences and truths that they carry within them will always be more significant. This helps not only remind Soraya to trust her own learned experiences but also helps ground her.
3. She’s inquisitive and bored; so it’s to satisfy her own curiosity and as a form of entertainment. It’s almost as though she’s living her own personal fantasies through Soraya.
4. I think Soraya does.
5. Soraya is determined to keep her relationship with Nour personal and despite Mrs H trying very hard to meddle she will never fully understand it became she isn’t in that type of relationship.
6. Mrs H is so manipulative and when Soraya caught her out she initially tried to gaslight her. Soraya handled herself a lot calmer than I would have if I’d been in that situation. She shows great restraint for someone so young.
7. Part one was very well done in setting the tone for the rest of the book!
8. I loved how the hustle and bustle of the market was depicted but also the descriptions of how close knit the community is.
9. Yes! I definitely does but I’m keen to see how it all unfolds and if my suspicions are true.
10. It doesn’t change much but rather adds to my growing suspicion that we’re not being told the truth about him.
11. Mrs H wishes to escape her poor financial circumstances and loneliness and Soraya wishes to escape from Mrs H and a life destined to be a maid.
12. Yes most definitely! Reading is an escape for me! All else fades away and I’m fully immersed in the adventure between the pages.
13. Mrs H is a bit of a hoarder and can’t let go of her possessions that mean a lot to her and give her a sense of identity.
14. I think she wants to hold it there because that was the place her son frequented most and also because she’s trying to hide it from her husband.
15. I’m not surprised honestly I kind of expected her to be involved further somehow.
16. I think the gathering was a waste of time because if it were true then Soraya would have been more impressed given that she sees ghosts/spirits but because she wasn’t convinced neither was I.
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1. I think she wants to control Soraya – she uses Soraya’s letters as an excuse to hold something over her as she fears that she might leave her.
2. I think its grounds Soraya as she loves the art of storytelling so through writing she becomes the author of what gets written the same as when she verbally tells stories.
3. I think that she wanted to create more tension between them and to potentially have something over Soraya as that is not something she will write.
4. I think that Mrs Hattingh holds the weight of the Soraya’s feelings in this relationship as she constantly wants to know more about Soraya’s life and she constantly wants to write the letters.
5. I think that Mrs Hattingh will never know what Soraya and Nour go through, she doesn’t know how hard they work nor anything about their relationship and what their families go through.
6. I think that Soraya has every right to feel the way she does.
7. I think Part 1 shapes the foundation of these characters and now in Part 2 we will explore what will come of the embellishments and possibly a different side to these characters.
8. While it’s not the Quarter, I think that Soraya still has fond memories of the place. So I think the atmosphere is nostalgic.
9. Yes it does align with what I’ve been thinking about Mrs Hattingh’s character.
10. It seems as though Mrs Hattingh is trying to keep up her reputation by making it seem as though everything is fine.
11. They want to escape the expectations of woman and just be free.
12. I do!
13. I can’t say that I’m surprised that out of all the costumes she could have chosen, she chose that!
14. She’s trying to compensate that her son is still alive, so she’s giving them a space to do what won’t be allowed in their house.
15. It shows that she is not a true seer but rather gets her information through gossip.
16. I think she was just taking them for a ride, in Mrs Hattingh’s house she would’ve picked up Fatima’s spirit. -
Mrs. Hattingh withholds Nour’s letters to Soraya. Do you think she does this because she can’t control when her son’s letters arrive? Or perhaps so that she can have control over Soraya?
Definitely to control Soraya. She wants to maintain that sense of power over Soraya.
“The person is the pen. The person is the paper. The person is the holy book’s memory.” This line carries so much weight even in today’s context. What do you think of its significance and how it’s a pillar that grounds Soraya?
It shows the significance of memories and how important it is to hold on to them, even if they are bad. For Soraya, it may help her remember where she has come from, how much she has already overcome, and the value she holds.
Why do you think Mrs. Hattingh was so insistent on Soraya sharing how much she wanted to kiss Nour?
She might want to live through Soraya in this moment.
Mrs. Hattingh says: “It wears one out so, this constant holding of others’ feelings and dreams.” Who do you think truly holds the weight of the others’ feelings in this relationship?
Soraya definitely carries the weight of Mrs. H’s feelings.
After returning to her room, Soraya shares with us that despite all that Mrs. Hattingh is doing, she will never know Nour and subsequently Soraya. What do you think of this?
Mrs. H only knows and writes what she is told but she will never have lived the same life or have the same experiences as Soraya and Nour. Soraya is also careful to share her true thoughts and feelings, further strengthening the idea that Mrs H will never truly know her as much as she thinks she does.
We finally find out what Mrs. Hattingh has been doing to Soraya’s words. Soraya is rightly upset by the embellishments. What do you think of the altercation that follows?
It felt quite invasive on Mrs. H’s part but I also kind of understand why she did it and thought she was being nice.
How effectively does Part One establish the power dynamics and tensions that will drive the story forward?
Very well. It’s obvious that Mrs. H holds all the power in the dynamic between her and Soraya, but it seems like Soraya also has a few tricks up her sleeve!
At the start of Chapter Eight, we find ourselves in the market. What do you think of the atmosphere created by the description of the market?
It felt chaotic but at the same time like I’ve walked past it before.
At the spice shop, the daughter of the owner shares gossip about Mrs. Hattingh and the house. Does some of this gossip align with things you’ve thought?
Yes!
How does the information about Master Timothy change your understanding of the family’s situation?
There’s definitely more to the story than I thought. I think there is something Mrs. H is afraid or ashamed of people finding out.
At the end of Chapter Eight, Soraya realizes that every woman wishes to escape. What do you think Mrs. Hattingh and Soraya wish to escape from?
Mrs. H might want to escape from her financial difficulties and whatever is going on with her and Timothy. Soraya wants to escape Mrs. H employment and the difficulties her family is facing.
While cleaning Master Timothy’s room, Soraya sinks into the pages of a book. Do you experience the same sinking feeling as she does?
Definitely. It’s the best feeling.
Mrs. Hattingh goes to Mrs. Cunningham’s for lunch. Soraya, with no work left to do, explores the house and finds herself in Mrs. Hattingh’s room. What do you think of what Soraya finds?
It felt like Mrs. H was clinging to better and brighter days when she perhaps wasn’t struggling so much.
Upon her return to the house, Mrs. Hattingh shares that Mrs. Cunningham wishes to speak to her son that has passed on. What do you think of Mrs. Cunningham asking to hold the ceremony at Heron Place?
She definitely didn’t want her husband to know!
What do you think of the seer being the Irish woman?
I didn’t have any specific thoughts about it.
The seer commences her ritual. Through Soraya’s skeptical eyes, we don’t experience the ghost or the supernatural. What do you think of this gathering? Do you think the seer is just taking these English women for a ride?
Anything is possible, but from previous interactions with the seer, I definitely thought she was taking the women for a ride (especially when she kept switching the descriptions of the son that appeared).
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1) I think it’s definitely to exercise control over Soraya.
2) It’s significance links to how we carry stories not only in ourselves but how we put them out into the world. This is also obviously linked to religion, and how it is practiced – “the holy book” must mean The Quran, and how it is read and lived and “committed to memory” and is something that is core to Soraya, her family, her father and the community they are in.
3) I don’t want to think about it!! I feel Mrs. H was using it for her own gain – either to write it in the letters or further her own agenda.
4) Soraya is the one that is holding the feeling of others.
5) I feel we will somehow be corrected on this point in some way. I’d like to think that Mrs. H will truly never know, but she comes across as highly manipulative.
6) It’s completely justified – and Mrs. H should not be taking as much offence as she was.
7) It definitely indicates that there is a power imbalance and the power seems so be mostly with Mrs H. by the end of Part 1. There is a lot of tension and I think it will only build in Part 2.
8) The way it’s described makes it feel alive – a place filled with different cultures, people, community. A stark contrast to Heron Place.
9) It definitely makes me think that there is a lot more to Mrs. H than what she’s portraying. Some of the gossip could just be gossip but it feels like it could be true, especially with the way Mrs. H has been acting.
10) it makes me wonder if there’s more to the story about Timothy than what we’ve been lead to believe.
11) Mrs. H wants to escape from her situation (the house, the financial burdens etc) and Soraya wants to escape Mrs. H and her job.
12) Yes – definitely. Getting completely lost in stories.
13) it was a weird collection of things that she was holding onto. Costumes and play jewellery. Things from a time when hoarding frivolous things was inconsequential (money wise).
14) Either she feels Heron Place is a safe place for it or she’s embarrassed to hold it in her own home.
15) That was unexpected! And makes me so sceptical.
16) Considering how Soraya is very open to these things and sees her own versions of ghosts and the supernatural I do think the Irish woman is not legit.
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I initially thought that she held onto them because she wanted to hold onto them as a replacement for her son’s letters, which are infrequent. But it’s also probably (definitely) to have control over Soraya.
It’s such a powerful quote and way to view how memories and stories, especially religious ones, are transferred from one generation to another (being the pen that writes/ tells them, the paper that absorbs the stories, and the embodiment that carries out the religious teachings that are passed down).
She’s a weird old lady with no boundaries. But she probably wanted to see just how much Soraya values her piety and if she could get away with tempting Soraya to give in to a portrayal of herself as less innocent and professional as she has been so far.
Soraya does, for sure. Mrs Hattingh keeps telling her about her life, her hopes and dreams for her son, and other information Soraya is burdened with listening to and holding on Mrs Hattingh’s behalf.
I think it’s not only true, but a powerful way to maintain her autonomy and memories in a situation where Mrs Hattingh seems determined to find and exploit every detail of their relationship and life for her entertainment.
It is extremely manipulative on Mrs Hattingh’s part. Not only has she actually manipulated Soraya’s words, but she makes herself out to be the victim and Soraya to be unreasonable in this situation.
It does a great job at showing how Mrs Hattingh holds the power in their dynamic and at establishing the tension between Soraya’s agency and Mrs Hattingh’s control over her words and actions.
It was described as such a sunny, warm and communal space in comparison to the dark, dreary and stifling descriptions of the house on the hill. It was so colourful and full of life, and reflected the freedom and joy Soraya had felt at being in the market surrounded by her community.
A little bit of it, but some of the gossip was new to me, like the gossip about what happened to Timothy.
It made me feel slightly sympathetic towards Mrs Hattingh.
Soraya wishes to escape from her life of servitude under Mrs Hattingh. Mrs Hattingh wishes to escape from South Africa and join her son in England, despite her constant comments that she doesn’t want to go to up there to him and prefers it in South African to give Timothy a home to return to.
I do. I feel like I’m absorbed into the book, its plot, and its characters every time I read a book.
I thought it was interesting how she held onto so many personal items she’d collected over the years. I felt like it was her way of hoarding the parts of her identity that she couldn’t bare to part with.
I think she’s looking for moral support from her friends, but also was possibly told there is a strong spiritual presence at Heron Place that would make the ceremony easier to do. Either that ot the Irish woman/ seer was intrigued by the rumours about the house and Mrs Hattingh and wanted to see it for herself.
I initially thought it was a grift to get money from the rich English women/ exploit their superstitions for profit.
Oh she most definitely was messing with them, and it was so comedic to read about.
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