ENG1501

Assignment
2
UNISA 2022
Marius Regardt Nel
Student Number: 36205192
ID: 8208165067084
Assignment number: 168942
 DECLARATION REGARDING PLAGIARISM
DECLARATION

Name and student number: Marius Regardt Nel 36205192

Assignment topic: Short stories

I declare that this assignment is my own original work. Where secondary material has been
used (either from a printed source or from the Internet), this has been carefully acknowledged
and referenced in accordance with departmental requirements. I understand what plagiarism
is and am aware of the department’s policy in this regard. I have not allowed anyone else to
borrow or copy my work.

___________________________________
Signature: Date: 05/06/2022
Question:
In ‘I will not apologise!,’ the story’s plot revolves around the conflict between Bonita and her
grandmother. Use the questions below as prompts to discuss this statement.

1) The characterization of the two main characters, Bonita, a willful teenager who is still
developing, mind soul and body and her grandmother, a woman from an older more
strict era, plays a huge part in how the characters personalities influence the story-line,
meaning and title of the story. As you read the story the differences and similarities
between the two start to unfold as you get to learn more and more about them. Bonita
seems to be a mouthy youngster with a strong personality, especially when she feels
her mom is being attacked. “But when she...I answer her back”. (Fisher, 2006: 60).
She is becoming a adolescent as you read how her body is starting to change,
physically and hormonal. “I've noticed your body changing.” (Fisher, 2006: 63). Her
grandmother who comes from a different era seems staunch and set in her ways. “I
think...when people get older...always been.” (Fisher, 2006: 62). Her grandmother
seems to order everyone around and expects everyone to fall in line with her whims
and needs. “Gran never asks. She commands”. (Fisher, 2006: 62). She comes
across as a very needful person with special nutritiunal wants, “Gran's dentures and
her digestion”, that manipulates those around her and is not afraid to say what she
thinks. “She criticizes everything I do.” (Fisher, 2006: 60). Both seem like hard headed
women who say their say, not thinking about the consequences and never apologetic;
which connects to the title of the story, 'I will not apologise!'.
2) The relationship between Bonita and her grandmother seems extremely strained. She
feels that since her grandmother moved in their whole family dynamic has changed.
“It's not easy...so let's all try make this work.” (Fisher, 2006: 59,60). She seems to
have a strong dislike towards her grandmother who she feels is manipulative and
needy. “I think as... have always been. And my grandmother has always been
horrible.” (Fisher, 2006: 62). Before her grandmother moved in, she had more
freedom to go around with her friends; “Ride to Kalk Bay and send the day there.”, and
life between her and her parents were also better. “let's all try and make this work.”
(Fisher, 2006: 59). According to her, everything has changed since her grandmother
moved in and it has also affected the relationship between her and her parents. “Then
Dad and Mom talks to me... try harder. Again.” (Fisher, 2006: 60). She describes that
before her grandmother moved in that her relationship with her and her parents were a
loving, caring one, and between her mother and father as deeply loving. “You're just
jealous, because Dad loves Mom, and he loves me”. (Fisher, 2006: 65). She tolerates
her grandmother for the sake of her mother and father, “I do try.”, who tries to explain
away her grandmothers needs and demands with that of old age and suffering.
“Granddad's medical bills... savings.” (Fisher, 2006: 59). She loves and respects her
parents and tries to subdue her anger towards her grandmother by listening to her
parents advice and guidance, but through gritted teeth and feelings of resentment.
“Take a few breaths, Bon.” and “You've got to allow for her eccentricities”. (Fisher,
2006: 61).
3) The main conflict in the story happens between Bonita and her grandmother, who she
has an intense dislike for, as Bonita feels that her grandmother does not like her
mother. “She gets on Mom's case” and “Gran doesn't like Mom”. (Fisher, 2006: 60).
 Internally the conflict has to do with her grandmothers view of Bonita's mother, albeit all
the little conflicts that gave rise to this final outrage. “Most of the time I can tune out...”
(Fisher, 2006: 60). Bonita's grandmother feels that Bonita's mom fell pregnant with
Bonita to 'catch' Bonita's dad and keep him. “What she did wasn't... proud of.” (Fisher,
2006: 65). She expresses her internal feelings in the guise of Bonita's growth into
adolescence, “noticed your body changing”, and that she too will use her female wiles
to get a husband. “A bad apple doesn't fall far from the tree.” (Fisher, 2006: 64). For
Bonita this attack on her mother's good name was the final straw, and all the internal
feelings that had built up over the time that her grandmother has lived with them
escalated exponentially. Her anger coming to climax in her smashing her
grandmothers 'mouth' or dentures and flushing it down the toilet as similar to the 'feces'
of words she felt her grandmother was spewing. “Her voice faded”, “her broken jaw
leered”. “I piled toilet paper on top with each flush.” (Fisher, 2006: 66). Bonita feels
that she was standing up for her mother and that it would finally silence her
grandmother. “I said stop!” (Fisher, 2006: 67). Alas it might have driven a wedge
between her and her parents, as in the end her parents still expected an apology from
her towards her grandmother. “And I have to stay... ready to apologise.” (Fisher, 2006:
67). The irony and symbolism of her grandmothers dentures being smashed and taking
away her 'voice', is nullified by her mother phoning the dentist for an earlier
appointment, giving back her grandmother's voice and the plumber being called out to
unclog the toilet, giving back her grandmother's hurtful words.
4) The setting of the story takes place in Fishoek, a town on the outskirts of Cape Town.
Bonita a young teenage girl has to look after her grandmother for the day as her father
had made other plans. She had to cancel her plans which already brings more tension
to the situation. “A day in the house with Gran. Thats what I had to look forward to”.
(Fisher, 2006: 60). Bonita's 'bossy' grandmother had to come live with them which
makes Bonita feel that there is already some encroachment on her freedom and the
loving bond in her family. “No loud music ever... she took my room... even our food
changed.” (Fisher, 2006: 60). She feels trapped with her grandmother for the day.
“Stuck indoors – leaping into action... wanted something.” (Fisher, 2006: 61). She
could have been out with friends gallivanting and being free. Furthermore she already
feels that her grandmother has a dislike in her mother, and speaking of how she was
conceived just escalated the whole matter. “And from now on... she'd be sliding
glances at me”. As she was confronted with the matter she needed some physical
outlet. On the other hand you could see the setting as an ailing grandmother with no
financial means being forced to go live with her son and his wife. “Granddad's medical
bills...”. (Fisher, 2006: 59). Needing them to survive, making her feel trapped and
needy. Being stuck inside, just like Bonita and trying to convey some worldly advice to
a growing teenager albeit in a wrongful, could say hateful way. “I'm sure your mother
has told you what it means to be a young woman.” (Fisher, 2006: 61). Two lions from
two different worlds trapped with their own notions and train of thought, trying and
failing to communicate ending in an huge violent argument with enormous
repercussions.
5) The story is written in the first-person narration style. Bonita, a willful, strong minded
teenager is the narrator of the story. “I will not apologise!” (Fisher, 2006: 59). We only
see the story out of her perspective and not all other parties included. Throughout the
story you can sense how she despises her grandmother and blames her for
everything, even if it is true or not. We see a teenager who's freedom feels reigned in
 and the sum of her frustrations is projected towards her grandmother. She used to be
the only person that her parents had to love and care for, and now that is taken away
by her grandmother and her needs. Teenagers are hormonal and without life
experience, so to take her account of the story at face value would be unwise. You can
read from the get go how her frustrations build and how she only sees the negative in
her grandmother. As she tells the story you can see how this anger and frustration
build more and more, even in the poetry that she quotes. “the Dragon sings, And beats
upon the dark with furious wings...”. (Fisher, 2006: 60). She fixates on every little
negative aspect of her grandmother and describes it in such hateful detail that can only
make you wonder how unbiased it all is. Before the conclusion an climax of the
incident she has built up such a horrible picture of her grandmother in her own mind.
Her youthful emotions get the better of her and it had to get a violent outlet. What
could have been a loving grandmother's sage advice about becoming a woman, and
talk about sex and boys, exploded into a rage that needed to be expressed. Yes it
could be true, but without the other characters introspection and input we can not make
that assumption.

Reference list:

1) Fisher, M 2006, I will not apologise!, Oshun, viewed 1 June 2022,

<https://oasis.unisa.ac.za/articles/2701042.28080/1.PDF>