The Bench

Written by Richard Rive

Prepared by:
Jade Agcaoili Kyla Manalo Amiel Ramos
Jennielyn Agulay Jennifer Parubrub Maria Diana Salisi
Richie Buduan Mark Angelo Pascua Manuel Serrano
Faye Hilario Sheina Mae Quelnat Patrick Yap
Richard Rive
• in full - Richard Moore Rive
• South African writer
• born on March 1, 1931, Cape Town,
S.Af.
• died June 4/5, 1989
• His writings were dominated by the
ironies and oppression of apartheid.

(Apartheid-policy that governed relations between

South Africa’s white minority and nonwhite majority
and sanctioned racial segregation and political and
economic discrimination against nonwhites. )
Richard Rive
• Some of his books:
 CHARACTERS
KARLIE (Main Character)
• He is a black man
• He has a strong spirit
• He grips his convictions
CHARACTERS
WHITE WOMAN IN A
BLUE DRESS (one of the POLICEMAN
speakers)
• She respects black
men like Karlie.
abides
apartheid,
cruel
“I insist that you treat
him with proper
respect”
CHARACTERS
White man trying to get
the bench from Karlie.
Disrespectful person, cruel

Audience by the bench

Harsh and discriminative

people
SETTINGS

The story takes place

in South Africa.

Grand Parade in
Johannesburg
SETTINGS
The setting changes
to the street as he is on his
way home and he decides
to stand up and fight
against the apartheid by
sitting on the white
people’s bench and at the
end have to be removed by
a policeman.
SETTINGS

Apartheid period,
the beginning for
the changes of
black man rights.

It is during
daylight.
 Karlie chose to sit on the bench
Plot until policeman came and forced
him to leave.
Karlie starts to question and
doubt his beliefs. He is starting Policeman dragged Karlie out as
to think and agree with the people punches him but Karlie
speeches. did not fight back.

Karlie smiled and looked at the

When Karlie was listening to the policeman with arrogance of
speeches by the man and someone who sat on the bench
woman in the blue dress. for Europeans only.
conflict
Point of View

 THIRD PERSON
POINT OF VIEW
• We have access to the main character’s
feelings and thoughts, and he comments on
others actions and character.
• We get to learn the main character Karlie,
by the thoughts he have on his
surroundings.
Themes
• Discrimination
-Discrimination is clearly
portrayed in the story by the
separation of benches by the blacks
and whites.

• Humanity
-Speakers in the gathering (the
man and the lady in a blue dress)
talked about challenging the
discriminatory laws. Their desire for
the blacks to be respected by the
white people shows humanity.
Themes
• Fighting for your rights
-The story wants to impart the importance of every right of
individuals of which are with different races. It teaches us about voicing
out ourselves and claiming our rights through challenging
discriminatory laws.
Literary Techniques
• His writing skills were dominated by the ironies and
oppression of apartheid system.
• It has historical approach wherein Blacks are
separated from whites which Martin Luther King is
their inspiration in making protest to fight their rights
for equality.
Symbolisms, Tone, & Mood
• Tone – Serious
• Mood – Angry, pity
• Symbolisms
In this story, the bench itself
comes to symbolize the deep
segregation that Karlie experiences
in his life. (a fight for equality)
Symbolisms, Tone, & Mood
• Symbolisms
White Woman in blue dress
- represents all people who fight for the oppressed when
they themselves are not victims of the oppression.
Man who confronts Karlie on the bench
- represents all people who unjustly condemn others based
on personal prejudices.
Symbolisms, Tone, & Mood
• Symbolisms
White Woman in blue dress
- Blue soothes and cools. When you wear
blue, you're broadcasting creativity, positivity,
peace, loyalty, and you're saying that you've
decided to live by your own rules, and by your
own truth.
Symbolisms, Tone, & Mood
• Words used
Baas – master / civil official
Jong – young (black) slave or servant
Ou Klaas & Old Lategan – elder (?) or someone close to Karlie
Skollies - colloquial
• a. Especially in Cape Town: a ‘coloured’ street hoodlum or petty criminal, often a
member of a gang. Formerly also in the phrase skolly boy. b. transferred
sense. Any thug or hooligan.
SOURCES
• https://www.enotes.com/topics/bench/in-depth?fbclid=IwAR1TTIlegxrkRu-
Tc_IqHONK19WYobXN2gpCa1_QPw4Ww9SDUqlSk20LuSs
• https://sites.google.com/site/2cengelsk/repetition/south-africa/-the-
bench?fbclid=IwAR2Dqe-4jYsr654kTEP0CiMfYKoH73Gk_Kc0CAUHE981Ffh-FPJEHTIFGD8
• https://www.scribd.com/doc/125931447/The-Bench-Synopsis-107234-
1?fbclid=IwAR3SQR3EkKcqbQe7tKIJfuxeZ2ib8T4iP2389aLzqxi2H6IMjMUKoCUdUM8
• https://dsae.co.za/entry/skolly/e06574
• https://www.huffpost.com/entry/go-to-clothing-
color_b_8286140?fbclid=IwAR06r2Cl9BNjdg9k3KMxdKj0FzRBYKqzKCWADbngJQXghs03D
MHyp8xD-ZA

• Pictures from Google