“ Oh yes. You’re strong. I think you’ve got what it takes…”(p.84). Veronica Yonker, a seventeen-year old girl, who dreams big in the post-apartheids era, may have just been the breakthrough for many young strong women of South Africa. These words, coming from a white man( the AUTHOR), was the last boost she needed to go get and live her biggest dream in Johannesburg, as a black girl coming from the Valley.
Veronica was born and grew up in the Valley, in the shadows of her mother and grandfather, but in the light of her loving grandfather. Being the sweet, innocent, obedient and respectful child, as she was, pleasing her grandfather and growing up, in the same way her mother did, she was not stuck in her past. She had her own dreams- and dreaming big, she did- and plans for her own future. And reaching these dreams was her passion. Especially her dream of becoming a famous singer.
Veronica, not being stuck in her past, strengthens her believes in reaching her dream. She wants to do things differently than in the past “… and all that talk that was going on about how things was going to change and be different from now on.”(p. ). And by this means, not ending up spending her future days, cleaning and scrubbing floors in a white man’s house “…you will never see me on my knees scrubbing a white man’s floor”(p.68). This, however, was the planned future for most of the young black women in that time, especially those living on a farm. But Veronica Yonker had this dream and passion, that carried her through every day and through every negative thought and strengthened her and gave her the courage she needed to pursue this dream. She was going to be different and make a respectful living for herself by living her dream.
Abraam Yonker, as a farmer and a black man, who lived in the apartheids era nearly all of his life, cannot seem to understand this rage in Veronica