Reading Response 11/03

Welcome to our Hillbrow by Phaswane Mpe is a novel that deals with Xenophobia, poverty, AIDS and crime. There is a second person narration that talks to the protagonist of the story Refentse who is already dead. It concerns the lives of lovers and people around them as they travelled from their villages to neighborhoods in Johannesburg. Betrayal of love occurs with consequences. The speakers knows what each character thinks and also knows the thoughts of the people of Tiragalong. The author does a good job of using different perspectives to make everything connect but particularly, also using his point of view. For instance, the author explains why Refentse commited suicide. Refentse is in love with Lerato. One day he comes home to find his bestfriend Sammy having sex with Lerato and he commits suicide by jumping off a building. From Mpe's point of view, Refentse should not have killed himself ,but, instead he should realize that he too has betrayed his friend Sammy with Bohlale Sammy's lover. The lack of knowledge portrays the series of problems that the people of Tiragalong faced. The repetition of the phrase "Welcome to our Hillbrow" emphasizes the daily troubles that the people of Hillbrow go through. To them, it is nothing new.
Chapter one was written to describe what Hillbrow is like for readers. The different crimes, street and scenes that takes place in Hillbrow shows the character of the people of Hillbrow. Xenophobia is portrayed when Mpe reveals how the people of Hillbrow blamed Makwerekwere (foreigners) for bringing AIDS in Hillbrow(5). Also, an example can be seen when Refentse mother believed that the women of Johannesburg were only there to destroy men. As a result, she disliked her son Refentse 's relationship with Lerato because of her bad mentality towards Johannesburg women(39). Refilwe, Refentse's ex girlfriend also had her point of view. She became more open minded when she traveled to Oxford. While she was there, she saw the behavior of  others towards Africans and South Africans. This allowed her to forsake her past stereotypes about South Africans and foreigners. The different perspective in this novel contributed to my understanding of the characters thoughts and actions.