Comment critically on the importance of either the dictionary or the cell in the play

Besides the school bell, Mr. M's most prominent prop is his dictionary. When they meet during the riot that ends in Mr. M's death, Mr. M shows Thami how the dictionary has his name and the year 1947 written in it; this means that Mr. M has had the same dictionary for almost 40 years. This shows Mr. M's devotion to the English language, and language in general, but also how he is stubborn in his adherence to tradition. Dictionaries are updated and re-published every few years, but Mr. M stays with the one that he received when he was young and remained comfortable with. Mr. M tries to give the dictionary to Thami, but Thami refuses, showing how Thami does not want to receive Mr. M's knowledge, especially as it relates to English, the language that reflects South Africa's colonial history.

Why Thami didn't tell MR M the truth before he died?