Discuss the theme of poverty in my children my Africa as a whole

Since the place is largely about both Thami and Isabel becoming aware of their roles in South Africa's struggle with apartheid, the motif of waking up is an important one to track. Thami can never reconcile the poverty of his South Africa with the affluence of Isabel's South Africa. In a monologue to the audience, Thami says, "It's hard, you see, for us 'bright, young blacks' to dream about wonderful careers as doctors, or lawyers, when we keep waking up in a world which doesn't allow the majority of our people any dreams at all" (p.53). Later, when Mr. M sees that the boycott and the rebellion are really happening, against his wishes as someone who takes a more traditional view of fighting apartheid, he says, "This is too much now. Just stand here and close your eyes and wait until you wake up and find your world the way it was...Suddenly there were children everywhere throwing stones, and tear gas bombs falling all around and I knew that I wasn't dreaming" (p.67). These moments of waking up symbolize awareness of the reality and seriousness of the problem at hand.