"This is a strong-room of dreams. The dreamers? My people. The simple people, who you never find mentioned in the history books, who never get statutes erected to them, or monuments commemorating their great deeds. People who would be forgotten, and their dreams with them, if it wasn’t for Styles. That’s what I do, friends. Put down, in my way, on paper the dreams and hopes of my people so that even their children’s children will remember a man."
This quote is from Styles. He describes the pride he takes in his work. By saying that his studio is a "strong-room of dreams," he means that his photographs give people the ability to hold onto the memory of their loved ones. He believes that these portraits give average people a historical record of their lives, allowing them to be remembered even if they never appear in the history books. This takes on a special resonance because Styles takes pictures of Black South Africans, who faced severe social inequality under apartheid. He recognizes that many of them will not be given the opportunity to see their lives reflected elsewhere. Styles sees himself as chronicling the everyday lives of his people and finds great meaning in it.
"Burn that book? Stop kidding yourself, Sizwe! Anyway, suppose you do. You must immediately go apply for a new one. Right? And until that new one comes, be careful the police don’t stop you and ask for your book. Into the Courtroom, brother. Charge: Failing to produce Reference Book on demand. Five rand or five days."
This quote is from Buntu and occurs towards the middle of the play. It details the many legal and social disadvantages that Black South Africans face. Following a remark from Sizwe about burning his passbook, Buntu grimly lays out why that is not an option, detailing all of the offenses he could easily be charged with. These comments indicate how profoundly entrenched political oppression is during the events of the play. They also show that Buntu is more of a pragmatist than Sizwe, with a strong sense of how these bureaucratic systems are designed to punish Black South Africans.
"I took a good look at my life. What did I see? A bloody circus monkey! Selling most of his time on earth to another man. Out of every twenty-four hours I could only properly call mine the six when I was sleeping. What the hell is the use of that?"
This quote from Styles comes early in the play, as he recounts his former life as a worker in an automobile parts factory. He notes that he was treated cruelly and had to work constantly. He questions the extent to which he was even a person during this period of time, as the only hours he had to himself were the six he had when he was sleeping. He compares himself to a "circus monkey," as he felt he had no autonomy. He says all of this to point out why he needed things to change, as his work was slowly crushing his sense of self.
"You must understand this. We own nothing except ourselves. This world and its laws, allows us nothing except ourselves."
Styles says this while talking about identities, during his initial monologue. What he means is that individuals can only really claim themselves; everything else is a possession that can be taken away. When he remarks that "this world and its laws" allow for nothing else, he is saying that a person's identity is the only thing can cannot be taken away under the oppressive rules of the South African government. This takes on more significance later in the story, as Sizwe ultimately decides to give up his "self" in order to avoid being deported.
"Sizwe Bansi, in a manner of speaking, is dead!"
Sizwe writes this line in a letter to his wife, describing what has happened to him recently. He does not mean that he, Sizwe, is actually dead; instead he means that he has given up his former name. This moment explains why he does not tell Styles that his name is Sizwe and, later, how he came to need a photograph to validate his fake name. While at first this line appears to be nonsensical, as Sizwe is alive and well, it becomes more and more apparent that he is effectively dead, as he has lost his identity and must live under someone else's name. Sizwe may still be breathing, but he is dead in another way.
"I don't want to die."
When Sizwe says this to Buntu it surprises him, as Buntu had previously assumed Sizwe didn't care about his life one way or the other. This simple statement indicates Sizwe's desire to keep the life he has built for himself and shows that he is not willing to put his life in danger, or be away from his family just to momentarily skirt danger. Later, however, he will be forced to choose between staying alive and remaining himself, calling into question what kind of existence he will lead as Robert and not Sizwe.
"What's wrong with me? I'm a man. I've got eyes to see. I've got ears to listen when people talk. I've got a good head to think things. What's wrong with me?"
At this moment, Sizwe angrily asks why he is being treated so cruelly. He says that he is a man, and therefore deserves fair treatment. This quote shows how much Sizwe has suffered during this period of time and how severely South African laws dehumanize him and other Black South Africans. He seeks to remind everyone of his personhood, as he feels it is being denied in this brutal mishandling of his legal status.
"I don't want to lose my name, Buntu."
Here, Sizwe is rejecting Buntu's suggestion to just take a dead man's passbook. He is explaining that he values his name and views it as a core part of his identity. For him, his name represents the life he has built in Port Elizabeth. Giving it up would mean losing his entire sense of self. This echoes Styles's earlier comment about a person only really owning themselves. He hesitates to surrender his name because it is the last thing that truly belongs to him.
"Are you really worried about your children, friend, or are you just worried about yourself and your bloody name? Wake up, man! Use that bloody book and with your pay on Friday you'll have a real chance to do something for them."
In this exchange, Buntu pushes back on Sizwe's desire to keep his name. He says that he will be better able to help his family with a local job and a good paycheck. He also remarks that he is being selfish by focusing so much on his name, as it is of little use to them. Buntu encourages Sizwe to give up his real name, and the life attached to it, in order to improve his circumstances and avoid deportation. For Buntu, the pragmatic view of the situation is simple: Sizwe can keep his name and suffer, or become Robert and make everything right.
"Hold it, Robert. Hold it just like that. Just one more. Now smile Robert... Smile... Smile..."
This is the final line of the play. Styles has "Robert'' pose for the camera. He takes the photograph that will go in his passbook, allowing him to lead this new life. Styles thinks that he is simply helping this man make a letter for his wife, but he is actually allowing him to reconstruct his identity. The reader is left to wonder to what extent Sizwe, now locked into this new life and name, is still himself. Styles instructing Sizwe to smile serves as an uncomfortable reminder that he is now forced to maintain this pose for the rest of his life, as he is no longer Sizwe.
