Summary
Styles continues his monologue. He says that when he first got to his studio he found that there were cockroaches all over the walls and floors. He asked one of his neighbors about it and they informed him that the building was condemned. For a moment, he thought that his fate had been sealed. He went to a business owner who worked next door and asked for his help. The man pulled out some tin cans of poison for Styles, who bought them. He then went back in and killed a number of the cockroaches.
The following day, as if by magic, Styles noticed more roaches. He did the same thing that day, killing them with the poison. But they continued to plague the studio. He asked another business owner about what he should do. The man told him to get a cat. He got a cat and then later noticed that all the roaches were finally dead. He was thrilled. He felt his studio was finally ready for business.
He then points to his sign and says that his studio is a stronghold for dreams. He explains that by taking pictures of people, he allows them to create personal histories and document their lives. This allows them to be remembered, even if their daily triumphs don't make it into the history books. He believes he provides an essential service to his customers: allowing their hopes and dreams to be preserved.
He walks over to his picture board and points to one he took earlier in the week. He says he often gets two kinds of knocks. One is very serious and solemn and the other is quick and energetic. He says the second kind is the one he answers. He recalls that the man in the picture showed up at his doorstep and gave an emphatic knock. He opened the door and the man asked for his picture to be taken.
The man said he wanted to take the picture standing up. Styles says a good photographer never interferes with what a customer requests. Styles took the picture and then asked the man what it was for. The man informed him that it was for an official document and that he had been in school recently, trying to become more educated. He said he has just passed an important exam but planned to continue his studies. Styles congratulated him.
Then Styles talks about the family portraits he's taken. He says that these are the best for business and that he ends up taking pictures of large groups. He describes one particular family who came in with their grandfather. The eldest son introduced everyone and Styles corraled them into the frame. He was thrilled with the outcome, saying it is a lovely photograph.
A week later, the eldest son returned for his pictures and tearfully informed Styles that his father had passed away. He looked at the pictures and said that Styles really captured his father's smile. He imagined the man returning to his family and passing out the picture as they mourn. Styles then points to a picture of his own father. He says that he fought in World War II and lived a difficult life. He says that his picture, a military portrait, is all that he has left of him.
Analysis
Work is a central theme in this section. Styles reveals the many aspects of his job, including the less glamorous ones. When he first arrives at his studio, he is forced to kill many roaches. When a large family wants a picture, he has to spend a long time getting everyone into place. So much of his job is managing people and dealing with their wishes and frustrations. While being a photographer has made his life better overall, it does not come without its share of difficulties. However, Styles does not dwell heavily on the negative, as he recognizes how much he has gained from his new life. His mention of these daily irritations actually highlights how much he loves his new job, as they do not deter him from keeping on. This work, in contrast to his life at the factory, is worthwhile enough that its stresses are negligible.
Photography is also a major theme in this part of the play. Styles says that his studio is a stronghold for dreams. What he means is that his pictures allow everyday people to be immortalized, forever saved in their family histories. Here, Styles appears to make his case for the importance of photographs, as they have this power which almost every other medium lacks. He is remarking on the vital nature of his work, as these portraits bring people together and let them hold on to the memory of their loved ones. His comments are a passionate claim about what makes photography such a meaningful career for him.
Death is also a key theme in these pages. Styles recounts how a man came into his studio with his family for a portrait. He says that the man returned a few days later to collect the pictures. In the intervening time, the man's father had died, and as he looked at the pictures he teared up because he thought Styles really captured something about him. Styles takes comfort in the idea that he helped this man keep some part of his father. He adds that all he has of his own father is a single picture. These moments remind the reader that, in death, only these pictures can serve as reminders of these people. Their memory is only carried on because people have some way of remembering them.
Identity is a central theme in this section of the play. Styles emphatically says that a man owns nothing but himself. He believes that every worldly possession can be—and in South Africa, often is—taken away. So, he reiterates the importance of having an identity and a name. This is particularly important to Styles, as he left a stable career in the name of personal freedom. Under the oppressive politics of apartheid, he recognizes that individuality is one of the last things afforded to him and other Black South Africans. This line later takes on haunting significance in Sizwe's story.
This section marks the end of Styles's monologue. He recounts his eventual success as a photographer and makes a case for the importance of his career. He explains how his pictures are not just souvenirs but essential reminders of people and their lives. As his story draws to a close and a mysterious figure enters the studio, these same themes come into play, but in a much bleaker context.
