Racism
Mehring is the racist protagonist of this book. Slowly, his character develops, allowing the reader to analyze the patterns and habits of hateful racists. Of course this imagery is symbolic, pointing past one particular character and defining the political opinion of an entire era in South African politics. The apartheid story is similar in nature to American race relations. In both places, the racist ideology and white supremacy are characterized by hate and dehumanization.
Political opinion
The novel also highlights the variety of political opinion. On the conservative side, there is the father. His point of view is rigid and forceful. He represents a kind of insistent traditionalism that masquerades as classical conservatism but isn't. Secretly, his conservatism is a veil that he wears to make his hatred more palatable in the public sphere. The son shows the inverse opposite. He is consistently liberal and opposed to the types of political agendas that excite his father.
Patriarchy
The father imagery of this book is strong enough that a reader could easily extrapolate a theory about patriarchy from the plot. The imagery includes portraits of patriarchy from multiple angles. He is an aged man, in charge of many people. He has ideas from the past that he conserves without respect for new insight. He is essentially a powerhouse working for the specific purpose of retaining his power. The imagery of patriarchy can be taken as symbolism which leads to a fairly thematic commentary on power.
Suffering and death
The unfortunate imagery that haunts this book is suffering and death. Mehring's hatred becomes evident as he chronically exposes his workers to mistreatment and suffering. This runs a spectrum that leads all the way to death. When one of his workers dies, the novel separates him from the funeral, as if to comment on his eligibility. He is not suited for the funeral, because he does not acknowledge the worth of native African people. His hatred is willingness to cause suffering.
