The soldiers were fully equipped, showing Blacks, not caring about who died, be it women or children QUESTIONS 1. 2. Comment on the reference to 'the child' in the title of the poem. The title refers to the 'dead' child, yet in line 1 'the child is not dead'. Discuss the contradiction/dichotomy by referring to the rest of the poem. 3. What does the altered repetition of "The child lifts his fists against his mother/ father" reveal about the generation gap that is reflected in responding to the laws of apartheid? 4. How does the diction in stanzas 1 and 2 highlight the difference between mothers and fathers? Comment on the effect of the denials in the third stanza. 5. 6. Critically comment how the imagery used in lines 20-23 contributes to the mood. 7. Discuss the effectiveness of the last, short line of the poem. 8. During the Parliamentary address, Nelson Mandela commented that "in the midst of despair, Jonker celebrated hope." Does this poem celebrate hope? Discuss your answer briefly. 9. "The child" is repeated ten times in the poem. How does this repetition add meaning to the poem?
