Memoirs Of Fiela Sparknotes

Strong “colored” women in the 19th century did not have much power, making it harder to get things that they needed or wanted. Fiela’s willingness to stand up for what she believes in, to fight for her children, and to function as the head of her household demonstrates that she is an excellent example of a strong woman. As an African woman she does not have much political or lawful power, which prevents her from saving Ben. An example is when Fiela has just come back home before she sets off again to see the magistrate. She has a idea that if she can have the woman in the woods come back and say what the child was wearing, she might get Benjamin Back. However, she has trouble with the magistrate because she is a “coloured” African female:

he knows no other mother than Fiela Komoetie” ( Matthee 171). This passage shows that Fiela is a very tactical woman who sees other options then violence. But because of her race she does not have much power, which makes her vulnerable . So the magistrate does not take her seriously and sends for the constable. The magistrate then says, “you can decide whether you are going to leave on your own, or whether I have to call the constable.” Fiela pleads with him: “lease master, you can't just send me away like this!” The magistrate, however, does not listen: “Constable!”( Matthee 172) . This passage shows how weak Fiela is in a situation like this. Her gender and her ethnicity make the magistrate treat her disrespectfully as a person. She needed to get a point across but is stunted because of her place as an individual. She probably could have gotten the point across, and have Benjamin back if she had been a white male. She wanted to fight but couldn’t. Selling explains to Fiela how people of color have to “ get down and slither as a snake” when they want something from white people (Matthee 172). This shows how the South Africans have to live when they need something: they just have to “slither” and stay out of sight because once they are in sight they would either be killed or locked