Review of Sarafina

Essay by killjoy004University, Bachelor'sA+, November 2004

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In June 16th 1976 South African students from Soweto marched in the streets, protesting their educational system, an action which cost the lives of hundreds and flamed the fires of revolution. The movie Sarafina follows the internal and external struggles of a young student in times of poverty, turmoil, and violence, and shows the dichotomy between the choices and situations that Sarafina must choose between to combat the oppressive government.

The film starts with a moving sequence showing a group of young African students burning down their own school. Throughout most of the film, Sarafina is torn between two extremes, and this is the first example. The students are upset at the white authorities for their system of control, represented here by the biased educational material. Sarafina comes to understand why the students feel moved to burn the school, but at the same time she understands the importance of education for her future.

Sarafina's mother lives in near by Johannesburg where she works as a maid and house servant. Sarafina occasionally is able to visit her mother in the wealthy, clean, white household. Sarafina is upset at the way her mother lives as a servant. Sarafina talks about her father who died fighting for freedom, but Sarafina's mother points out the fact that despite whatever he did he is dead now. Sarafina answers by saying, "I'd rather die like him, than live like you!" The mother points out that she has children to feed, and survival is more important than overthrowing the system of control that was in place.

Sarafina is inspired by her teacher Mary Masombuka to be optimistic in the face of adversity and to hope for a better future. Mary encouraged a nonviolent response to the oppression, and hoped to improve the lives of her students by...