The Coffee-cart girl Flashcards
Describe the events that lead to China saving Pinkie’s cart. Give THREE points.
The strikers become violent.
The strikers destroy some of the carts.
China pulls Pinkie’s cart across the street.
Why does Pinkie refer to China as “uncle”?
To show respect.
What would China’s tone be in, “Don’t uncle me, please.”
Annoyance.
His eyes travelled from her small tender fingers as she washed a few things, to her man’s jersey which was a faded green an too big for her, her thin frock, and then to her peach-coloured face, not well fed, but well frames and compelling under a soiled black beret.
What do the above lines show you about Pinkie’s circumstances?
She is poor. She appears to be undernourished.
Pinkie has mixed feelings about China. What are these feelings?
She finds him attractive yet repulsive. She is attracted to him but realises that he might be dangerous.
“like those wax figures she once saw in the chamber of horrors”. Identify the figure of speech in this line.
Simile
In what way does China remind Pinkie of the wax figures?
He is beautiful / scary / emotionless.
How is China affected by the strike?
He loses his job.
How are China and Pinkie victims of apartheid prejudice?
Pinkie leads a poor life. She cannot get a proper job. She is no longer allowed to operate her cart.
China is underpaid. He loses his job when he participates in a protest strike. He has trouble finding a new job.
Later, Pinkie gives China coffee and pancakes. What does this behaviour tell us about the kind of person Pinkie is? State TWO points.
She is compassionate. She is caring. She is sympathetic. She is unselfish and grateful.
At the end of the story Pinkie disappears because the police no longer allow her to operate her coffee-cart on the street. In your opinion, is the action of the police justified? Discuss your view.
The action of the police is not justified because the coffee-cart was how Pinkie made her living and now she would have no work.
OR
The action of the police is justified because it was enforcing the laws of the city to keep it clean.
How does Naidoo make a living?
He is a cheapjack / vendor
Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE and give a reason for your answer.
Pinkie accepted the gift from Naidoo as a token of his love.
False. Naidoo gave her the ring as payment for the coffee and cakes.
“She panted like a timid little mouse cornered by a cat”. Why does the writer compare Pinkie to a mouse and China to a cat?
Just as a cat can overpower a mouse so, too, can China overpower Pinkie.
OR
She has no chance against China, as he is much stronger than she is.
“He had sent two men packing with a knife before”
What does this line show you about China’s past behaviour?
He was aggressive / violent. He was a murderer.
Refer to the last paragraph of the story.. “The following day…”
Why does China’s behaviour change at this stage in the story?
He realises that she is innocent. He still loves her.
In your opinion, is China being realistic when he hopes that Pinkie will not be afraid of him anymore?
He is being realistic because she nods her head to say she forgives him and he knows he must never be violent again.
OR
He is not being realistic. Now that she has seen for herself how violent China can be, she will never be able to trust him again.
Does Pinkie really forgive China? Give a reason for your answer.
Yes, she forgives China. She shows this by nodding twice when he asks for her forgiveness.
OR
No, Pinkie has not forgiven China. She may have nodded that she had forgiven him, but she packs up early to get away from him because she is afraid.
Pinkie and China do not meet again. IS this an effective conclusion to this story? Discuss your view.
It is an effective conclusion to the story because it shows how uncertain their live are and keeps us guessing about what happens next.
OR
It is not effective because it is dissatisfying to the reader not to know what happens next. The writer should have been clearer about the outcome.
