themes

• Bildungsroman


  A coming-of-age story where the protagonist reaches maturity by going through the following four stages: 1) They experience the loss of something significant and 2) then embark on a journey in response to that loss to resolve the issue. 3) On their journey, they face experiences and make decisions that cause conflict with themselves and the people around them. 4) But as their journey progresses, the protagonist matures after learning a lot about life and themselves in the process.
• Patson experiences the loss of something significant

  Patson embarks on a journey in response to that loss to resolve the issue
• Patson faces experiences and makes decisions that cause conflict with himself and the people around him


  As Patson's journey progresses, he matures after learning a lot about life and himself
• Patson


  • Experiences the loss of his mother
  • Responds by embarking on a journey
  • Faces conflicts and makes decisions that cause conflict
  • Matures through the journey
• Joseph


  • Provides financial support
  • Tells Patson stories as warnings
• Boubacar


  • Undertakes the journey to Marange
  • Loses his family
  • Develops a relationship with Patson and Grace
• Grace


  • Deals with loss in her life
  • Meaning of her name
• Patson risks his life for Arves


  Patson gets medication for Arves
• Patson protects and comforts Grace


  Patson tells Grace that her father is alive
• Patson's mother's spirit guides him


  Patson climbs Table Mountain without crutches
• Patson sells the girazi

  Grace goes to St Cyprians, gets an apartment in Seapoint, and a prosthetic
• Boubacar tells Patson to "stop behaving like a boy"


  Patson becomes financially independent and loyal to Boubacar and The Baron
• Patson crosses the border to South Africa

  Patson has no passport or papers
• Patson's response to the story of the man who discovered the first diamond in Marange

  Patson rethinks his father's warning
• Boubacar says "Grace rescued herself"


  But "that sparkle I took for granted is now gone and at night she has nightmares"
• Boubacar says "she will need time to accept what she has lost"


  Grace makes dinner for the family, showing her response to life on the mines
• "Now with the girazi I found we wouldn't have to stay there much longer"
• Patson: '"Write your way into another life"'
• Patson was welcomed into the 'company of men' with Joseph & Boubacar
• Patson starts to lead the gwejana
• Patson uses Kamba as protection
• Patson comforts and protects Grace, telling her that her father is alive
• Patson: '"I was elated with every stride that took me away from the mine. I had managed to escape. With my diamonds. I'd fetch Grace. We'd be free."'
• Boubacar tells Patson to "stop behaving like a boy"
• After crossing over to SA, Patson rethinks his father's warning about the man who found the 1st diamond in Marange
• Patson sells the girazi so that Grace can go to St Cyprians, get an apartment in Seapoint, and a prosthetic
• Boubacar says "Grace rescued herself" but "that sparkle I took for granted is now gone and at night she has nightmares"
• Boubacar says "she will need time to accept what she has lost"
• Grace makes dinner for the family, showing her response to life on the mines
• Patson risks his life to get medication for Arves
• Patson climbs Table Mountain without crutches, guided by his mother's spirit
• "I was determined not to let my leg be the focus of our day"
• Patson becomes financially independent and loyal to Boubacar and The Baron
• Patson crosses the border to South Africa with no passport or papers
• Patson rethinks his father's warning about the man who found the 1st diamond in Marange after crossing over to SA
• Patson, Grace, and Boubacar form a new family
• There is corruption and greed involving the government, police, mining syndicate, and soldiers
• Commander Jesus declares "There will be no more illegal mining in Marange. There will be no more stealing from President Mugabe"
• Patson experiences the loss of his mother
• Joseph is dead