Benjamin Character Analysis in Fiela’s Child

Benjamin Komoetie is a white foundling. The “Coloured” (multiracial) farmer Fiela Komoetie and her husband Selling rescue Benjamin when he’s three years old. His life changes forever when two census-takers arrive and notice the white Benjamin, suggesting that he must in fact be Lukas, the lost child of Elias and Barta van Rooyen, Afrikaners who live over the mountain. Although it’s highly unlikely that a young child could have survived the trek over the mountain to the Komoetie property, this doesn’t stop the magistrate and others in his office from biasing the process to make sure Benjamin ends up with the white van Rooyens. Although Benjamin is reluctant to leave Fiela and her family, he is powerless to resist the decree of the magistrate. Much of the novel centers on questions of Benjamin’s identity, including to what extent he can shape it himself and to what extent people around him control it. Despite the harshness of his new father Elias, who wants to use Benjamin as a way to make money, Benjamin makes the best of his new life, forming a bond with his supposed sister, Nina. When Benjamin is about 20, Elias sends him to track down Nina, who has run away from a job in the village. Benjamin’s trip takes him out to the hills near where the sea meets the Knysna river, and he meets the pilot Mr. Benn and the sailor Kaliel September. Seeing the wider world outside the Forest, particularly the boats (which remind Benjamin of his childhood with Fiela) inspires Benjamin to leave the van Rooyens. Around this time, Benjamin begins to develop romantic feelings for Nina, and he takes this as evidence that Nina isn’t his blood relative. And so, on his journey to discover his identity, Benjamin goes back to where he started, proudly rejecting the name Lukas and embracing Fiela as his mother.

Benjamin Quotes in Fiela’s Child

The Fiela’s Child quotes below are all either spoken by Benjamin or refer to Benjamin. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

The day the child disappeared the fog came up early and by midday it seemed as if the Forest was covered in a thick white cloud.

Related Characters: Lukas, Elias, Barta, Benjamin, The Magistrate

Page Number and Citation: 3

Explanation and Analysis:

This sentence begins the novel. It describes the disappearance of Lukas, the toddler-aged son of Elias and Barta van Rooyen who seems to die in the heavy fog, although his fate remains ambiguous for much of the novel. This passage also introduces the isolated settlement in the woods where the van Rooyens live, which is based on the real-life Knysna forest where author Dalene Matthee spent a lot of time, but which most characters simply call “the Forest.” Although the novel’s opening lines don’t establish this specifically, the story takes place in 19th-century South Africa, and so this passage helps Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tem

Only in retrospect did Fiela take account of the omens—she did not recognize them at first. […] Omens that should have warned her, but her mind was on the ostrich and she did not heed the warnings.

Related Characters: Fiela, Benjamin

Related Symbols: Ostriches

Page Number and Citation: 11

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote introduces Fiela, the titular character in the story, who is a “Coloured” (multiracial) farmer in South Africa who discovers and raises a white foundling whom she calls Benjamin. One of Fiela’s defining features is her strong faith in the Christian God, and her belief in omens intermingles with her strong religious beliefs. This quote is also noteworthy for introducing the ostriches, which are an essential part of how Fiela makes a living on her property in Wolwekraal, and which become a subplot that parallels the novel’s main story. As both a parent and a farmer, Fiela’s role is Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates

‘Listen here, woman, you know as well as I do that there’s something very strange going on here. This can’t be your child but you gave out that he was yours. Where did you get the child from?’

‘He’s my hand-child.’

Related Characters: The Census-Takers (speaker), Fiela (speaker), Lukas, Benjamin, The Magistrate

Page Number and Citation: 12

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote comes from a conversation between Fiela and the one of the two census-takers from the government who take her by surprise when they appear on her property one day. The quote sets in motion the main conflict for the story—it’s the moment the census-takers realize that Fiela, a “Coloured” (multiracial) woman, is raising a white child. Although the census-takers mostly state their racist beliefs outright, it soon becomes clear that they are white supremacists who think it’s wrong for Benjamin to be with a “Coloured” family. This passage explores how they mask their racism with polite language, trying Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi at

‘You’re making a mistake, Fiela, wait another week or two.’

‘No. I’ve kept them apart long enough, I had them out at pasture for weeks, I’ve put paraffin into their ears so that there wouldn’t be a single tick to worry them, I’ve let Kicker starve—I’m not waiting any longer.’

Related Characters: Selling (speaker), Fiela (speaker), Benjamin

Related Symbols: Ostriches

Page Number and Citation: 50

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote features a disagreement between Selling and Fiela about when to put their two ostriches—Kicker and Pollie—together so that they can mate. The timing of the decision is important, since if the ostriches come together too early, they might attack each other and ruin their valuable feathers, and yet the harsh environment of Long Kloof means there are also consequences of waiting too long. While Fiela raised Benjamin as her “hand-child” and tries to nurture both her children and her land, she also has a bold streak in her personality, preferring to handle things herself when possible. Fiela knows Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus

‘Is this a church?’ he asked the tall one.

‘No. It’s a courtroom. Sit there on the bench and sit still.’

Related Characters: The Census-Takers (speaker), Benjamin (speaker), Fiela, The Magistrate

Page Number and Citation: 79

Explanation and Analysis:

The census-takers have just taken Benjamin away from his family in Long Kloof in order to place him with his supposed rightful family. When Benjamin first arrives at a courtroom in the magistrate’s building in the village of Knysna, mistakes the courtroom for a church. Benjamin hasn’t been many places in the world yet, and so he compares the courtroom to one of the few places he has been: church (although Fiela mostly kept him away from church to avoid having people find out that she had adopted a white child). But the courtroom’s churchlike appearance establishes also the power Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non

‘Will I still know him?’

Related Characters: Barta (speaker), The Magistrate, Fiela, Benjamin, Lukas, Elias

Page Number and Citation: 81

Explanation and Analysis:

Barta says this quote to her husband Elias, in reference to their son Lukas (who disappeared in the fog many years ago). After the authorities from the magistrate’s office inform Barta that Benjamin may in fact be Lukas, Barta asks her husband Elias if she will “still know [Lukas],” implying that she might not recognize or feel a connection to her son now that so many years have passed since she last saw him. And she worries that the authorities might not believe he’s her son if she doesn’t obviously appear to “know him,” As later parts of the novel Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum.

It was late when they got home. His mother took one look at the egg, took down the strap from behind the door and beat their backsides well for them.

The next day she baked a sugar-cake with the egg.

Related Characters: Dawid, Benjamin, Fiela, The Magistrate

Related Symbols: Ostriches

Page Number and Citation: 89

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote comes from a childhood memory that Benjamin recalls as he waits in the magistrate’s courtroom for his supposed real family to claim him as their own. In the memory, Benjamin and Dawid steal an ostrich egg from a wild ostrich and bring it back to Fiela. This passage is her response to their foolish feat. Although Benjamin and Dawid manage to steal the egg without any problems, an ostrich is strong enough to seriously injure or perhaps even kill a child, and so Fiela scolds them for taking that risk. While Fiela herself later raises ostriches on her Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non invento

‘I’m going to Knysna,’ she announced.

Related Characters: Fiela (speaker), Selling, The Magistrate, Benjamin

Related Symbols: Ostriches

Page Number and Citation: 99

Explanation and Analysis:

Fiela tires of waiting for the census-takers to return Benjamin to his family in Long Kloof, and so she decides that to go to the village where the magistrate holds court to retrieve him herself. Her husband, Selling, as usual recommends a more cautious approach, echoing the disagreement they had earlier about when to introduce the two ostriches (in that argument, Fiela wanted to take the riskier approach and mate the ostriches sooner rather than later). Fiela, however, has less faith in the magistrate and the institutions he represents. Fiela’s approach to getting Benjamin back reflects her own desire to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possim

‘What are bigfeet?’

‘Don’t you know? The animals with the trunks, elephants,’ she whispered. ‘You’re not supposed to say the name out loud, they’ll hear you and think you’ve called them and come and trample you.’

Related Characters: Nina (speaker), Benjamin (speaker), Elias

Related Symbols: Tusks

Page Number and Citation: 127

Explanation and Analysis:

Nina explains the origin of the slang term “bigfeet” to Forest-newcomer Benjamin. Locals use the term to describe elephants, superstitiously believing that elephants can recognize their name and will come trample anyone who says it. In addition to catching Benjamin up to speed about his new home, this conversation also represents an important moment in the relationship between Nina and Benjamin as Nina becomes Benjamin’s first real ally in his new family. The scene is also important because it establishes Nina as the opposite of her father Elias. Whereas Elias spends years trying to kill an elephant to sell its Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit e

‘He’s the forest woman’s child.’

Related Characters: Fiela (speaker), Benjamin, Barta, The Magistrate, Lukas

Page Number and Citation: 154

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote by Fiela illustrates a low point for her in the story as she announces to the rest of the family that Benjamin isn’t coming back to Long Kloof. After going to Knysna and not even getting to meet with the magistrate, Fiela realizes the scope of the bureaucracy she’s fighting against and how it could be dangerous to her or her family to meddle in the justice system’s affairs. And so, Fiela does what she thinks is easiest: she accepts that Benjamin belongs to the van Rooyens now. It’s possible to interpret Fiela’s quote in at least two Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperi

‘I’m your pa! That’s who I am! Say it! Say who I am!’ He was as tough as a piece of ironwood. ‘Say who I am!’

‘Pa.’

[…]

For every answer he gave him a lash. ‘And who are you?’

‘Benja— Lukas.’

‘Lukas who?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Lukas van Rooyen. Say it!’

‘Lukas van Rooyen.’

Related Characters: Elias (speaker), Benjamin (speaker), Fiela, Barta, Lukas, Nina, Willem, Kristoffel, The Magistrate

Page Number and Citation: 159

Explanation and Analysis:

This passage features a pivotal moment in the story, in which Elias van Rooyen tries to use force to get Benjamin to accept his new identity as “Lukas.” As the quote reveals, Benjamin struggles not to say his old name and doesn’t even know what his last name is supposed to be after he becomes “Lukas.” What make Elias such a frightening character is that he himself doesn’t even seem to believe that Benjamin is really Lukas. Like Barta, and perhaps even Fiela, Elias has simply decided to treat Benjamin as Lukas because it’s the most convenient option. But whereas Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas d

‘The child is back with his rightful parents,’ he said and it seemed as if his jaw had grown stiff. ‘What he had on the day he got lost can make no difference. You can put anything on him now and swear by it in the hope that I will believe you.’

Related Characters: The Magistrate (speaker), Benjamin, Lukas, Fiela, Elias, Barta

Page Number and Citation: 171

Explanation and Analysis:

Fiela returns to Knysna and demands to speak with the magistrate in person, not realizing that the man she’s speaking to by the door is in fact the magistrate. Although the magistrate speaks few words directly in the novel, his presence resonates throughout the story, and the few words he does speak help to convey his resolute, self-righteous attitude. When the magistrate says that Benjamin is back with his “rightful” parents, he seems at first to be saying that Benjamin is really Lukas and therefore belongs with the van Rooyens. As he keeps talking, however, the magistrate reveals that no Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusa

In fact Petrus did not come riding up the Kloof until late on Thursday. Alone. A sugar-cake was waiting on the kitchen table.

Related Characters: Selling, Fiela, Petrus, The Magistrate, Benjamin

Page Number and Citation: 185

Explanation and Analysis:

After promising to do everything in his power to return Benjamin to Fiela (the government ordered Benjamin to go Knysna to ensure that he would live with a white family) Petrus ultimately returns to Fiela and Selling alone, having failed to convince the magistrate to release Benjamin. The passage illustrates how even a relatively wealthy and influential white man like Petrus doesn’t have the ability to challenge the magistrate. It also reaffirms that Fiela’s skepticism toward Petrus is perhaps more justified than Selling’s admiration for him. The novel leaves it unclear if Petrus truly fought for Benjamin—whether he really did Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia

‘Pa is a dirty swine.’ Just that.

‘Why do you say that?’

‘It was a trap. An elephant trap.’

‘How do you know?’

‘I went there. There’s a dead elephant calf lying in the pit.’

Related Characters: Benjamin (speaker), Nina (speaker), Elias

Related Symbols: Tusks

Page Number and Citation: 203

Explanation and Analysis:

In this conversation between Nina and Benjamin, Nina tells Benjamin that she has just discovered the truth about the pit that Elias made them dig in the middle of the Forest—it’s a snare trap he wants to use to catch and kill elephants. Elias’s trap is both a success and a failure: while it manages to snag an elephant, it only kills a young calf, which doesn’t have tusks yet and is therefore worthless to Elias. While Nina has never had a great relationship with her father (he at times physically abuses her) this scene seems to be one of Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque

The year moved slowly. Christmas came. New Year. And as he grew out of Benjamin Komoetie, he also grew out of his cloths and had to wear Willem’s old trousers and a shirt of his pa’s.

Related Characters: Lukas, Willem, Elias, Benjamin

Page Number and Citation: 205

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote shows how as the story progresses, time begins moving faster and faster, and so in this passage, a whole year comes to a close. On a literal level, this passage describes how as Benjamin grows older, he continues to get bigger and taller, meaning that he can’t wear his own clothes and instead has to wear hand-me-downs from his “brother” Willem and from Elias. On a metaphorical level, this passage shows how, like it or not, Benjamin is becoming more and more a part of the van Rooyen family. At this point, Benjamin’s changes are still superficial—he may Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessit

She had to give up Benjamin to the forest people, Dawid to the grave. There was little difference in the bitterness within her. The question she put to God was the same: Why, God, why?

Related Characters: Dawid, Benjamin, Fiela, The Magistrate, Selling

Page Number and Citation: 226

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote describes Fiela’s thoughts at the funeral for Dawid. Dawid’s death comes as a shock with no warning, and Fiela compares the unfairness of this event with the earlier injustice she suffered of having to give up Benjamin on the magistrate’s orders. Continuing the motif of the magistrate’s courtroom being like a church, this passage evokes how the magistrate sometimes acts as if he himself is God. Fiela’s bitterness at the magistrate’s decision reflects her frustration at her feelings of powerlessness, brought on by the racist legal system that the magistrate represents. Fiela ponders not only why a just Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut

‘Go home and tell pa I’m not coming back. I’m finished with the Forest.’

Related Characters: Benjamin (speaker), Elias, Barta, Lukas, Nina

Page Number and Citation: 251

Explanation and Analysis:

At first, this quote might seem to contain a decisive moment when Benjamin finally breaks free of Elias and Barta van Rooyen, rejecting his false identity as Lukas by ordering Nina to tell Elias that “Benjamin” is never going back to the Forest. In fact, however, Benjamin realizes that even after leaving the Forest, he can’t shake the influence that the van Rooyens exert over him, even when they’re not physically present. This quote is both a beginning and an end for Benjamin. While it represents the end of Benjamin’s life in the Forest, he still has not figured out Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates.

‘I am an oarsman too. But I can’t live on what John Benn’s paying. I make a bit of extra on my own. I had to get rid of some of my customers because I only have two hands.’

Related Characters: Kaliel September (speaker), Benjamin, Mr. Benn

Page Number and Citation: 256

Explanation and Analysis:

Kaliel September introduces Benjamin to what life is like working for Mr. Benn, the pilot at the head of the Knysna River who leads other boats that are coming in from the sea and need to pass through the dangerous, rocky waters. Just as Benjamin leaves behind the van Rooyen family, he finds himself slowly becoming part of a new family, where the protective but authoritative Mr. Benn is like a parent and Kaliel September is like an older brother, more experienced than Benjamin but still showing deference to Mr. Benn. Benjamin’s interactions with these sailors are important to his Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim n

He was shocked and guilt-ridden. For a moment, his body had forgotten that she was his sister.

Related Characters: Mr. Benn, Nina, Benjamin, Lukas

Page Number and Citation: 280

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote describes the moment when, while Benjamin is with Mr. Benn’s crew of sailors, he sees Nina again for the first time in a while and is ashamed to realize that he has sexual feelings toward her. The fact that Benjamin feels such intense shame about this suggests that perhaps he hasn’t fully left behind his identity as “Lukas” (meaning that he still sees Nina as his sister). This passage captures the conflict between Benjamin’s body and his mind, as what he feels (attraction toward Nina) contradicts what he’s been told (that Nina is his biological sister, which would Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus

The one wearing the blue shirt.

Related Characters: The Census-Takers (speaker), Elias, Lukas, Benjamin, Barta

Page Number and Citation: 338

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote comes from the moment when Barta reveals to Benjamin that she always knew he wasn’t the real Lukas based on what happened that day in the courtroom. Barta had to pick “Lukas” out of a line-up of similar-looking children, but one of the census-takers biased the process by saying “The one wearing the blue shirt,” ensuring that Barta would be certain to identify Benjamin as Lukas. While previous sections hinted at the corruption of the magistrate and the census-takers, this passage exposes their racism in broad daylight, showing how they manipulated the justice system to suit their own Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Acc

The pilot pulled the needle through the thick white cloth. Somewhere in his beard a smile seemed to be lingering. ‘Of course,’ he said.

Related Characters: Mr. Benn (speaker), Benjamin, Lukas, Fiela, Nina

Page Number and Citation: 350

Explanation and Analysis:

This line, which Mr. Benn speaks, ends the novel. When Mr. Benn says “of course,” he is answering Benjamin’s request to take one more day off to go see Nina before coming back to join the crew on Mr. Benn’s pilot boat. Presumably, Benjamin wants to start a romantic relationship with Nina, providing evidence that he has finally once and for all given up on the idea that he was ever “Lukas.” Interestingly, even though Fiela is the book’s title character, she mostly disappears from the novel near the ending. This is consistent, however, with her wish for Benjamin to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recus

Benjamin Character Timeline in Fiela’s Child

The timeline below shows where the character Benjamin appears in Fiela’s Child. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Benjamin knows that his parents treat him like a lamb that has to be fed by... (full context)

...them as bad in hindsight. With her husband, Selling Komoetie, she watches her children, including Benjamin, as they herd an ostrich back home with thorny branches. Fiela and her whole family... (full context)

When Benjamin gets back with the other children and the ostrich, the first thing he does is... (full context)

Fiela worries again about Benjamin when the census-takers begin asking questions about her children. Kittie, their first child was born... (full context)

All of a sudden, while Fiela is answering questions for the census-takers, Benjamin comes back from his boats. The census-takers instantly notice that unlike the rest of Fiela’s... (full context)

The census-takers accuse Fiela of lying to them. She admits she doesn’t know when Benjamin was born but that everyone in town knows he’s her son. The one man goes... (full context)

...should ask a neighbor for advice about how to make sure the government doesn’t take Benjamin away, but Fiela wants to take care of everything herself. (full context)

...ostrich kicks. Fiela keeps Tollie inside that day. Since they can’t harvest aloe, Fiela tells Benjamin that after he sweeps up the yard and hen-coop, he can play in the river.... (full context)

Fiela shouts to Tollie to close the gate so that Pollie can’t escape. Fiela sees Benjamin and knows that he has some idea what’s going on—he asked about census-takers one day... (full context)

Fiela protests once again that Benjamin couldn’t have walked over the mountains on his own at three years old. The census-takers... (full context)

Fiela debates whether to have Benjamin go hide in the mountains or to prepare to send him to Knysna for a... (full context)

Fiela bathes Benjamin one last time. She instructs him to address the magistrate politely, not tell lies and... (full context)

Benjamin shivers as the census-takers take him in the horse cart through the mountains. When the... (full context)

Benjamin tells the census-takers he wants to go home, but they say they want no more... (full context)

...Knysna and will reach the Forest in about three hours. One of them asks if Benjamin remembers the Forest, and Benjamin says “No, master.” Eventually, the man once again reminds Benjamin... (full context)

When they finally make it to the Forest, Benjamin finds it beautiful and is excited that elephants live there. The census-takers say he should... (full context)

The woman sees marks on Benjamin’s legs and asks if his previous family used to beat him. He explains the marks... (full context)

Eventually, the census-takers bring Benjamin to a large room full of wooden benches. He asks if it’s a church, but... (full context)

As Benjamin waits in the magistrate’s courtroom for everyone to arrive, he counts the benches using his... (full context)

Dawid grabbed the ostrich egg and gave it to Benjamin, but just then, Dawid shouted that the male bird was chasing them. Benjamin panicked and... (full context)

Back in the present in the courtroom, Benjamin has been waiting for a while and wonders if they’ve forgotten about him. He considers... (full context)

The magistrate asks Benjamin if he remembers ever having a name other than Benjamin Komoetie. Benjamin doesn’t. The magistrate... (full context)

Meanwhile on that Friday, Fiela works on extracting aloe and worries about how Benjamin’s trial is going. She feels that her hand-lamb child is about to be slaughtered. Selling... (full context)

...sees the horse cart coming toward her property. But then all of Saturday passes without Benjamin coming back, and Sunday passes too. On Monday, Fiela begins making plans to go to... (full context)

Benjamin walks back to the Forest with Elias and Barta. The people in the courtroom told... (full context)

Elias and Barta make it with Benjamin back to the house. Elias asks “Lukas” to greet his brother Willem and sister Nina.... (full context)

...as she walks to Knysna. Still, she prefers walking to waiting around for news of Benjamin. Before Fiela left, Selling warned her not to get angry at the magistrate, since this... (full context)

...At one point during those years, she slips him a note about her discovery of Benjamin. Eventually, Selling’s health becomes too poor for him to contribute much work. The convicts are... (full context)

Benjamin has been away from Wolwekraal for five days and has stopped crying and complaining because... (full context)

Nina come to Benjamin and says she wants to show him a secret. He agrees to go with her,... (full context)

Benjamin gets mad at Nina for wearing his nightshirt like a dress and ruining it in... (full context)

Nina leads Benjamin down to the creek where she has started a collection of glass bottles. She likes... (full context)

Meanwhile, Elias thinks about how Benjamin has caused trouble by being stubborn. He wants to teach Benjamin how to do real... (full context)

That night, when Benjamin returns from the Forest with Nina, Elias thinks he’s behaving better, even if he’s still... (full context)

...over to check on Elias. He tells her about how he’s put both Nina and Benjamin to work, but she says it might take more than just that to keep them... (full context)

...story from Aunt Malie before and isn’t impressed by it. Elias goes to check on Benjamin and Nina’s progress with the beams, only to find they’re both gone and have barely... (full context)

...a place to sleep for the night. She agrees but sleeps uneasily worrying about where Benjamin went and what will happen if the magistrate finds out about Selling. (full context)

After catching Benjamin, Elias sets Benjamin and Nina to work on making wooden beams. A few days later,... (full context)

Benjamin dedicates himself to his work so that Elias will leave him alone. More than 20... (full context)

...in Wolwekraal for two days, and she’s full of sadness for everyone. Selling worries that Benjamin will die in the Forest because he isn’t used to it, but Fiela tells him... (full context)

...Selling looks unhealthy. Fiela doesn’t want to tell Petrus or anyone else in Kloof about Benjamin, so she avoids his questions. Selling, however, is angry when he hears she didn’t tell... (full context)

Fiela tells the magistrate that she has a way to prove Benjamin’s parentage. They can bring in Barta and ask her what Lukas was wearing on the... (full context)

...be too proud, and Selling joins in. At last, Fiela admits that the census-takers took Benjamin away. (full context)

...could help, although he thinks it inevitable that the government would eventually come to take Benjamin away because he’s a foundling. Fiela clarifies that the government only cares because Benjamin is... (full context)

...forester named Mr. Kapp shows up to see Elias—the magistrate sent him to check on Benjamin. At the time, Benjamin is out with Nina, and so Elias invites Mr. Kapp to... (full context)

...that back to the magistrate. But eventually, Mr. Kapp says that he can’t wait for Benjamin any longer and will have to go back. He promises to give Elias and Barta’s... (full context)

...by rain, and no one knows for sure when he’ll be back with news of Benjamin. When Petrus finally does come back, it’s two days later than expected. Fiela has prepared... (full context)

...a reasonable man. He says the magistrate sent a forester (Mr. Kapp) to check on Benjamin, and all was well. Petrus now believes that Elias and Barta are Benjamin’s rightful parents.... (full context)

After 41 days with Elias and Barta, Benjamin begins to believe that Fiela is never coming for him. Elias has been away for... (full context)

Later that day, Barta comes over to Benjamin and offers him coffee, which he declines. She asks him if he’s really happy with... (full context)

...come back, he seems dazed and barely notices how little work Nina accomplished. He instructs Benjamin and Nina that they are both going out into the Forest with him. They’re confused,... (full context)

Elias tells Benjamin and Nina that if they hear a branch crack, indicating that “bigfeet” are nearby, they... (full context)

One evening, when Nina and Benjamin come back to the house, Elias informs Benjamin that Fiela stopped by to drop off... (full context)

From then on, Elias always goes to accompany Benjamin and Nina when they work on the pit. Elias tells them they must not tell... (full context)

Benjamin talks with Kristoffel, who says that it seems like Benjamin has become Elias’s favorite assistant... (full context)

By October, Benjamin feels like a snake that has to shed its old skin in order for him... (full context)

...with his clothes torn. When Nina hears the news of Elias’s close call, she tells Benjamin that she hopes her father is so injured that he’ll die. Nina suggests that if... (full context)

One Sunday morning, Nina shows Benjamin Aunt Malie’s daughter Bet. Nina says that eventually Benjamin will have to marry Bet, just... (full context)

Nina and Benjamin go to the Forest, where Nina pulls out the hidden mouth-organ (harmonica) that she stole... (full context)

Nina begins to bother Benjamin less after he makes the threat about tattling about the mouth-organ. Still, one Sunday, he... (full context)

When Nina and Benjamin finally return home later that Sunday, Mr. Kapp is sitting at the table with Elias.... (full context)

All of a sudden, Benjamin hears Nina shouting as if she’s being attacked. Elias is running around punching her, while... (full context)

Elias puts Benjamin in charge of escorting Nina to the village to start her job. As they walk,... (full context)

Nina wants to live alone in the Forest, but Benjamin convinces her not to. She agrees to go to the village but says Benjamin should... (full context)

...only option is to buy a gun to hunt elephants. Still, he’s glad that “Lukas” (Benjamin) and Kristoffel have been so easy to deal with. (full context)

...Willem gets the family that fired her to take her back, but three months later, Benjamin finds Nina by the creek and learns that she’s been fired from her job again... (full context)

...white and “Coloured” mourners attend. It’s been seven years since Fiela had to give up Benjamin, and Dawid helped her through much of that period. She now has 12 ostriches for... (full context)

...hoping to get married soon. In the present, Fiela decides she must get news to Benjamin about Dawid’s death, ideally for him to make the funeral but at least so he... (full context)

Dawid used to believe Benjamin would come back one day, even when Fiela herself had doubts. At Dawid’s funeral, Fiela... (full context)

...gone missing, and with Willem and Kristoffel away, Elias has no choice but to send Benjamin to find her. Benjamin figures she must be hiding in the Forest again, having yet... (full context)

...are stalking him. But so far, the guns he’s bought have been broken and useless. Benjamin knows this is why Elias wants Nina back, so that he can put her to... (full context)

When Benjamin arrives at the village near sundown, he finds that something strange is going on. Some... (full context)

At the ghost ship, Benjamin runs into an army sergeant. Benjamin asks him questions about the ship, but the sergeant... (full context)

Benjamin goes back to the village and asks about Nina. An old man tells him that... (full context)

Miss Weatherbury tells Benjamin that she took Nina in because she took pity on her, but Nina generally refused... (full context)

Miss Weatherbury asks why Benjamin is looking for Nina. He explains that he has to collect her money, and this... (full context)

Eventually, Benjamin gets tired of waiting for Nina and goes out walking on his own. He walks... (full context)

Benjamin continues to walk over hills, taking in the scenery and marveling at how big the... (full context)

Benjamin finds a place to take shelter for the night. He wakes up the next day,... (full context)

Benjamin keeps walking and comes across a boatman and asks the man to teach him to... (full context)

The boatman tries to persuade Benjamin to give up looking for work on the pilot-boat, but Benjamin remains persistent. At last,... (full context)

...feels that he has the sea in his blood but that a Forest person like Benjamin should be careful around water. Benjamin introduces himself to Kaliel as “Lukas.” Kaliel explains that... (full context)

Benjamin is impressed as Kaliel September shows him around the area and points out his house,... (full context)

Kaliel September leads Benjamin around for three days, showing him his new responsibilities. Kaliel complains that he knows as... (full context)

Reluctantly, Benjamin helps Kaliel September set some blue-buck traps. Benjamin remains determined to get a job on... (full context)

Benjamin wants to go back to check on Nina at Miss Weatherbury’s. Kaliel September accuses him... (full context)

...his frustration over losing “Lukas.” Barta had a strange feeling from the second day after Benjamin left to look for Nina. Eventually, Nina arrived to give the news that “Lukas” had... (full context)

Benjamin continues working long hours for Kaliel September. Kaliel instructs Benjamin in rowing and in other... (full context)

April and May pass, and eventually it’s June. One day, Kaliel September tells Benjamin that he just saw someone who looked like Nina around the area lately, just an... (full context)

Benjamin finds Nina standing on the beach. She is wearing new clothes, and he doesn’t recognize... (full context)

...a companion servant who eats at the dinner table with her, hence the new clothes. Benjamin warns her that Elias and Barta had better not find out about where she’s staying,... (full context)

That night, Benjamin struggles with his new sexual feelings toward Nina. He wonders if it’s truly possible that... (full context)

Benjamin thinks he can use Kaliel September’s absence to somehow get on a boat, but then... (full context)

Three days later, Benjamin starts walking back to Long Kloof, not entirely sure why he’s going. He would’ve left... (full context)

It’s a long journey for Benjamin back to Long Kloof. He remembers being Fiela’s hand-child and wonders if he’s actually 20... (full context)

...the distance. All of a sudden, she sees a white man who reminds her of Benjamin. When he calls her “Ma,” she can’t believe it and starts to cry. They kiss... (full context)

Fiela can’t afford to kill a fatted calf or to celebrate Benjamin’s return, but everyone is happy to see him. Benjamin is exhausted and goes to sleep... (full context)

As news of Benjamin’s return spreads in the Kloof, Petrus and many others come by to visit. Fiela tells... (full context)

Eventually Benjamin builds a real boat from wood. Fiela is worried about him using it, but Selling... (full context)

Eventually, Benjamin admits to Fiela that he’s troubled that he still can’t shake the feeling that, even... (full context)

Fiela wants to put her land in Benjamin’s name so he can inherit it, but Benjamin insists it belongs to Tollie, Emma, and... (full context)

Benjamin then confesses to Fiela that he’s somehow in love with his “sister” Nina, though she... (full context)

Benjamin sets off back toward the forest with mutton for Barta and ostrich feathers from Kicker... (full context)

Benjamin and Barta go to see Elias, who is seriously injured from wounds he got from... (full context)

Benjamin tells Barta he’s been back to Long Kloof. Barta seems surprised but doesn’t say anything.... (full context)

Against Elias’s protests, Benjamin and Kristoffel carry him outside into the sun. Elias says Benjamin ran away like a... (full context)

At last, Benjamin gets the opportunity to talk to Barta alone. He asks if he is truly Lukas.... (full context)

Two days later, Mr. Benn gives Benjamin a position on the crew of his pilot boat, since Kaliel September is gone. Book... (full context)

Eventually, Nina confronts Benjamin about how he talks to her less. Benjamin struggles to explain his conflicted feelings, and... (full context)

...it has run out of freshwater and needs help from a pilot, but Book tells Benjamin it may be a trick. Book feels a storm coming and waits for Mr. Benn... (full context)

...of a sudden, he points out a seaman from the brig in the water, asking Benjamin to try to save the man with his oar. Benjamin tries, but the seaman has... (full context)

On the shore, Benjamin tells Nina he saw a man die. She tries to comfort him by holding him... (full context)

Soon after, Kaliel September suddenly comes back, looking sickly. Benjamin breaks the news to Mr. Benn that he has to go to the Forest for... (full context)

Benjamin goes back to the van Rooyen house. Elias, Barta, and Kristoffel are all sitting around... (full context)

...the room, one of the census-takers whispered to her “the one wearing the blue shirt.” Benjamin was the only one wearing a blue shirt. In the present, Benjamin thinks about how... (full context)

Benjamin feels a storm inside him. He decides he needs to see the census-taker who determined... (full context)

Fiela asks Kittie to help her write a letter to Benjamin. She writes that he should come home if things ever get to be too much... (full context)

The sun rises, and Benjamin wakes up beside the sea. He ponders over recent events and who “Benjamin Komoetie” really... (full context)

Benjamin goes to Mr. Benn and tells him that from now on, his name is Benjamin... (full context)

Benjamin Character Analysis

Benjamin Quotes in Fiela’s Child

Chapter 1 Quotes

Chapter 3 Quotes

Chapter 6 Quotes

Chapter 7 Quotes

Chapter 8 Quotes

Chapter 9 Quotes

Chapter 10 Quotes

Chapter 12 Quotes

Chapter 13 Quotes

Chapter 14 Quotes

Chapter 15 Quotes

Chapter 17 Quotes

Chapter 18 Quotes

Chapter 19 Quotes

Chapter 21 Quotes

Chapter 22 Quotes

Chapter 23 Quotes

Chapter 25 Quotes

Chapter 29 Quotes

Chapter 32 Quotes

Benjamin Character Timeline in Fiela’s Child