Fiela Character Analysis in Fiela’s Child

Fiela Komoetie is a “Coloured” (multiracial) farmer from Long Kloof on the West Cape of South Africa. She and her husband Selling have several children together: Dawid, Tollie, Emma, and Kittie. Perhaps Fiela’s strongest relationship, however, is with her white adopted son Benjamin, a foundling she rescued when Benjamin was just three years old. Fiela hides Benjamin from the world, not taking him to church despite her own deep religious faith and also keeping him out of school. She fears that some people might not accept the fact that she has a white child. Fiela’s fears come true when some government census-takers notice Benjamin and initiate a legal process that ends with a local magistrate taking Benjamin away from Fiela and placing him in the care of the white van Rooyen family, alleging that Benjamin is the van Rooyens’ lost son Lukas. Aside from her relationship with Benjamin, Fiela also has a strong relationship with the land of Wolwekraal, where she and her children harvest aloe and where she raises ostriches. Fiela demonstrates ingenuity, managing to survive and raise a family in a hot, dry climate where little can grow.

Fiela Quotes in Fiela’s Child

The Fiela’s Child quotes below are all either spoken by Fiela or refer to Fiela. 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:

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: Fiela (speaker), Selling (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), Benjamin, The Magistrate, Elias, Lukas, Fiela

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

Petrus drove the wedding-cart himself and gave them five pounds as a start. It was a lot of money. But on the other hand, Petrus had been afraid that he would lose Selling for Selling had hear from a man by the name of Barrington near the Knysna River who was looking for a good harness-maker.

Related Characters: Petrus, Selling, Fiela, Kies Laghaan

Page Number and Citation: 107

Explanation and Analysis:

This passage occurs during a flashback to when Selling and Fiela got married. In particular, this passage describes Petrus, a white neighbor of the Komoeties who employs Selling as a harness-maker and then gives Selling and Fiela money so that they can get married. While many people, including Selling himself, see Petrus’s act as one of generosity, the more pragmatic Fiela sees how Petrus might actually be trying to advance his own interests. Selling is a good worker for Petrus, and so it’s in Petrus’s interest to keep him around. This passage seems to imply that Petrus helped Selling marry 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. L

‘He’s the forest woman’s child.’

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

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

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), Lukas, Fiela, Elias, Barta, Benjamin

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

A snare-pit. That was what he had to have, he sat thinking that Sunday. The sheer prospect of it brough a funny feeling to Elias’s stomach for if it worked once, it would work again if you were clever enough

Related Characters: Elias, The Magistrate, Fiela

Related Symbols: Tusks

Page Number and Citation: 176

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote describes yet another one of Elias’s schemes to kill an elephant and sell its tusks. After his earlier trap with a tree turned out to be unsuccessful and Elias nearly gets trampled, he decides that he simply needs to try a different trap, showing that he learned nothing from his first experience. The timing of Elias’s realization—on a Sunday—may be significant, because Sunday is typically the day that Christians attend church services. Unlike Fiela, who puts her faith in the Christian God to sustain her through difficult moments, Elias instead tries—often in vain—to exercise control over every aspect 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 consect

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

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

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

Fiela Character Timeline in Fiela’s Child

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

Fiela sees some bad omens but only recognizes them as bad in hindsight. With her husband,... (full context)

...out of pieces of wood. Just then, two men in black hats and suits approach Fiela. They look like either preachers or peddlers. Fiela is suspicious of strangers. The men explain... (full context)

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

The census-takers accuse Fiela of lying to them. She admits she doesn’t know when Benjamin was born but that... (full context)

Time passes. By April, Fiela begins to feel better when the census-takers don’t come back. Selling tries to reassure her... (full context)

Toward the end of April, Fiela begins to forget about the census-takers and instead begins to worry about how The ostrich... (full context)

One morning, Fiela knows based on the weather that it will be a bad day to harvest aloe.... (full context)

Selling enters the kitchen, and when he hears that Fiela wants to put Kicker and Pollie together, he says it’s a mistake not to wait... (full context)

Fiela shouts to Tollie to close the gate so that Pollie can’t escape. Fiela sees Benjamin... (full context)

Fiela protests once again that Benjamin couldn’t have walked over the mountains on his own at... (full context)

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

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

...that Dawid had lied to him and no bird was chasing them. The next day, Fiela lashed Dawid and Benjamin for being reckless, but she baked a cake, saying Benjamin’s birthday... (full context)

...time remembering when he’s scared. He asks if he can go home and says he’s Fiela Koemoetie’s child. The magistrate denies this and says that it’s good Benjamin is back among... (full context)

Meanwhile on that Friday, Fiela works on extracting aloe and worries about how Benjamin’s trial is going. She feels that... (full context)

Fiela keeps imagining she sees the horse cart coming toward her property. But then all of... (full context)

...other why “Lukas” seems so quiet. Benjamin refuses to eat any food other than what Fiela has packed in his box. (full context)

Fiela gets angry as she walks to Knysna. Still, she prefers walking to waiting around for... (full context)

In a flashback to many years ago, when Fiela is still young, people begin to talk about how Selling, the richest “Coloured” man in... (full context)

...it. That evening, Selling is out for a long time, and when he comes back, Fiela notices he has no lamb and also no knife. Fiela just kills a goose instead... (full context)

...away. Early in the new year, Selling has to face a hanging judge, all while Fiela is eight months pregnant. (full context)

...reduced to a life sentence. A few months later, after Emma is born, Petrus tells Fiela that he knows where Selling is working on a prison gang. Fiela wants to go... (full context)

Fiela knows of a hidden route, an old elephant track, that might take her to where... (full context)

Fiela climbs up a gorge to try to be closer to Selling, fearing Emma will wake... (full context)

A week later, Fiela finally manages to make contact with Selling. She smuggles him food this way for four... (full context)

With the completion of the road that Selling’s gang is working on, Petrus comes to Fiela and promises her that he’ll go check on Selling before they send him away. A... (full context)

...wearing his nightshirt like a dress and ruining it in the mud, saying his mother (Fiela) will have to clean it. Nina keeps insisting like everyone else that Benjamin is in... (full context)

Fiela reaches Knysna in the evening. The previous night, she went off to sleep by herself... (full context)

Fiela wakes up the next morning and walks around the village. Many children in the area... (full context)

Fiela tries to appear meek and not angry. The constable agrees to check with the magistrate,... (full context)

Fiela leaves the village and walks back toward Wolwekraal until nightfall. She sleeps right off the... (full context)

Fiela has been back in Wolwekraal for two days, and she’s full of sadness for everyone.... (full context)

Meanwhile, while Kicker and Pollie haven’t fought, Kicker still has no interest in the hen. Fiela plans to make the ostriches a nest anyway. Meanwhile, Fiela has been having her children... (full context)

Petrus asks Fiela if anything’s wrong with her family—he thinks Selling looks unhealthy. Fiela doesn’t want to tell... (full context)

Fiela comes back to Knysna, determined not to be meek this time and instead to hold... (full context)

Fiela tells the magistrate that she has a way to prove Benjamin’s parentage. They can bring... (full context)

Fiela goes back home to Wolwekraal. The next day, Petrus comes by and asks her again,... (full context)

Petrus wishes Fiela had told him sooner so that he could help, although he thinks it inevitable that... (full context)

Petrus advises Fiela not to do anything more on her own so that he himself has a chance... (full context)

At Wolwekraal, the ostrich Kicker has red shins, meaning he is preparing to mate. Fiela rearranges the property to give the ostriches more privacy. Petrus has been away for a... (full context)

...and all was well. Petrus now believes that Elias and Barta are Benjamin’s rightful parents. Fiela tells him that’s nonsense. Petrus says Fiela should be patient and wait for Benjamin to... (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 several days, but Nina has... (full context)

One evening, when Nina and Benjamin come back to the house, Elias informs Benjamin that Fiela stopped by to drop off his possessions. Benjamin has lots of questions and figures out... (full context)

...what would happen if he tried to go back to Long Kloof. He fears that Fiela and the others have forgotten him, then he suddenly hears the crack of a whip... (full context)

On April 2, 1881, Fiela buries Dawid at Wolwekraal. Petrus comes up to make a speech at the funeral—Dawid was... (full context)

Dawid loved the land while he was alive. Fiela’s other children have done their own things, with Kittie marrying a preacher, and Emma having... (full context)

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

...Nina. He wonders if it’s truly possible that he’s her brother or if maybe he’s Fiela’s child after all. The next morning, a ship comes into the fog. Benjamin talks about... (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 years old, as Lukas would be. Before Benjamin... (full context)

Fiela tries to get Selling to walk, since his doctors have recommended regular exercise. Selling hasn’t... (full context)

Fiela is determined not to sell her property. After Dawid’s death, she has to hire two... (full context)

As Fiela helps Selling walk, Selling asks about a man he sees in the distance. All of... (full context)

Fiela can’t afford to kill a fatted calf or to celebrate Benjamin’s return, but everyone is... (full context)

...of Benjamin’s return spreads in the Kloof, Petrus and many others come by to visit. Fiela tells Selling that Benjamin has left the Forest for good, but Selling warns that there’s... (full context)

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

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

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

Benjamin then confesses to Fiela that he’s somehow in love with his “sister” Nina, though she doesn’t know about his... (full context)

...from Kicker for the sailor Book. It was difficult to Benjamin to leave Wolwekraal, but Fiela understood. Benjamin makes it to Barnard’s Island and finds that things are unusually quiet around... (full context)

Fiela asks Kittie to help her write a letter to Benjamin. She writes that he should... (full context)

Fiela Character Analysis

Fiela Quotes in Fiela’s Child

Chapter 3 Quotes

Chapter 6 Quotes

Chapter 7 Quotes

Chapter 8 Quotes

Chapter 9 Quotes

Chapter 10 Quotes

Chapter 11 Quotes

Chapter 13 Quotes

Chapter 14 Quotes

Chapter 15 Quotes

Chapter 16 Quotes

Chapter 17 Quotes

Chapter 21 Quotes

Chapter 32 Quotes

Fiela Character Timeline in Fiela’s Child