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Themes and Colors
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Fiela’s Child, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Throughout Fiela’s Child, many of the characters struggle against their natural environment, with some characters trying to live in harmony with nature and others trying to dominate it. The most hostile character toward nature is Elias, for whom nature is little more than a way for him to get rich, and he shows no regard for the natural environment as he dreams up schemes to make himself wealthier. While his wood-beam making work hints at an aggressive relationship with the Forest, what really defines Elias’s relationship to nature is his unceasing quest to try to obtain the tusks of an elephant. While Elias sees proof that elephants act as families and are capable of outsmarting him, he nevertheless schemes to set a trap to kill one, all so that he can buy a gun to kill more elephants and make even more money. Elias’s hostile attitude toward nature leads nature to strike back, with aggressive elephants chasing after Elias and even seriously wounding him on one occasion, ultimately limiting his ability to wander around freely in the Forest. By contrast, his daughter Nina appreciates the trees and creeks of the Forest, spending her free time exploring them; in return, the Forest provides her with solace, sparing her of elephant attacks and giving her a place to temporarily escape the demands of her family and her work.
Most characters have a relationship with nature that falls somewhere between the two extremes of the nature-hating Elias and the nature-loving Nina. Fiela, for example, tries to be a good steward of her land at Wolwekraal, keeping her animals well cared for, but she also frequently experiences frustration, like when her ostriches Kicker and Pollie refuse to mate with each other at first. Similarly, as a pilot, Mr. Benn watches over the ships that enter the rocky waters near the head of the Knysna river, a tricky job that requires patience and a keen knowledge of weather conditions. Both Fiela and Mr. Benn try to make the best of harsh conditions, exerting some force over nature, but also being flexible and respecting nature’s unpredictability. As Fiela’s Child attests, humanity and nature will often be in conflict, but with patience and humility, humans can learn to overcome nature’s challenges and perhaps even reach a state of harmony with the natural world.
Related Themes from Other Texts
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Humanity vs. Nature ThemeTracker
The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Humanity vs. Nature appears in each chapter of Fiela’s Child. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Analysis.
How often theme appears:
chapter length:
Chapter
Chapter 1
1
Chapter 2
2
Chapter 3
3
Chapter 4
4
Chapter 5
5
Chapter 6
6
Chapter 7
7
Chapter 8
8
Chapter 9
9
Chapter 10
10
Chapter 11
11
Chapter 12
12
Chapter 13
13
Chapter 14
14
Chapter 15
15
Chapter 16
16
Chapter 17
17
Chapter 18
18
Chapter 19
19
Chapter 20
20
Chapter 21
21
Chapter 22
22
Chapter 23
23
Chapter 24
24
Chapter 25
25
Chapter 26
26
Chapter 27
27
Chapter 28
28
Chapter 29
29
Chapter 30
30
Chapter 31
31
Chapter 32
32
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Humanity vs. Nature Quotes in Fiela’s Child
Below you will find the important quotes in Fiela’s Child related to the theme of Humanity vs. Nature.
Chapter 1 Quotes
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.
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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
Chapter 3 Quotes
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.
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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
Chapter 5 Quotes
‘When the bigfeet are on you, you can’t choose what you let go of and what you want to keep, woman!’
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This quote is what woodcutter Elias van Rooyen says to his wife Barta after he narrowly avoids an elephant (or “bigfeet” as most people in the Forest call them) attack. Although Elias portrays the attack as an accident, in fact he deliberately antagonized the elephants by setting a trap that was supposed to kill one of them (so that he could take its tusks and sell the valuable ivory for a profit). Elias’s quest to kill an elephant starts off as a random thought but grows into a years-long obsession, demonstrating the greed that is a central part of 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 nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Veli
Chapter 6 Quotes
‘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.’
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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
Chapter 9 Quotes
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.
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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
Chapter 12 Quotes
‘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.’
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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
Chapter 16 Quotes
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
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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
Chapter 18 Quotes
‘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.’
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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
Chapter 23 Quotes
‘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.’
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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
Chapter 32 Quotes
The pilot pulled the needle through the thick white cloth. Somewhere in his beard a smile seemed to be lingering. ‘Of course,’ he said.
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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
