'He's a good boy this one' by Shabbir Banoobhai

A line by line analysis and notes on this this poem. This will help you understand what the poem means in simple terms.

1. He's a good boy, this one Shabbir Banoobhai

2. he's a good boy, this one i don't know what we'd do without him he knows where everything is all the prices the regular customers' likes and dislikes and he's only been here a year yes, he is a good man this boy who's never heard about being your brother's keeper and turning the other cheek but still manages to smile as baas leans on the crutch of his shoulder as he stumbles to a chair in the sun then shrugs him off as if he were swatting an irritating fly He's a good boy, this one Shabbir Banoobhai

3. stanza one 1 The word boy is a patronising term used by certain white South Africans to address black males. “This one,” indicates a certain depersonalisation towards black people. 2 - 7 He is extremely valuable, yet he is only seen as an object of labour. His place of work is deliberately kept vague so we might apply this idea to other black people in similar situations. he's a good boy, this one i don't know what we'd do without him he knows where everything is all the prices the regular customers' likes and dislikes and he's only been here a year

4. lines 8-12 8 / 9 The use of man / boy emphasizes the sense of superiority the persona feels towards the black character. 10 - 12 This shows that the character is an outsider to christianity which sets up the irony of the fact that he acts in a far more christian way than white people. yes, he is a good man this boy who's never heard about being your brother's keeper and turning the other cheek

5. lines 13-19 13 His smiling is extremely admirable in the face of such a lack of gratitude. 14 ‘Baas’ is the Afrikaans word that black people would have addressed their employers by in the period. 15 / 16 / 17 The metaphor reveals how although the character helps his employer in this intimate way he is still seen in terms of no more than an object. To the ‘baas’ he is not a person but merely a crutch. 18 / 19 This action is seen as a devastating betrayal because of the baas’s lack of gratitude. The simile emphasizes how low his opinion of the black person. but still manages to smile as baas leans on the crutch of his shoulder as he stumbles to a chair in the sun then shrugs him off as if he were swatting an irritating fly

6. Questions Explain the use of the words ‘boy’ and ‘man’ in the poem by referring to the context and their connotations. (2) In what role is the black person primarily cast? Quote to support your answer. (2) Explain, in detail, the white people’s attitude to the black person with close reference to the poem. (3) Which biblical story does the phrase “brother’s keeper’ come from?” Identify and explain the use of irony in the poem regarding religion. (3) Explain the symbolism used in the actions of the black person helping the white person to a chair in the sun. Discuss the final simile and comment on whether you think it to be an effective one.