Out of the Darkness, I Came the Farthest: South Africa and Six Degrees of Separation

In Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare, the poor are wild and vivid, and the rich are somber and geometric. Wealth accompanies order, and is a departure from individualism. This individualism, or imagination, is what defines you, but as the acquisition of money becomes your primary goal, those material goods become your defining characteristic. The imagination can lead you toward economic prosperity, but then cause you to loose yourself in the process. Geoffrey, a rich South African who made his money from gold mines, is an example of loosing yourself in monetary assets, as he mocks the troubles of the nation he came from. Apartheid still plagued South Africa; separation of rich and poor still plagued the world. Visiting South Africa last summer, I must admit, my family and I sat in our gorgeous hotel and planned a trip into a township. Although our purposes were different than Louisa’s description of “demand[ing] shock,” since we weren’t looking for entertainment out of the excursion as much as world awareness, the general touristic aspect stayed the same (10). In Cape Town, South Africa, my extended family and I loaded on to a bus and were taken to a township called Lenga. Our guide was a man who had worked his way out of the same township we were visiting. He had faced himself and his situation, and allowed his imagination to lead him to a better life. This was evident as his quick wit and clever jokes kept us on our toes. Your imagination helps “show you the exit from the maze of your nightmare” (63). This particular township had a more vivacious spirit about it than most, as it had created a community center that used art as an escape and a way out. They loved tourism because it brought money into their community, so they welcomed us. The ideas of using your imagination, improving your situation, and defining lines between rich and poor are major themes in Six Degrees of Separation, but also are very relevant to my experience.

The two-sided Kandinsky painting can be seen as the two sides of Cape Town. Cape Town is on the southernmost tip of Africa, and is often thought of as one of the world’s most beautiful cities. With its geometric architectural style and views of the mountains and ocean, it is a worldwide tourist destination. Only a few miles away from this prosperity, is some of the world’s most extreme poverty. The city itself very literally portrays the Kandinsky. The geometric, organized lines of the wealthy city stands right next to the vibrant chaos of the townships.

Louisa and Flan are trying to get money from Geoffrey to purchase art, but are trying not to think about it during the evening. They say that it’s like when someone tells you not to think about elephants, but then it’s all you can think about. I think that it’s interesting to think about the significance of elephants in this situation. The elephant is very important in South Africa and is represented in their coat of arms. The elephant tusks symbolize wisdom, steadfastness, and strength. The elephant representing Geoffrey’s money in the book can then be tied back to this image of a South African elephant. In a way, it shows their skewed perception of what is important in life. Money being your number one priority makes you push the things of real importance, such as family, aside. The lack of money and possessions in the townships allows room for close relationships and love. This is what creates such a vitality and sense of community, despite the low living standard.

The imagination is what defines us, but is also a link to a higher social class and wealth. To want to move up in the world is a natural human desire, and it seems to me that those with imagination find a way of accomplishing that and those without, fail. In many instances, I saw the people taking advantage of their surroundings and using their resources effectively, carving their own path instead of letting their circumstances guide their life. Flan says that when he sells his paintings, he is not “just selling them like pieces of meat” (46). He cares about them. In the townships, everyone was selling meat along the alleys. They were travelling down the same path as everyone else, and staying paralyzed in their situation. Those that found a new way of getting ahead were the ones that made it. Art was the path to success for both Flan and many of the people in the township. They used their imagination to create art that showed them the way out. We got to see the various types of art that the people at the community center made, and my favorite was by a man who had used a very unique media. He used the sand from the ground and dyed it, and then he made beautiful, intricate pictures with it. This inventiveness and use of the resources available to you is also a characteristic very unique to Paul.  He too uses his resources such as the address book, his wit, and his intelligence to move up in the world. He clings on to the wealthy to try to use them as a way up and out. In my own experience, some of the children also saw an opportunity to get ahead by making nice with those already ahead. My grandmother used a wheelchair when we were in the township, and as we walked through, young boys would run after her wheelchair, wanting to push it. Our guide told us that they were hoping to get paid for their efforts, and like Paul, they saw an   opportunity to get ahead by literally holding on to those who’ve already made it. 

The idea of Social Darwinism is only applicable if you believe it. If you are unhappy with your place in the world, then moving away from it is always possible. Despite extreme obstacles, I met imaginative people who managed to use what they had to work toward making a better life for themselves and others in their community. In Six Degrees of Separation, this complex idea of assimilation, including how you fit in, if you belong where you are, and how to create your own change, is paralleled to the self-examination of many of the people in the township.

*All photos are original (excluding the Kandinsky and the South African coat of arms)