Enoch Maarman

In “Life for a Life” by Alan Paton, Enoch Maarman's outer characterisation reveals that he is the head-shepherd of the Kroon, that he is married to Sara, and they have a son who studies at the university in Cape Town.

Enoch is probably a Khoikhoi, as the references to him being a “yellow Hottentot bastard.” (p. 15, l. 3) suggests. The Khoikhoi are a nomadic indigenous population in Africa, which are sometime referred to using the racially offensive term Hottentot. Europeans colonisers deprived them of civil rights and land rights starting with the 19th century.

Inner characterisation

Enoch's inner characterisation is conveyed through his actions and Sara’s perspective. Sara thinks of him in the following way:

… a man who had never hurt another in his long gentle life, a man whom liked the great Christ was a lover of she...