Characters

The most important characters in “The Silver Bell” by David Evans are Ida Mackenzie, a white woman who feels threatened by the political and social changes in South Africa, her daughter-in law Lisa, and her maid, Beauty Nomathandi Mkize. Mrs Mackenzie and Lisa have different opinions on South African society, which is why Mrs Mackenzie feels misunderstood by Lisa. Mrs Mackenzie’s relationship with Beauty is mostly professional, which is why Mrs Mackenzie is surprised that Beauty supports the African National Congress (ANC) and that she ran for Parliament.

An unnamed caller also appears at the beginning of the story. The caller is used to establish Mrs Mackenzie's prejudices and to foreshadow the end, where it is revealed that Beauty has been elected as an MP.

 You can read a full characterization of Mrs Mackenzie and Lisa in the following sections.