Analysis
The short story “We gotta number there” by Rayda Jacobs follows a traditional, chronological plot structure.
The main characters in the story are the two couples, Richard and Jennifer Cook and Jonas and Lucky Mbulu. The Mbulu's daughter Shona also appears in the story, as well as the collective character of the villagers, with Muriel as the most distinctive voice.
The main physical setting is somewhere in South Africa, soon after apartheid. The most important locations are the Cooks’ house and garden and the Mbulus’ new house in the Imizamo Yethu village. The social setting explores life in South Africa after the end of apartheid, and the effects politics and the economy have on people of different races and social categories, such as wealthy white people and poor black South Africans.
The story is told by a third-person narrator, who mostly focuses on Richard Cook’s perspective. The narrator also occasionally focuses on the perspectives of Jonas, Lucky, and Jennifer.
The language used by the author is informal, with several examples of words in the Afrikaans language to add realism and local color. The narrative is mostly written in the past tense, which helps the reader follow the chronological events. The choice of words helps portray the characters, but also creates the authentic mood of the story through the description of the setting.
You can read a more detailed analysis in the following pages.