July's People Lesson Plan

July’s People is one of the ten novels written by Nadine Gordimer. It tells the story of a white family rescued by their black servant during an uprising against apartheid in Johannesburg. July, the black servant, brings the Smaleses, the white family, into their village. The uprising reversed their roles. The Smaleses become entirely dependent July and have to grapple with the changes to their privileged lives. At first, the Smales family is nervous about being in a new area. Maureen, the protagonist, is particularly uncomfortable with the arrangement. The Smaleses are progressive, liberal people who want to support the uprising and racial equality. However, their liberal attitudes are...