Dice of Life

Dice of Life is a coming of age novel set in South Africa of the seventies, written from the perspective of a boy leaving childhood, the story revolves around a group of apprentices and deals with the complexity of a racist society. Although not overly political in style, the book examines apartheid South Africa through the eyes of protagonist Harry Cheals, counterpointing his concerns against the easy attitude of his friends. They are the privileged white elite who enjoy life to its fullest, but Harry senses the dice of life will roll a payback someday, and he tries to warn his carefree friends. Because the ugly but cute Warthog is concerned only with getting laid, while Wilfred is ashamed to be an apartheid Afrikaner so he adopts a false English accent, quotes English poetry and describes himself as a liberal. Warthog and Wilfred are oblivious to the ills that plague South Africa, for both concentrate remorselessly on their individual needs, and despite his ugliness Warthog is surprisingly successful with women. For Warthog has personality and is a good dancer, whereas Wilfred's personality is even clumsier than his dancing, so he adopts English mannerisms to make himself more attractive to women. Harry Cheals is friendly with them but also scornfully dismissive, he is aware of the worldwide revulsion for apartheid, but is convinced nothing can be done so he grows a cynical shell. Which hardens as Harry turns even more sceptical, after his betrayal by beautiful but promiscuous Liza, which drives heartbroken Harry to drunkenness and wild behaviour. Then he meets a wise Afrikaner Seer, who teaches that life is not a random throw of dice, but a deliberate course chosen through free will. The Seer also predicts the coming of a liberal system even more repressive than apartheid, this motivates Harry Cheals to reform his life, and attempt to prevent this from happening,