At first glance, one would not understand the depth and meaning of Athol Fugard's work. One of his plays is Master Harold and the Boys, a particularly significant playwright because it was written by a white South African during the apartheid era in 1950. All of Fugard's work was very fascinating for that reason, because of who he was, the the time in which his work was created and the struggles to be carried out during the apartheid era. Its playwright brought to light many issues that had been neglected by society during apartheid. Fugard was not only extremely interesting but intellectual and shows this through his work, Master Harold and The Boys. This playwright is interesting not only for the themes of race, education under apartheid, friendship, life struggles, and more, but also for the surprising use of the word "Master" in the title. The reader or viewer may find themselves understanding how the theme leads to the title once the work is finished. There is more beyond Athol Fugard's work the deeper you look. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Revolutionary writer Athol Fugard was born on June 11, 1932. He is currently eighty-six years old and looks at how his work still influences viewers and readers today. Fugard made his opinions translucent in his work and proved himself to be wise beyond his years when he wrote Master Harold and The Boys. Fugard said he has faced his demons through his work. It has been said that “from the painful and desperate realities of his homeland, he forged such powerful dramas.” Fugard had always had problems with alcohol while working. He himself said that he believed he needed alcohol to gain inspiration and deepen his work. Fugard went through all the struggles of alcohol withdrawal and thought he would never be able to write again. After doing so, he gained another life lesson and continued to write. He described himself as someone without “a lot of self-control and willpower, but I haven't had a drink since.” Athol Fugard is a writer unlike any other, and his exceptional originality manifests itself through his playwrights. Apartheid was a policy that divided relations between South Africa's white minority and the non-white majority. It allowed racial segregation and political and economic discrimination against non-whites. This was made possible through the Population Registration Act of 1950. This act classified all South Africans as Bantu, colored or white. Separate was not equal and Athol Fugard proved this in Master Harold and The Boys. Charles Isherwood of The New York Times described Athol Fugard's work as a "powerful indictment of the apartheid system and the terrible human cost of the racism it codified and legalized." His work has truly touched many people personally for decades. Fugard's work has also been described as “living through a full range of psychological and emotional events. We experience an event without actually having to experience it." This is because Fugard was so wise as he experienced these events in different ways to personally provide the full effect of the themes he exhibits in his work. Master Harold and The Boys playwright Athol Fugard was and still is very legendary in South Africa and around the world. The show is set in the St. George Tea Room in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Sam and Willie, two middle-aged black servants who work for Master Hally. Hally is the young teenage son of the owners of the Tea Room. It soon becomes apparent thathis father is an alcoholic and disabled. Hally's father had no control over him because of his problems. Therefore for Hally her father was a burden. The news from his father makes Hally tired, prickly, and apathetic about his tasks. Hally has a strange friendship with Sam and Willie. Sam, in particular, was a little closer to Hally than to Willie. Over the course of the play's timeline, the viewer or reader begins to think that perhaps the friendship between Sam and Hally will overcome the fight against apartheid. Subsequently, the viewer is displeased to find that apartheid has ruined what could have been a step forward from apartheid. “Master Harold” was a character who gave truth to apartheid. He was a seventeen-year-old white boy living in South Africa during apartheid. He is the son of the owners of the St. George's Park Tea Room which gives him access to the greatest privileges not only due to race but to money. Master Hally is intelligent due to his education but rather ignorant. Hally is always looking for a competition to prove his superiority over his "servants" Sam and Willie. He struggles with shame over his father's alcoholism, racism, and physical disability, and finds his mother's weakness aggravating. He had found comfort with Sam and Willie, but apartheid-era racism creates a barrier between them by the end of the show. Threw Hally Fugard shows the horrible side of apartheid and how people of color were treated not only unfairly but animalistically. Fugard, by bringing this kind of attention to a character like Hally, demonstrated the harsh truth about apartheid. The title of Master Harold and the Boys fits into the theme of apartheid for many reasons. While it is not immediately clear to the reader what exactly the story will be about, it is interesting as throughout most of the story you hear Sam calling Master Harold, Hally in a very comfortable way. Then, as time passes, their relationship becomes more and more complex, leading Sam to feel that with this friendship the barrier of apartheid has been crossed and he must return to what he "really was". Fugard could have easily created the title Hally and the Boys, but no, he was pointing out that "Master" Harold and the boys were completely separated due to apartheid and even friendship cannot overcome the ignorance that can come from privilege. Athol Fugard made his mark with Master Harold and The Boys. It has brought relevance to topics that have been ignored for too long and leaves readers and viewers speechless. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Fugard made sure to insert symbolism throughout his playwright Master Harold and The Boys. The first example of symbolism is at the beginning of the playwright. Sam and Willie's love for ballroom dancing means more than is simply shown. It's a kind of escape for men, something they enjoy and takes their mind off work. Becoming skilled and talented at ballroom dancing is a goal they can work towards in their situation. For Sam and Willie, ballroom dancing symbolizes freedom and escape from their lifestyle. For Hally, however, it symbolizes something completely different. When Hally comes home and talks to her parents on the phone, her mood turns sour and angry. He takes his anger out on Sam and Willie by belittling the thing they care about most right now, ballroom dancing. At first he defines him as "simple" and "mentally retarded", then he sees him as a symbol of "primitive black society". For example, there is an article titled “Spitting on Apartheid” by Jon Michaud of the New Yorker. It is a bit ironic that Michaud titled his article using.34