Six Feet of the Country " is a powerful short story by Nobel Prize winner , originally published in her 1956 collection of the same name. It serves as a sharp critique of the dehumanizing effects of apartheid in South Africa, illustrating how systemic racism permeates even the most "peaceful" rural settings. Plot Summary Six Feet of the Country Background | SuperSummary
The story is narrated by a white man, who remains unnamed. He and his wife, a liberal, well-intentioned couple, have left Johannesburg to run a small roadside "general dealer’s" store and a transport business in a rural area. They have also acquired a piece of land—"six miles of ground"—on which they hope to raise chickens and pigs. The narrator describes their relationship with the local black population as transactional but not unkind. They employ several black workers, and the narrator fancies himself a fair "baas" (boss), albeit one who keeps a comfortable distance from the personal lives of his employees.
Gordimer juxtaposes the extreme privilege of the white narrators with the absolute vulnerability of the Black workers. The narrator views the loss of twenty pounds as a minor administrative annoyance. For Petrus and his family, that same amount represents an unimaginable sacrifice. The narrator has the freedom to buy a farm as a luxury hobby, while Petrus’s brother cannot even cross a border to find work without risking his life. Marital and Social Alienation
Gordimer uses to critique the apartheid regime and the social and economic inequalities it perpetuated. Through the lens of a single event—the death of a marginalized farm worker—Gordimer exposes the brutal realities of life under apartheid and questions the morality of a society that dehumanizes its poor and non-white populations. six feet of the country by nadine gordimer summary
Nadine Gordimer’s 1956 short story "Six Feet of the Country" explores the dehumanizing effects of apartheid in South Africa through the narrative of a white couple whose farmhand loses his brother to strict, negligent bureaucratic policies. The narrative highlights themes of systemic injustice, white apathy, and the powerlessness of individuals against a state that reduces Black lives to interchangeable, disposable units. For a full summary and analysis, visit SuperSummary Six Feet of the Country Summary and Study Guide
"Six Feet of the Country" is a rich and nuanced story that explores several themes and motifs, including:
The story opens by introducing Petrus, one of the Black farmhands, who arrives at the farmhouse to deliver tragic news: his brother has died. This is the first of many subtle interactions where the narrator highlights his distance—both physical and psychological—from his Black employees. The death is handled almost administratively, a disruption to the tranquil farm life rather than a human tragedy. Six Feet of the Country " is a
: These are not individuals with personalities but a faceless bureaucracy, a manifestation of the apartheid state's cold indifference. They "grin at me with a mixture of scorn and delight at my stupidity". They see the dead Black man not as a person, but as a "case" or an "item" to be processed and charged for. Their incompetence is not accidental; it is a product of a system that values white lives and devalues Black ones to the point where a simple mistake is of no consequence.
The uneasy routine of the farm is shattered one night when Petrus knocks on the couple’s bedroom window. He reveals that his younger brother, who traveled illegally from Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to find work, has fallen gravely ill in the workers' quarters.
The story's characters are defined not by grand speeches but by their positions within a racialized society, and their arcs reveal the flawed humanity and deep-seated prejudices that sustain that society. He and his wife, a liberal, well-intentioned couple,
The narrator is initially dismissive. He explains that claiming a body from the state authorities costs twenty pounds—an astronomical sum for the farmworkers. To the narrator’s astonishment, the workers pool their meager savings, bringing him a crumpled wad of cash. Moved by their determination and slightly ashamed of his own cynicism, the narrator agrees to navigate the white bureaucracy on their behalf. The False Burial
A Black farm worker, recently married, suddenly collapses and dies. The farmer (Sally’s husband, an Afrikaner) and his wife (Sally, the narrator) must arrange burial and notify the authorities. The local policeman, magistrate, and registrar become involved. The white couple are chiefly anxious about paperwork, property, and neighborly appearances. Sally observes the dead man’s body and family; she experiences discomfort and intermittent empathy, but ultimately aligns with the prevailing system—organizing burial with minimal acknowledgment of the deceased’s personhood beyond administrative needs.
, first published in 1956. Set in South Africa during the apartheid era, it explores themes of racial inequality, bureaucratic indifference, and the failure of human empathy. SuperSummary Plot Summary
It seems you are studying this text closely, perhaps to understand how historical laws impact personal relationships and human dignity. Share public link