This week for class I read the book “The House in Tyne Street”. It was a very quick read compared to A Long Walk to Freedom! This novel by Linda Fortune gives her account of what life was like as a child in District Six. After reading the book I felt like I had a good grasp on the neighborhood dynamic in District Six. It was a diverse area with families of all different backgrounds and traditions. Everyone seemed to know each other and look out for one another. It seemed no different from the typical neighborhood in the United States where every family knows each other and takes care of one another. It was difficult to read about the individual families that got forced out of District Six. District Six was the place so many people called home. I could not imagine being forced out of the place where I grew up and made friends and memories.
Before reading this book, I thought of District Six as a bad neighborhood full of poverty and crime. From Linda Fortune’s account, it wasn't a wealthy neighborhood and there was some crime, but the individuals living there did the best with what they had and that made them happy. It actually reminds me of the neighborhood stories my parents have of their childhood. My parents didn’t grow up in a wealthy neighborhood by any means, but they made the best of what they had and enjoyed it. The children in the neighborhood all knew each other and played simple games like the ones described in the book. It’s the camaraderie of the individuals in the neighborhood that made everyone a family.
To save the best for last…GOOD NEWS! We get to meet Linda Fortune, the author of “The House in Tyne Street” while in Cape Town. I enjoyed reading her book so much and now we get the opportunity to meet her. I can’t wait!
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