“Master Harold”. and the Boys was a well-written play by Athol Fugal. He used his personal memories to bring the piece to life. Athol Fugard was born in South Africa, where almost all of his plays are set. When he was a child, his mother ran the St. George Tea Room in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. During this time, Fugard's father was disabled, preventing him from working. He was also an alcoholic, frequented hospitals and held extremely racist views. When Fugard was young, he was called "Hally" and was very close to two of the oldest black servants in his family, Sam and Willie. When he was ten, Fugard got into an argument with Sam and spat on him. He wrote in his journal and this entry ultimately served as the inspiration for “Master Harold.” Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In the 1950s, an influential movement was growing. Apartheid was South Africa's racial policy that separated black and white citizens and remains a terrible scar in the country's history. It began in 1948 and ended in 1994, leading to terrible violence, persecution and suffering. Fugard was not allowed to perform his plays in South Africa because white and black actors could not appear on stage together. As a result, Fugard directed the world premiere of “Master Harold”…and the Boys. It received excellent reviews. Apartheid affected and influenced Fugal to write the play which addressed this social issue. Hally, Sam and Willie are the main characters of the play. There are major conflicts between the men that are not revealed until the end of the play. Hally is frustrated at having to take care of his father. After hanging up, Hally is bitter and angry and begins to lash out at his father. Sam warns him not to talk bad about his father, so Hally starts yelling at Sam and Willie. He becomes more and more aggressive and begins ordering the men to get back to work. He reminds Sam and Willie that they must listen to him, his father, and every other white man in South Africa. This argument is an example of tragedy because Hally ruined his relationship with Sam because of his own actions. During the story, Sam and Hally remember how they made a kite when Hally was just a little boy. Sam's withdrawal and calm when Hally remembers that he was left alone with the kite because Sam "had work to finish" foreshadows that there may be more to the story. The reader discovers that the real reason Sam left Hally alone on the park bench with the kite was because the bench was labeled "whites only." At seventeen, Hally finds himself at an important stage in his life. He's growing up and trying to decide where he belongs in the world and what he believes in. He possesses curiosity and celebrates Sam's vision of hope. However, like many adolescents, Hally is prone to outbursts of anger, apathy, and stubbornness. He preys on some of the only people who care for him and revels in his power over the black servants. Fugard leaves Hally in an unclear position at the end of the play, but it is unclear whether he will learn from his mistakes or follow in his father's footsteps. Works Cited Fugard, A. (1982). “Master Harold.” . . and the boys. Alfred A. Knopf. Fugard, A. (2011). Notebooks: 1960-1977. Theatrical communications group. Fugard, A. (2012). Cousins: A Memoir. Theatrical communications group. Fugard, A. (2014). The Captain's Tiger: A Memoir for the Stage. Theater Communications Group. Fugard, A., Kani, J. and Ntshona, W. (2017). Statements: two.