Point of View

"Master Harold" . . . and the Boys is a play, so there is no narrator per se. Instead, the reader learns from the conversation among the three characters as well as the stage direction and author's notes that provide information about the setting, the physical appearance of the characters and the mood.

Language and Meaning

The play takes place in 1950 South Africa, so the language includes native terms and slang expressions from that time and place. For example, all three of the characters use the word "ja" in place of yes. Hally's vocabulary and manner of speaking reflects his education and higher station in life, while Willie is deferential to both of the other characters, calling Hally "Master" and Sam "Boet Sam," a respectful term for brother.

The author has styled the play's title to reflect something of its plot, placing "Master Harold" in quotation marks and...