Introduction
One of Kaffir Boy’s most important themes is the value of education. Knowing that spending food money on school fees will likely result in a severe beating, Mark’s mother still enrolls him in school and endures the consequences. Though she never had the opportunity to complete first grade, she is determined to see her son educated. She believes that education is the key that will open up a new world and a new way of life to her children, and she is willing to sacrifice everything to give him that key. She believes that knowledge means power, can give one the weapons necessary to fight injustice, and can liberate her son from the prison of hunger and poverty in which he is trapped. Realizing how much his mother believes in education, Mark becomes a diligent student, rises to the top of his class, wins scholarships, and learns to express himself through writing and speaking.