You are the leader of the gang in The Lemon Orchard (by Alex La Guma). You have just left the orchard at the end of the story. Write your thoughts.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2011). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. Candidates should adopt the persona of the leader of the gang at the end of 'The Lemon Orchard', after leaving the orchard.
2. Good answers will convey his cold, calculating, and ruthless nature, and his satisfaction with the 'lesson' taught to the old man.
3. He might reflect on the justification for his actions (racial prejudice, maintaining social hierarchy) and the ease with which he carried out the violence.
4. Consider any lingering unease or dismiss it, reinforcing his moral emptiness.
5. His thoughts on the old man’s defiance and his own power.
6. Look for language that reflects his harshness, his lack of remorse, and the brutal reality of apartheid-era oppression.