“The Bench” is a short story by Richard Rive, who was a South African writer and academic. It’s about a brown man, Karlie, who listens to speakers in the public square. They motivate him with their urgings to challenge the discriminatory system in which they live. He thinks about what he’s heard, and tries to figure out how to apply it. Here’s a summary of “The Bench”.
“The Bench” Summary
On a hot October day, a crowd is gathered in the public square in Cape Town. It includes people of various colors and two detectives who take notes. A man gives a rousing speech about a society that oppresses black people. He urges the crowd to challenge the oppressors who segregate and discriminate based on skin color.
Karlie listens attentively and is moved by the man’s words. The man seems to know what he’s talking about, and he says Karlie is as good as a white man. Could he go into any theater or restaurant? This is different from what he heard from Ou Klaas and he’ll need to think about it.
There are white and black speakers on the platform. They interact as if there’s no difference between them. Karlie remembers seeing people in the paper who defied discriminatory laws; they smiled as they were being taken to prison.
A white lady in a blue dress speaks last. She urges the audience to challenge discriminatory laws and measures. She has her freedom, so Karlie wonders why she’s speaking like this. He is going to take a stand against injustice. This will astound Lategan and Balie at the dairy farm, who warned him about coming to the city. Walking away, his thoughts are interrupted when a car screeches to a stop and a white man yells at him.
Karlie heads for the train station. People of different skin tones move around, suspicious of each other. Wondering how to apply the speakers’ urgings to challenge society, Karlie sees a bench that’s for Europeans only. It represents all the evil in the system. Sitting on it would make him a man. Avoiding it denies him membership as a human.
Karlie sits on the bench. His heart pounds but he looks calm. Internally, he’s conflicted with the contrasting attitudes of servility and defiance. He smokes while people walk by. No one notices him sitting there. Maybe it’s a victory that he’s just a normal person sitting on a bench. Karlie starts wondering if he’s really challenging anything. Maybe he’s just sitting because he’s tired.
Karlie’s train pulls in and the crowd pours out. He’s still unnoticed and he doesn’t want to leave until his act of defiance is acknowledged. He thinks of Ou Klass telling him to go to the city and learn about the world. He believes God made black and white men different and they should keep their place.
Karlie is pulled back to reality by a gruff voice ordering him off the seat. He catches himself from jumping up. Karlie continues smoking while the young man yells. The man threatens him physically and threatens to call the police. Karlie feels he’s won because the young man is afraid to handle it himself.
A crowd gathers around the commotion. People make comments for and against Karlie’s act. He sits resolutely, not hearing anything. A policeman orders Karlie to stand up and asks him questions, but Karlie stays silent. The white lady in the blue dress defends Karlie to the officer. He’s not sure how to proceed.
A white man orders Karlie off the bench and grabs him. He’s joined by others and they pull while Karlie clings to the bench. Someone punches him in the face. The policeman puts handcuffs on Karlie. He keeps struggling and people hit him.
Karlie stops fighting and relaxes. He smiles, knowing he has successfully challenged the system. The policeman orders him to come with him. Karlie speaks for the first time. He looks at the officer defiantly, as someone who dared to sit on a “European” bench.
I hope this summary of “The Bench” by Richard Rive was helpful.
