The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses

Within Brille’s flashback, Head employs foreshadowing to insinuate the shift in relationship between Hannetjie and himself. The contemplation of Brille as a “bogeyman” for his children foreshadows how Brille will become a bogeyman for Hannetjie for the rest of the story. Since the bogeyman is a character that scares children into behaving correctly, Brille adopts this role to force the childlike Hannetjie to act more humane toward Span One. Brille remembers how being the bogeyman for his children gave him a “sense of godhead” (Paragraph 24), which gives insight into Hannetjie’s motivation: It is this false sense of superiority that has made Hannetjie believe he can mistreat Brille and Span One. This connection creates tension in the narrative, as it is unclear whether Brille will fall into a similar pattern of dehumanization once he is in control. Brille abruptly decides not to send a message to his children about the importance of cooperation. This decision causes a shift in his character that continues for the rest of the story, which foreshadows how he will no longer be passive in the narrative.

Since Hannetjie is the direct opposite of Brille in almost every aspect of his character, he functions as a foil for Brille in the narrative. Both physically and mentally, Hannetjie represents everything that Brille is not; it is this contrast that brings greater depth and perspective in understanding Brille’s character.

Hannetjie’s racism and discrimination sharply contrast with Brille’s political beliefs. Brille is imprisoned because he is fighting for equality, hoping to undermine the systems that Hannetjie benefits from. Even though Hannetjie appears more physically fit than Brille, due to his youth and piercing blue eyes that do not need glasses, his immediate crumbling in the face of oppression proves the overwhelming internal strength that Brille possesses. Brille has experienced far worse discrimination than anything Hannetjie will ever experience, and yet Brille faces these hardships with quiet resolve. The presence of Hannetjie reveals a deeper depth of character in Brille than what is provided for the reader in the story. Despite Hannetjie’s abuses, Brille proves to him the power of internalized strength, a strength that Hannetjie will never have.