Thinking About Your Thinking

Metacognitive Reading Worksheet

Tsotsi by Athol Fugard — Chapter 7: The Confrontation

NAME

DATE

A DAY

B DAY

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BEFORE READING: ACTIVATE & PREDICT

Monitoring

CHAPTER 7 CONTEXT:

Morris Tshabalala — a crippled beggar who lost his legs in a mine accident — has failed to escape Tsotsi in the darkness. His money was kicked away. His stones missed. Now they face each other in the night.

1. At this point in the novel, Tsotsi has stalked two men: Gumboot Dhlamini (who died) and now Morris. What do you expect will happen differently this time — and why?

2. In Chapter 6, Tsotsi connected Morris's crawling to the yellow dog from his childhood memories. What does it mean when a hunter starts seeing his prey as something he recognises — something connected to himself?

DURING READING: MONITOR & QUESTION

Clarifying

Comprehension Self-Check: Rate your understanding as you read each section (1 = lost, 5 = clear).

Section	1–5	What confused me / what I noticed
Tsotsi's "mistake" and the accidental encounter
Tsotsi following Morris — his shifting motivations
Morris's declaration: "I want to live"
The dialogue about decency, life, and mothers
Tsotsi's long walk back — the racing thoughts

Motif Tracker: Light and Dark

This chapter moves between lamplight and darkness. Track how Fugard uses this motif — what happens in light? What happens in dark?

IN THE LIGHT (under lampposts, in brightness)

IN THE DARK (shadows, stretches between lamps)

AFTER READING: REFLECT & CONNECT

Connecting

Essential Question: Can people who have done terrible things fundamentally change? What makes such change possible?

5. Tsotsi tells Morris: "I don't have to. It is over, beggar. I let you live." This is the first time Tsotsi has chosen NOT to kill. What has changed in him between the start of this chapter and this moment?

Think about: What role does Morris's argument play? What role does the connection to the yellow dog play?

6. Morris gives Tsotsi "the most beautiful thing he knew": "Mothers love their children." Tsotsi replies: "They don't. I'm telling you, I know they don't." Why does Tsotsi deny this — and what does his denial reveal?

7. The Metacognitive Parallel: On the walk home, Tsotsi tries to sit and think but cannot control his thoughts. Images race past "so fast he didn't have time to recognize their meaning." When have you experienced thoughts or feelings that were too overwhelming to process? What did you need in order to make sense of them?

8. The chapter ends with Tsotsi resolving to find out who he is and what happened in his past. He also has a baby waiting in the ruins. What do you predict he will do next — and what will he need in order to do it?

Tsotsi Unit — Metacognitive Reading Practice Chapter 7 Monitor. Question. Clarify. Connect.