Main body

Beforethc baby arrives, I'sotsi lives a life illed with violence. Ile does not
toleratequestions about his past. He has no recollection of the past and
represses anymemories that threatento return. Ile mantains an inner
darkness and lives only in the present. IHe finds flashes of memory very
disturbing. When Boston probestoofar with questions about his past, Tsotsi
attacks and beats him up. This leaves Tsotsi feeling disturbed and uneasy.
Once the babyenters his life, everything involved in caring for the baby
(hiding him,getting milk, cleaning and feeding him, saving him from the
ants, forcing Miriam to clean and breastfeed him) takes precedence over
leading the gang. Gang operations take a back seat and the gang eventually
disintegrates.
The turning point comes about through the baby's vulnerability and lack of
history. At first T'sotsiseems afraid but hecannot prevent or control what is
happening. The baby acts asa catalyst for flashbacks and helps to awaken
fragmented memories of the past, such as memories of the yellow bitch.
Tsotsibecomes curious and eager to solve the riddle of the yellow bitch.
The contact with the baby triggers a full recollection of the childhood
traumas that led Tsotsi to his life of crime and violence.
The engagement with the baby helps to release hidden emotions such as
sympathy and caring for others, including sparing the life of apotential
victim, the cripple called Morris Tshabalala. Tsotsi's nihilism and violence
are slowly undermined. He finds that there are alternatives to inflicting
pain and hatred and he hasdifferent options. Eventually he even tries
reconciliation with Boston whom he had beaten nearly to death.
Because ofhis lack of history the baby becomes a symbol and talisman of
Tsotsi's own past. The baby replaces the knife as Tsotsi's talisman. Tsotsi
merges his life with the baby, giving him his own birth name, David.
D Finally he sacrifices his own life when trying to rescue the baby from a
collapsing wallthat has been knocked down by demolition men with their
bulldozers.

Conclusion
Allthings considered, the baly gradually takes centre place in I'sotsi's exister
He provides akey turning point. He is a catalyst that brings light to penetrae
the nihilism anddarkness of'Isotsi's existence. As Boston acknowledges, T'sotsi
is changing. Inthe end he finds his true identity and is searching tor God. He
dies at peace with himself and with a smile on his face.