ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE-

CREATIVE WRITING PROJECT-

SHORT STORIES
THE SUIT-CAN THEMBA
RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

AHMAD ALI WAGLAY-GRADE 9E

 Stage 1
Page 1 : Introduction
Page 2 : Investigation
Findings
Page 3 : Plot Summary
CONTENTS Page 4 : Character Analysis
Page 5 : C.A. Continued
PAGE Page 6 : Symbolism
Conclusions
Page 7 : Bibliography
Page 8 : Conclusion
Stage 2
Page 9-10 : Creative Writing
Page 11 : Reflection
 INTRODUCTION

• "The Suit" by Can Themba is a touching short story

that explores the feelings, relationships, and common
rules of society. The story is about a married couple,
Philemon and Matilda, and how Philemon devises a
cruel punishment, by forcing Matilda to treat the suit
as a guest who must eat with them, go on walks and
accompany them to church, because she cheats on him
with another man. The hypothesis of this suspenseful
short story is, "All short stories teach important lessons
about life." This means that stories help us learn useful
things about how people behave and how life works by
telling us stories about characters and their experiences,
be it their good or bad morals.

Page 1
INVESTIGATION
To check if the idea that all short stories teach us important
things about life is true, I did a bunch of things. First, I read the
story "The Suit" by Can Themba carefully to figure out what
it's trying to say. Then, I looked up what other people said about
the story online by visiting various amounts of diverse websites
with different opinions on the Story and I even watched the
actual movie and talked about it in my class with my
friends/peers. We shared what we thought the story meant. I
even talked to my friends and asked them what they thought the
story was teaching us. By doing all this, I wanted to find out if
the story really teaches us lessons about life or not.

Page 2
 • "The Suit" by Can Themba is a touching short story set in a place called
Sophiatown. It gives us a little peek into the lives of a married couple named
Philemon and Matilda. The story revolves around something that seems quite
small but ends up showing us big feelings and problems.
• Philemon does something strange to teach Matilda a lesson after he feels she
did something wrong. He uses a suit left behind by another man(the man she
cheated with) and makes Matilda treat it like a special guest at every meal,

FINDINGS- walks, and church occasions. This strange punishment shows us how Philemon
has power/authority over Matilda and how it affects their relationship.

PLOT • As the story goes on, we can see Matilda is not happy about the punishment. It
makes their home life not so happy. The suit becomes a symbol of the

SUMMARY trouble in their marriage. Matilda struggles a lot with her feelings and tries to
make things right. But things get really sad when Matilda dies suddenly(she
ends her own life). This makes Philemon realize the serious consequences of
his actions and how much pain he caused Matilda.
• "The Suit" tells a powerful story about feelings, relationships, and how
Page 3 our actions can hurt the people we care about. It shows us that even small
things can have big impacts on our lives and the lives of others. So the
moral of the story in my point of view is, “Be Faithfull and Loyal to Your
Partner.”
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Philemon:
Philemon is a complex character driven by a mix of pride, power, and a sense of
control over his marriage. His motivation to punish Matilda through the suit
reflects his desire to assert dominance and maintain authority in their
relationship. Philemon's actions reveal his cold and mean side, evoking feelings
of anger and frustration from readers. His eventual realization of the
consequences of his behavior produces a mix of sympathy and understanding.

Matilda:
Matilda is motivated by guilt, shame, and a desire for redemption. Her
willingness to endure the punishment demonstrates her attempt To make up for
what she thought was a mistake. Matilda’s strength and patience does the
readers' sympathy as she navigates the complications of her marriage and seeks
to make amends. Her sad ending by committing suicide shows us how much she
went through, making us feel sorry for her and understanding how hard and
tiring it was for her on the inside.

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 CHARACTER ANALYSIS
CONTINUED

•Maphikela:
•Maphikela is a pal of Philemon who accidentally spills the beans
about Matilda's slip-up. He didn't mean to stir up problems, but what
he said led to the punishment. His situation reminds us that even a
small thing can cause big changes.
•Mr. Barman:
•Mr. Barman hangs out at the local beer hall where Philemon goes.
He's like a way for Philemon to take a break from his issues. He gives
the story a peek into how the community works. Even though we don't
know much about him, Mr. Barman is like a short break from
Philemon's tough times.
•Dolly:
•Dolly is in the Cultural Club with Matilda and is like a buddy. She
shows what real friendship is, which is different from Matilda's
difficult home life. Dolly and Matilda's interactions remind us of how
important it is to have good friends, especially between women.

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 SYMBOLISM
• In "The Suit" by Can Themba, the suit itself serves as a
powerful symbol that holds both a literal and figurative
significance.
• Literal Meaning:
• On a literal level, the suit represents/is a tangible item of clothing. It
belongs to Philemon and becomes a tool of punishment when he forces
Matilda to treat it as an honoured guest, highlighting his Cold and
heartless side. Matilda's actions of serving the suit at mealtimes portray
her punishment for her perceived mistake.
• Figurative Meaning:
• Beyond its physical form, the suit symbolizes the weight of secrets, guilt,
and strained relationships within the marriage. It embodies the emotional
baggage that Philemon and Matilda carry, reflecting the cracks in their
once-loving union. As Matilda serves the suit, it becomes a silent witness
to their spousal troubles, underlining their internal struggles and the
impact it has on their lives.
• Reasons for Symbolism:
• The suit's symbolic use underlines the themes of control, punishment, and
redemption in the story. It emphasizes the destructive consequences of
Philemon's actions and Matilda's willingness to make amends. The suit
appearing throughout the story makes us think about how the characters
feel and shows the bigger problems of who has control and the roles of

Page 6 men and women in relationships.

• Coetsee, Jarryd (2016) The Suit (on-line)
Available: (
BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://torontoblackfilm.com/movie/the-s
uit
) Date Accessed: 11 August 2023
• Naaidoo, Shanthini (2016) Can
Themba's classic short story 'The Suit'
comes to life on screen (on-line)
Available: (
https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-time
s/lifestyle/2016-05-11-can-thembas-classi
c-short-story-the-suit-comes-to-life-on-sc
reen
) Date Accessed: 11 August 2023
• (Unknown) (2017) The Suit Symbolism
(on-line) Available: (
https://www.worksheetcloud.com/wp-co
ntent/uploads/2020/05/WorksheetCloud_
Grade_8_English_The-Suit_memo1.pdf

•
) Date Accessed: 11 August 2023
Page 7
 CONCLUSION

• PROVING THE HYPOTHESIS:

The Life Lesson in "The Suit" is about how betraying someone's trust can really hurt them and ruin relationships. This
lesson stands out when Philemon makes Matilda treat the suit like a special guest, showing how he's hurt and betrayed. Matilda's
sadness and the devastating ending show us how much damage broken trust can do. This is important in our lives too. It tells us to be
honest, talk openly, and understand others to keep our relationships strong. It warns us that betraying trust can cause big problems
and teaches us to treat others kindly. “So be faithful and loyal to your partner”- Ahmad Ali Waglay.
• CONCLUSION:
"The Suit" teaches us that breaking trust can affect relationships negatively, showing how important it is to be honest and
caring with each other and if not, then the tables will turn, and your relationship will be in devastating trouble. E.g. Cristiano
Ronaldo and Irina Shayk in the summer of 2014

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 Stage 2: Creative Writing Paragraph 2.2-The True Ending of The Suit

There she lay, curled as if just before she died. She begged for a little love, implored some implacable lover to cuddle her a
little, just this once, just this once more. In anguished torment, Philemon cried, "Tilly!" His eyes fixed on his partner, like a lion
gazing down at a wounded zebra, his heart aching with the pain and regret of how his harsh punishment had devastated his
loved one. His breath started to quicken, and thoughts raced through his mind: "What will the people in Sophiatown think?
Will they believe I need medical help? Will they scorn me? Could I end up in jail?" Thirty-five minutes crawled by almost
instantaneously, and then came a knock on the door. Phil hesitated, then cautiously opened the door. Nomabandla Mandela, a
dear friend of Philemon and Matilda's cousin, entered the room. Without uttering a word, Philemon rushed forward to embrace
Mr. Mandela. But Mr. Mandela gently pushed him away and demanded in a forceful and inquisitive tone, "What have you
done?" Philemon tried to explain, his words stumbling out as he recounted the events leading up to this tragic moment. Mr.
Mandela's eyes fixed on him as he thought he had murdered Tilly, suspicion evident in every glance. Convinced of Phil's guilt,
Mr. Mandela, whose profession is a detective and who is one of Phil’s closest friends, declared him a suspect and had him
locked up pending further investigation. As the police car sped towards the station, desperation took hold of Philemon. With a
burst of determination, he broke free from the back window of the car and sprinted away, the deafening sirens becoming a
distant wail. His heart pounding, Phil raced through the dimly lit night-time streets, shadows dancing around him like Shakira
in Hips Don’t lie. But fate had other plans. His foot caught on an uneven pavement, and he stumbled, and!... He wakes up with
clothes full of sweat next to Matilda, and she asks, “Hi honey, what would you like for breakfast? You seem petrified.
"He responds and says,” Yes, I just had the most authentic nightmare.” The end.

Page 9
 Page 10
•"Inthe intricate web of connections,
the strand of trust is fragile yet
necessary. 'The Suit' crafts a serious
lesson that one act of betrayal can
unravel the pattern of affection and
break the harmony of hearts.“-Can
Themba

•-The End.
 REFLECTION
WHAT I ENJOYED THE MOST WAS THAT THIS RESEARCH
PROJECT WAS ACTUALLY FUN TO DO. IT MADE ME
SMILE EVERY TIME I OPENED A NEW SLIDE AS
CREATIVITY POPPED INTO MY HEAD ALMOST
INSTANTANEOUSLY. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WAS
MOST PROBABLY MY FAVOURITE TASK TO DO IN
ENGLISH THIS YEAR.
WHAT I REALLY DISLIKED ABOUT THIS PROJECT
WAS THAT WE DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME! I ALSO
FOUND IN SEVERELY DIFFICULT AND ANNOYING
TRYING TO FIND APPROPRIATE WEBSITES FOR
THE TOPICS GIVEN IN THIS TASK, HOWEVER
BESIDES THESE MINOR INCONVENIENCES I
THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS PROJECT A LOT.

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