Which of the following novels deal with the theme of
apartheid?

A. Purple Hibiscus
B. July’s People
C. Cry, the Beloved Country
D. The Mimic Men
E. My Son’s Story

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is B, C and E only.

Let us analyze each of the given novels and their themes to understand why this option is correct:

A. Purple Hibiscus:
This novel was written by the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Set in post-colonial Nigeria, its themes revolve around religious fanaticism, family dynamics, domestic violence, and the political turmoil of Nigeria, rather than South African apartheid.

B. July’s People:
Written by South African Nobel Laureate Nadine Gordimer, this 1981 novel is set during a fictionalized civil war in South Africa where the black population overthrows the apartheid regime. The story directly explores the racial and power dynamics resulting from apartheid through the relationship between a white liberal family and their black servant, July.

C. Cry, the Beloved Country:
This classic 1948 novel by Alan Paton is set in South Africa before the official implementation of apartheid laws, but it vividly depicts the social injustices, racial segregation, and economic inequalities that formed the structure of the apartheid system.

D. The Mimic Men:
Written by V.S. Naipaul, this novel deals with themes of exile, post-colonial identity, and political disillusionment in a fictional Caribbean island nation. It has no connection to the theme of apartheid in South Africa.

E. My Son’s Story:
Also written by Nadine Gordimer and published in 1990, this novel is set during the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. It tells the story of a colored (mixed-race) schoolteacher who becomes a political activist in the anti-apartheid movement, exploring the personal and political complexities of life under the regime.

Therefore, only the novels B (July’s People), C (Cry, the Beloved Country), and E (My Son’s Story) deal directly with the theme of apartheid.