Many people spend countless hours thinking about the meaning of the author's words. Through this essay, the message behind “Tsotsi” can be easily understood. This essay will gather information to prove what the authors think they are trying to convey. The novel “Tsotsi” by Athol Fugard shows how the characters struggle and change to fit in with the individuals they have chosen to surround themselves with. This can be seen through several scenarios that play out throughout the book. These scenarios are expressed through the use of many literary devices that help explain the message. These devices include, but are not limited to, images, patterns and comparisons. One way the message is displayed is through the use of images. Athol uses images to show the emotions the characters are feeling and to allow the reader to better understand the character. An example in which this occurs is where Athol writes: “The lid slipped in the sudden impulse of his generosity. Tsotsi found himself faced with a very small face, black and older than anything he had ever seen in his life: it was wrinkled and wrinkled with age beyond the years. The sound that stopped him and saved the woman was the cry of a baby. (Pg. 41) This uses imagery to show Tsotsi's thought processes after coming into contact with the baby. This also shows that Tsotsi is not as mature as he tries to appear. This can be noticed by the fact that he gets easily overwhelmed after seeing the baby and loses track of what he was doing. This was probably included by the author to show that deep down Tsotsi is a child and he tries to hide it by doing things he believes a man should do. He uses violence and weapons to hide his true behavior and ...... middle of paper ...... caused him to reflect on his choices for Tsotsi to change as a person. Therefore, Athol Fugard uses literary devices within the framework of the novel in order to reflect emotional changes and struggles. The literary device he uses includes images, motifs, and similes. He uses them to show how characters change after forming relationships. He also decides to explain why they are changing and if they really want to change. A quote that may relate to the message is from Panaich: “Many people view themselves as individuals who are unaffected by those around them. But those who assume this are stupid. From the day we are born, we change and adapt based on the people around us. In other words, we can say that a group of friends comes together because they are similar; actually they are similar because they changed after meeting each other.”