Dream Life and Real Life: A Little African Story

Name: Dream Life and Real Life: A Little African Story
Author: Olive Schreiner

By Olive Schreiner

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Short Stories

About This Book

The collection opens with a vignette about a young herding girl who, exhausted beneath the sun, slips into a dream that transforms her impoverished surroundings into warmth and affection, only to awake to the continuing harshness of her daily life. Remaining pieces range from intimate, lyrical sketches to pointed social commentary, shifting between rural imagery and moral observation. Throughout, contrasts between imagination and circumstance highlight childhood suffering, yearning for escape, and a clear-eyed critique of social inequalities.

About the Author

Olive Schreiner

Olive Schreiner (1855-1920) was a South African author and social critic, known for her pioneering contributions to literature and feminist thought. Her most notable work, "The Story of an African Farm," is celebrated for its innovative narrative style and exploration of complex themes such as gender and colonialism. Schreiner's writings often reflect her deep engagement with social issues, particularly those affecting women and the indigenous populations of South Africa. In addition to her fiction, she wrote essays and critiques, including "Woman and Labour" and "Thoughts on South Africa," which further established her as a significant voice in the discourse on social justice and equality.