In the Moment Before the Gun Went Off
The short story, “In the Moment Before the Gun Went Off”, the general theme was overall of a white farmer, Marais van der Vyver, and an event in which he shoots one of his farm laborers, Lucas. ... For instance, before the shooting occurred, the farmer picked up a disused rifle that had belonged to his father before he passed away. Without checking whether the gun was loaded or not, Vyver took it. This is a bit strange seeing as to the fact that his father had always told him never to leave a loaded gun lying around the house. ... I believe this is so due to a statement made by the author in reference to an unspoken communication between van der Vyver and Lucas’s mother when the two are standing before the grave under which Lucas lies. It states, “The dead mans mother and he stare at the grave in communication like that between the black man outside and the white man inside the cab the moment before the gun went off.