Childhood in False Bay

Marnus Erasmus, a young Afrikaner boy, grows up in the privileged, sun-drenched world of 1970s False Bay, South Africa. His life is filled with the simple joys of childhood: playing with his best friend Frikkie, idolizing his military father, and basking in the love of his talented mother and accomplished sister, Use. The family's home, perched above the sea, is a symbol of their heritage and status, built by Marnus's grandfather after fleeing upheaval in East Africa. The rhythms of school, family, and the natural world create a sense of security and belonging, even as the outside world encroaches.

Frikkie's Friendship Forged

Marnus and Frikkie's friendship is forged in the schoolyard, where teasing and rivalry give way to loyalty and shared secrets. Frikkie, mischievous and strong, becomes Marnus's closest companion, their afternoons spent exploring, playing, and sometimes getting into trouble. Their bond is cemented through rituals of trust—helping each other with schoolwork, sharing confessions, and eventually becoming "blood-brothers." Yet, beneath the surface, their friendship is shaped by the unspoken rules and prejudices of their society.

Family, Heritage, and History

The Erasmus family's identity is deeply rooted in their Afrikaner heritage and the stories of their ancestors' struggles and triumphs. Marnus's father, a rising general in the South African Defence Force, embodies discipline, patriotism, and the belief in white South African destiny. His mother, a former opera singer, brings culture and warmth, while Use, his older sister, is both a role model and a source of sibling rivalry. The family's history—marked by migration, loss, and adaptation—shapes their worldview and sense of entitlement, even as it blinds them to the suffering of others.

Schoolyard Lessons and Lies

At school, Marnus learns not just arithmetic and history, but the art of survival—how to avoid punishment, how to lie to protect a friend, and how to internalize the values of his teachers and parents. When Frikkie struggles with fractions, Marnus helps him cheat, leading to a crisis of conscience and a web of small lies. The boys' education is as much about absorbing the racial and social hierarchies of apartheid as it is about academic achievement, with teachers reinforcing the myths of Afrikaner superiority and the dangers of "the other."

The Arrival of Mister Smith

The family's ordered life is disrupted by the arrival of "Mister Smith," a Chilean general visiting under a false name. His presence is shrouded in secrecy, reflecting the clandestine alliances of apartheid South Africa. Marnus is both fascinated and unsettled by the visitor, who is charming, mysterious, and carries the scars of his own country's violence. The general's interactions with the family—especially with Use and Marnus—hint at deeper undercurrents of desire, power, and danger.

The General's Shadow

Mister Smith's stay exposes the family to new perspectives and hidden tensions. He is both a symbol of international solidarity among authoritarian regimes and a personal enigma. His conversations with Marnus's father reinforce the justifications for apartheid, while his attention to Use and Marnus stirs confusion and longing. The general's physical presence—his scarred back, his foreignness—becomes a focal point for Marnus's curiosity and the family's anxieties.

Innocence and Indoctrination

Marnus's world is saturated with the language and logic of apartheid: the casual racism of adults, the stories of black "danger," and the constant reminders of the need for vigilance and obedience. The boys' games and conversations echo the militarism and paranoia of their elders. Yet, moments of empathy and doubt—such as Marnus's guilt over cheating or his discomfort with the treatment of servants—hint at the cracks in the edifice of inherited belief.

The Smell of Apples

The titular "smell of apples" recurs as a motif, evoking both the sweetness of childhood and the underlying decay of the world Marnus inhabits. Apples, a symbol of the family's prosperity and heritage, also carry the scent of something spoiled—echoing the moral corruption at the heart of their society. This motif weaves through Marnus's memories, linking moments of innocence with the gradual loss of that innocence.

War at the Edges

The narrative is punctuated by scenes from the future, where an older Marnus serves as a lieutenant in the South African army, fighting in Angola. These interludes, marked by exhaustion, fear, and disillusionment, cast a shadow over the childhood story. The war, once a distant abstraction, becomes a lived reality, exposing the cost of the ideologies Marnus was raised to believe. The violence and chaos of the border war mirror the psychological battles within the family.

Fractures in the Family

As the summer progresses, cracks appear in the Erasmus family's facade. Use, increasingly rebellious after her trip to Europe, questions the values of her parents and the society around her. Marnus senses changes in his sister and in his own feelings, but cannot articulate them. The family's interactions with servants, neighbors, and each other reveal the limits of their compassion and the ways in which fear and prejudice shape their relationships.

The Secret in the Floorboards

Marnus's curiosity leads him to spy on the general's room through holes in the floorboards above the guest room. What begins as innocent voyeurism becomes a traumatic revelation when he witnesses the general sexually abusing Frikkie. The scene is rendered with a child's confusion and horror, shattering Marnus's trust in adults and in the world he thought he knew. The secret becomes a burden he cannot share, binding him to Frikkie in silence and shame.

Betrayal and Silence

In the aftermath of the abuse, Marnus and Frikkie are unable to speak of what happened, even to each other. Their friendship is irrevocably altered, marked by guilt, fear, and a sense of complicity. Marnus's attempts to seek comfort from his father are met with misunderstanding and violence, as his father, unaware of the true cause of his distress, punishes him for perceived disobedience. The family, oblivious to the trauma in their midst, continues with preparations for their holiday, the surface order masking deep wounds.

The Wound of the Nation

The story of Little-Neville, the servant Doreen's son who is brutally burned by white men, becomes a parallel to Marnus's own violation. The suffering of the powerless—whether black, colored, or child—is both ignored and rationalized by those in authority. The Erasmus family's response to the tragedy is shaped by their beliefs in order, hierarchy, and the necessity of sacrifice. The personal and the political are intertwined, each reflecting the other's violence.

The Cost of Obedience

Marnus's final confrontation with his father, in which he is beaten for refusing to wear the general's epaulettes, crystallizes the novel's central conflict: the demand for obedience and the price of silence. The father's tears and subsequent embrace offer a fleeting moment of connection, but cannot undo the damage done. Marnus's sense of safety is forever altered, and the rituals of family and nation are revealed as both protective and destructive.

The End of Innocence

As the family departs for their holiday, Marnus is left with the weight of secrets he cannot share and a sense of loss he cannot name. The rituals of prayer, the beauty of the landscape, and the comforts of home are now tinged with sorrow and doubt. The narrative closes with Marnus dreaming of himself and Frikkie, their childhood games now haunted by the knowledge of what has been lost.

The Long Shadow of Memory

The novel's final scenes, set in the future, reveal the enduring impact of childhood trauma and national violence. Marnus, now a soldier, is haunted by memories of home, family, and the events that shaped him. The smell of apples lingers, a reminder of both sweetness and rot, innocence and complicity. The story ends with the recognition that the past cannot be escaped, and that the wounds of individuals and nations are deeply intertwined.

Characters

Marnus Erasmus

Marnus is the novel's narrator and emotional center, a boy whose innocence is gradually eroded by the realities of his family, society, and personal trauma. He is both a product and a victim of his environment—indoctrinated with the values of apartheid, yet capable of empathy and doubt. His relationships with his father, mother, sister, and Frikkie are complex, marked by love, rivalry, and longing for approval. Marnus's psychological journey is one of confusion, guilt, and the painful awakening to the darkness beneath the surface of his world.

Frikkie Delport

Frikkie is Marnus's closest friend and confidant, a boy whose bravado masks vulnerability. Their friendship is a refuge from the adult world, but also a site of competition and complicity. Frikkie's struggles at school and at home make him dependent on Marnus, and their bond is sealed through shared secrets. The abuse he suffers at the hands of the general is a devastating betrayal, one that he cannot articulate or escape. Frikkie's silence and withdrawal after the event reflect the deep psychological scars left by trauma.

Johan Erasmus (Father)

Marnus's father is a figure of authority and discipline, embodying the ideals of Afrikaner nationalism and military strength. He is both loving and distant, demanding obedience and achievement from his children. His own history—marked by displacement and loss—fuels his commitment to the family and the nation. Yet, his inability to see or address the suffering within his own household reveals the limits of his worldview. His violence towards Marnus, intended as correction, becomes another form of betrayal.

Leonore Erasmus (Mother)

Marnus's mother is a source of warmth and culture, her singing and beauty a counterpoint to the harshness of the world around her. She is devoted to her children and husband, yet constrained by the expectations of her role. Her compassion is genuine, but often limited by the boundaries of class and race. She is both a victim and a perpetuator of the system, her attempts at kindness unable to address the deeper injustices at play.

Use Erasmus

Use is Marnus's older sister, a high-achieving student and musician whose experiences abroad have awakened her to the contradictions of her upbringing. She is both admired and resented by Marnus, their relationship marked by rivalry and moments of tenderness. Use's growing skepticism and defiance set her apart from her family, yet she is also trapped by the expectations placed upon her. Her inability to protect Marnus or Frikkie, and her own struggles with identity, reflect the complexities of coming of age in a divided society.

Mister Smith / The General

The Chilean general, known as Mister Smith, is a figure of fascination and danger. His presence in the Erasmus home is both a sign of international alliances and a catalyst for personal disaster. He is charming, intelligent, and physically imposing, but beneath the surface lies a capacity for violence and exploitation. His abuse of Frikkie is the novel's central trauma, a violation that echoes the broader abuses of power in the society. The general's ability to move between roles—guest, ally, abuser—makes him a symbol of the moral ambiguity at the heart of the story.

Doreen

Doreen is the family's long-serving colored maid, a figure of stability and affection in the household. Her devotion to the Erasmus family is genuine, yet her position is always precarious, subject to the whims and prejudices of her employers. The brutal attack on her son, Little-Neville, exposes the vulnerability and resilience of those at the margins of society. Doreen's grief and endurance are a silent rebuke to the complacency of the family she serves.

Little-Neville

Doreen's youngest son, Little-Neville, is a peripheral but powerful presence in the novel. His horrific burning at the hands of white men is a stark reminder of the violence and injustice that underpin the world of the Erasmus family. His suffering is both personal and emblematic, a wound that cannot be healed by platitudes or charity.

Chrisjan

Chrisjan, the family's former gardener, represents the dispossession and marginalization of colored workers in apartheid South Africa. Once a fixture in the Erasmus household, he is cast out and reduced to begging, his fate a warning of the fragility of security for those without power. His interactions with Marnus reveal both the boy's capacity for cruelty and his latent empathy.

Zelda Kemp

Zelda is a poor white girl from a struggling family, often the target of Marnus and Frikkie's teasing. Her vulnerability and resilience highlight the class divisions within white society, as well as the capacity for both kindness and cruelty among children. Zelda's presence in the story serves as a reminder of the limits of privilege and the universality of suffering.

Plot Devices

Dual Narrative Structure

The novel alternates between Marnus's memories of childhood and his experiences as a soldier in Angola. This structure creates a powerful contrast between the innocence of youth and the brutality of war, highlighting the ways in which personal and national histories are intertwined. The interludes from the future serve as both foreshadowing and commentary, deepening the reader's understanding of the costs of obedience and the persistence of trauma.

Symbolism of Apples

The recurring motif of the smell of apples functions as a symbol of both the pleasures and the rot at the heart of the Erasmus family and their society. Apples evoke memories of home, heritage, and comfort, but their scent also becomes associated with sickness, loss, and moral corruption. This duality mirrors the novel's exploration of the coexistence of beauty and violence, love and betrayal.

Foreshadowing and Irony

Throughout the narrative, moments of foreshadowing—such as Marnus's fascination with the general's scar or his unease around adult secrets—prepare the reader for the eventual revelation of abuse. The irony of the family's pride, rituals, and justifications is gradually exposed, as the very structures meant to protect and uplift become sources of harm.

Child's Perspective

The story is told through Marnus's eyes, with all the limitations and confusions of a child's perspective. This device allows the reader to see both the innocence and the indoctrination of the protagonist, as well as the gaps between what is said and what is meant. The use of a child narrator heightens the impact of the novel's central trauma, as the reader is forced to piece together the truth from fragments of memory and observation.

Silence and Secrecy

Secrets—whether personal, familial, or political—are central to the novel's structure and meaning. The inability to speak of abuse, the suppression of dissent, and the maintenance of appearances all serve to perpetuate cycles of violence and complicity. The burden of silence is both a source of protection and a cause of suffering, shaping the destinies of individuals and the nation.

Analysis

A searing indictment of innocence corrupted by ideology, The Smell of Apples uses the microcosm of a privileged Afrikaner family to expose the moral rot at the heart of apartheid South Africa. Through the eyes of a child, Mark Behr reveals how racism, violence, and obedience are woven into the fabric of daily life, shaping not only public policy but private relationships and personal identity. The novel's power lies in its ability to evoke both nostalgia and horror, showing how the rituals of family, faith, and patriotism can mask—and enable—profound cruelty. The abuse of Frikkie by the visiting general is both a literal and symbolic violation, mirroring the broader abuses of power that define the society. The silence that follows, and the inability of the family to confront or even recognize the trauma in their midst, speaks to the ways in which complicity is maintained through denial and repression. Ultimately, The Smell of Apples is a meditation on the costs of obedience, the persistence of memory, and the possibility—however faint—of redemption through truth-telling. Its lessons resonate far beyond its historical setting, challenging readers to confront the legacies of violence and the responsibilities of witness.

Last updated: May 6, 2025