"The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses" Summary

"The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses", by Bessie Head, is a short story that revolves around the lives of a group of African political prisoners named Span One. A span is another word for squad, meaning that the prisoners were required to work together. While working in a cabbage field, the prisoners come to find that they have a new "Warder" called Warder Hannetjie. Span One finds out that Warder Hannetjie is more brutal than past Warders when a near sighted prisoner with glasses is beat by him. It was uncommon for warders to harm this particular prisoner, Brille, because of how feeble he is. Brille promises to make it up to Span One by stealing from the warder. Brille comes back with a large amount of tobacco which, while it is a blessing to the prisoners, is quite unusual. When asked how he received the tobacco Brille claims that the warder gave it to him. Brille caught the warder stealing fertilizer and used this knowledge to acquire the tobacco. From then on Warder Hannetjie was taken advantage of by Brille. The narrator explains to the audience that Brille is a father of twelve and begins to look at Warder Hannetjie as a child. Hannetjie can no longer take Brille taking advantage of him and begs for mercy. Eventually Hannetjie claims that he can Span One anything they wish if Brille will stop making his life so miserable. Brille begins to feel pity for Hannetjie and tells the warder that Span One simply needs a "Good Warder". Hannetjie interprets this in his own way and is often found putting up his gun to assist in the fields. The warder finds ways of making the lives of the prisoners more enjoyable. In turn, Span One was able to improve things on Hannetjie's farm by stealing commodities such as fertilizer. In the end, thanks to the father figure, Brille, a powerful and heartless warder grew into a respectable friend and asset to the prisoners of Span One.