“Although she goes quite ugly with anger when Grace says, You English people from overseas… I’m Scottish, Miss McAllister snarls, actually baring her teeth. Now what kind of putting on is that, she said to Tracy-Anne, when everybody knows it’s the same place, same people.”

This quote stuck out to me a lot when I read the short story, as well as when I was working on my presentation with my groupmates. Something Fiona wants is to be distanced and seen as separate from the English, which is why she specifically identifies as Scottish. She doesn’t want to be seen as an oppressor, she wants to be seen as someone who is supporting people of colour, especially since she’s a part of the anti-apartheid movement. She constantly tries to connect with Grace, however she doesn’t do so in a way that is appealing to her. The two come from different worlds, and different experiences. Fiona is a wealthy white woman who is privileged in life, while Grace lives in poverty, faces segregation, discrimination, and racism. To Grace, all white people are the same. They are all oppressors, regardless of where they’re from. Fiona didn’t help improve her image when she also brought up a stereotype directed towards black folks when she asked how Grace was able to look so young and stay in shape, which Grace seemed to take with offense. While Fiona was attempting to connect with Grace, and meant to come from a good place, she was far from hitting the mark she intended to.