The narrative follows an unnamed first-person narrator on a Monday morning commute. The setting is characterized by physical and moral decay, with the narrator describing the train as filled with "sour-smelling humanity". The Conflict:
"Dube Train" has had a lasting impact on South African literature and continues to resonate with readers today. The story has been anthologized in various collections of South African short stories and has been widely studied in schools and universities. Themba's work has inspired generations of writers, including notable authors such as Nadine Gordimer and Athol Fugard. Dube Train Short Story By Can Themba
The story is set on an early morning train carrying black laborers into Johannesburg. Right from the start, Themba establishes a parallel between the of the train—with its "dull, dreary" lights and broken windows—and the moral decay of the passengers. Trapped in a "Monday-bleared" state, the commuters represent a society drained by the monotonous struggle of a system that only allows them into the city to serve white interests. Themes of Indifference and Bravery The narrative follows an unnamed first-person narrator on
: Represents the lawlessness and "moral decay" bred by a system that offers no legitimate future to its youth. The Big Hulk The story has been anthologized in various collections