Now is the Time for Running

The plot of Now Is the Time for Running reflects real events that took place in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Did this book teach you anything new about those events or about South Africa or Zimbabwe? Explain what you learned from this book

Did you relate to Deo or to any of his experiences? Do you think you are similar to him or quite different? Use specific references from the text to write a personal essay explaining your answer.

Compare and contrast Now Is the Time for Running with another book set in southern Africa, such as It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime (a graphic novel by Trevor Noah), Coconut (a book about South African identity by Kopano Matlwa), or Journey to Jo’Burg (a story about a journey across South Africa by Beverley Naidoo).

In his author’s note, Michael Williams explains his belief that knowing a person’s story helps to mitigate the issues of prejudice and xenophobia. Do you agree? Do you think that Deo and Innocent’s experiences might have been different if the people they met knew their story? Why or why not?

Deo meets a variety of people who then disappear from his life; he never knows what happens to them. Write an extra chapter for this story explaining what you think happened to another character after the events of the book, such as Patson, Philani, Angel, or Keelan.

Deo is forced make many quick decisions to escape from a barrage of dangerous situations. Are there any choices that he might have made differently to improve his situation? Which choices are those, and how do you think those options might have helped him?

Although this book is fictional, it is based on real historical events. Do some research of your own to learn more about the issues discussed in this book, such as hyperinflation and political corruption in Zimbabwe, xenophobic violence in South Africa, or the Homeless World Cup. Write an essay reporting on your findings.

As a dynamic character, Deo grows and changes over the course of the story. Use examples from the text to highlight at least three different ways he changes by the end of the story.