Valley Song

Valley Song Summary | Detailed Summary

Valley Song is Athol Fugard's one-act play about love and generation differences between an old man and his granddaughter in modern day South Africa.

The play opens with The Author, a man in his sixties, who addresses the audience to tell them about the value of the pumpkin seeds he holds in his hands. The seeds are from pumpkins The Author had grown in his land in the Karoo region in the Sneeuberg Mountains of South Africa. The Author describes the growing cycle in his country and the people who live there and plant seeds such as the pumpkin seeds he holds. One of the people from The Author's village is an old man named Abraam Jonkers, more often known as Buks, who is a "Coloured" man in his seventies. Buks plants his pumpkin seeds with the same precision with which he served in the military many years ago. As The Author attempts to sing one of Buks' songs from his days in the army, The Author transitions into the character of Buks.

As Buks continues to plant seeds, his granddaughter, Veronica, enters with Buks' lunch. Veronica is a seventeen-year-old Black girl who loves to sing and adores her grandfather, whom she calls Oupa. Buks and Veronica engage in their familiar game of her saluting and marching in humorous reference to Buks' time in the military. Buks enjoys the lunch Veronica has brought but mentions that the tea and everything in life does not seem to be sweet enough anymore. Buks is concerned because another white man has been looking at the main house on whose land Buks makes his living as a farmer. Buks works the land as did his father before him but does not own it, which makes his position very vulnerable.

Veronica attempts to calm Buks' fears and give him a positive view on the situation by reminding him that many people have looked at the main house over the years but no one has ever purchased it. Veronica changes the subject to get Buks' mind on something else and tells her grandfather that she is becoming bored with life on the farm and longs for some romance and adventure. Buks, attempting to squelch Veronica's wanderlust, shows her a handful of pumpkin seeds and explains how the miracle that occurs from one growing seed is all the mystery and adventure one person ever needs.

Veronica grows tired of hearing yet one more story related to farming and begins to sing a song she has written about going away on a railway bus. Buks is instantly upset by the lyrics and demands that Veronica cease her singing. The song has brought back painful memories to Buks whose only daughter, Caroline, ran away to Johannesburg when she was a young woman with her no-good boyfriend, and died soon after giving birth to Veronica. Buks' now-deceased wife, Betty, brought the infant Veronica back to the village after Betty received a call from a hospital in Johannesburg informing Betty that Caroline had died and left a newborn.

Veronica promises not to sing the railroad car song again because it upsets Buks and she leaves to prepare for dinner. Buks talks to the invisible Betty and asks if he is raising Veronica properly because she wants to leave for the city just as Caroline did. Buks also shares with Betty his fears about someone buying the main house and his vulnerability about his own future. Buks ends the conversation by asking for Betty's intercession for a good pumpkin crop.

The action transitions to Veronica who addresses the audience and shares her love for her grandfather who remains a simple, uneducated farmer. Veronica has bigger dreams for her own life and tells the audience that, after her grandfather has fallen asleep each night, she sneaks out of the house to watch entertainers on the television screen through the window of a neighbor named Mrs. Jooste.

The appearance of The Author startles Veronica who tells him of her desire to be a famous singer. Even though The Author cautions Veronica that her dream may be too big to attain, she is fixed on her idea of becoming a singing star. Veronica feels that people who do not attain their dreams do not dedicate enough positive thought to make the dreams a reality.

Buks and Veronica soon learn that the rumors about a white man buying the main house are true and Buks is understandably concerned. Veronica suggests that they fight the situation by petitioning the government, but Buks feels that it is best to establish a good rapport with the new owner instead. Buks also suggests that he will tell the new owner that his granddaughter is available for domestic work in the home. Veronica is instantly outraged at this idea and tells Buks that she does not intend to live her life in service to white men like her grandparents did. Buks is upset by Veronica's rejection of the family's heritage and way of life and his character transitions into The Author once more.

The Author tells the audience that he had not decided to buy the main house until he had encountered Buks one Sunday morning offering The Author a wheelbarrow full of fresh vegetables. The Author had been so moved by Buks' generosity and sincerity that The Author decided to buy the house and leave his life in the theatre behind in the city.

Veronica speaks again to the audience, and tells about her love and hate for the land that provides a simple life but drains the spirits of people who long for more creative fulfillment. Veronica begins to understand the parallels between herself and her mother whom Veronica assumes left the area for the excitement of Johannesburg. The Author tells Veronica that Mrs. Jooste has died and Veronica will probably have to give up on her dream to be a singer because she will not be able to view the television anymore. Veronica's intensity is not mitigated even after The Author cautions her about the emotional crash, which follows the death of a long-cherished dream.

The next day, Veronica and Buks have another disagreement when Veronica realizes that Buks has opened a letter that is addressed to Veronica from her friend, Priscilla, who now lives in Johannesburg. Veronica determines that Buks has enlisted the help of someone else to read the letter's contents since Buks is unable to read. Priscilla has responded positively to Veronica's earlier letter inquiring about the job situation in Johannesburg and that Veronica is welcome to stay with Priscilla's family should Veronica decide to come to the city.

Buks is devastated that Veronica has taken the initiative to make plans to leave just like Caroline did. Veronica has been singing on the streets of the village for money and has collected half the fare for the trip and Buks is outraged that his granddaughter has engaged in such an endeavor, calling the coins the Devil's money. Buks forbids Veronica to leave and vows to send the police after her should she sneak away to Johannesburg.

After church the following Sunday, Buks questions Veronica about her silence during the service and she tells Buks that he has killed her spirit and she no longer feels like singing or praying.

The Author once again addresses the audience and tells of Buks now walking the roads on the moonlit winter nights, contemplating what he has done wrong to lose all the people he has loved in his life. Buks has tried to live according to his father's teachings about love for the land and for his family but the plan has not worked out for Buks who is brokenhearted in his old age.

The Author transitions into the character of Buks who is approached by Veronica whom Buks mistakes for his deceased daughter, Caroline. Veronica begins to sing so that her grandfather will recognize her for who she is. Veronica explains to Buks that just like he cannot explain the miracle that allows his pumpkin seeds to sprout and grow, Veronica cannot explain the miracle of her singing. Veronica knows only that she must give her talent a place to grow so that she may fully realize her potential.

Buks still cautions Veronica about the evils in the big city but Veronica tries to calm his anxiety by reassuring Buks that he has raised her well and that she is strong enough to find her own way. Veronica and Buks part after Buks gives his blessing.

The Author meets Veronica again and she shares her excitement about her new adventure and is fixed on her decision in spite of The Author's attempts to persuade Veronica to stay home. The Author does not want to see Veronica leave but confides to her that he always knew that she would go. The Author also tells Veronica that he is envious of Veronica's youth and the potential to create a new future as his own life is diminishing. Veronica leaves with The Author's best wishes for a great future.

As the play ends, The Author tells of finding Buks depressed and dejected in his little house but how Buks rouses, encouraged by the approach of another Spring and the opportunity to plant pumpkin seeds once again.