Willem Poprok – Summary notes
KARAKTERS (CHARACTERS)
Willem Van Vuuren (Hoofkarakter – Main character)
He is in grade eight.
His bedroom is usually untidy
Participated in karate: has karate medals.
Love Afrikaans music like Juanita du Plessis.
Was very confident in primary school: Mr Cool.
Schalk is his good friend/best friend.
Had to wear old school shoes from Franna (brother).
Does not like Math or Natural sciences.
Also do not like rugby.
Needs to give his father a letter from Mr Rensburg.
Takes his little sister Lydia to the park.
Does not want to work in his father's butchery one day.
When the 13 year old Willem enters high school for the first time, he is excited, confident
and full of hope for what high school may offer. His excitement does not last long, and by
the end of the first term it is almost completely gone. Willems struggles with math and gets a
low 19%. The rugby season has begun and with that so has Willem’s fear and disgust for
sport
Willem's parents:
"Who stays under the same roof, no kidding?"
Hans: Willem se pa (Father)
Manages and owns his own business: a butchery. Blue Bull Slaughterhouse.
Big rugby fan: “his father’s Twickenham knee and all the Van Vuurens No - ancestors of
fire!”
His serious knee injury left him frustrated and he hopes Franna and Willem will make his
dream come true.
Former rugby player who is big had ambition to one day for the Springboks to play.
Attended a farm school in Bloemfontein, where they could all do sums.
Like to enjoy a shot and listen to his favourite singer Nana Mouskouri's music
.
Willem's father is the Patriarch. He is the breadwinner.
Page | 1
,Willem's mother: Elmarie
Elmarie (Koeks) is Hans' wife and she works in the mornings at the slaughterhouse.
Mother of four children, three sons and late lamb little girl.
Does the butcher's books but did not do maths at school.
Bookkeeper in the butchery.
Cleans up Williem and Franna's rooms every April.
Finds the letter from Mr. Van Rensburg in Willems mathematics.
Has her own herb garden in the backyard.
The Matriarch: Willem's mother is firm and loving. She loves her children with all her
heart.
She does not let herself be subdued by the men in the house.
Francois of Franna: Willem’s brother
Wilem's older brother in grade eleven.
Smokes slyly with Angeique at the fig tree behind Coenie's rondavel (like a hut).
He speaks English with Angelique and "makes a fool of himself because he can not
speak proper English.”
Has a big mouth: "It's only his back muscles he can show."
He is often aggressive and moody and he bullies Wilem when he gets the chance.
Gives Willem a mysterious brown envelope (magazines/pictures of naked girls)to hide in
his room so mom does not find it.
Angelique Palworthy:
Neighbor's daughter or neighbor who is English speaking.
Her mother's maiden name was "Botha" of Boksburg.
Her father, Pete, is a sincere Englishman.
Smokes with Franna behind Coenie's rondavel.
Coenie (Willem’s eldest brother):
A matric pupil. Marietjie's boyfriend.
He is not very smart, but he is a dear son.
Wears thick glasses (does not see very well) and lives in the rondavel at home.
Tells a long story about his matric class' plans to raise and collect money for a school gift
when they leave at the end of the year.
Does not play rugby because he can barely see the ball.
Member of the school's brass band: plays a trumpet.
Marietjie (Coenie’s girlfriend)
Coenie's smart girl (a distinction candidate).
Page | 2
, Lydia (Willem’s baby sister)
"I'm here to stay. Live with it. "
She is two years old who often “puts everyone to shame "
She is the "late lamb" in the family.
Loves it when Willem puts her in her pram to go to the park so she can be pushed on the
swings until she roars from laughter.
Loves Coenie's trumpet music or noise.
Marietjie calls her the "cute factor."
Flip (Old dog)
"I was actually in Noah's ark "
He is already very old and deaf.
He "struggles-struggles" to walk and likes it when someone rubs his stomach.
What is the story about?
The humorous story of a boy who has to find his voice in a large family and his feet in a
confused world. The van Vuurens of Pretoria owns the Blue Bull Butchery. There are three boys
and a "late lamb" small sister, with whom the youngest son, Willem, has a special bond. Despite
pressure from his father to become a shiny rugby player, he would rather take art classes. He is
also in love with Uncle Ravi, his father's partner’s daughter Alesea. Against the background of
the “Father of the year” competition, for which the boys enter their father, the everyday
existence of this Afrikaans average family takes place. It’s a book without issues and morals:
just a nice story about a boy growing up.
Chapter 1: The land without milk and honey
Willem's mother cleans his room.
He is good friends with Schalk.
Mathematics and Science is his worst school subjects.
Photo of father-and-son evening emphasizes that he does not want to play rugby
anymore.
His mother found the letter from Mr. Van Rensburg.
His baby sister is an embarrassment because boys mock him.
Franna and Angelique sit and smoke in the backyard.
At dinner: Coenie talks about fundraising for a school gift.
Dad is unsatisfied that the grass has not been mowed.
After dinner: Dad and Willem sit on the porch, and chat about Willem's math problem.
Dad dreams that Willem will one day be a scrumhalf for the Boks.
Page | 3
KARAKTERS (CHARACTERS)
Willem Van Vuuren (Hoofkarakter – Main character)
He is in grade eight.
His bedroom is usually untidy
Participated in karate: has karate medals.
Love Afrikaans music like Juanita du Plessis.
Was very confident in primary school: Mr Cool.
Schalk is his good friend/best friend.
Had to wear old school shoes from Franna (brother).
Does not like Math or Natural sciences.
Also do not like rugby.
Needs to give his father a letter from Mr Rensburg.
Takes his little sister Lydia to the park.
Does not want to work in his father's butchery one day.
When the 13 year old Willem enters high school for the first time, he is excited, confident
and full of hope for what high school may offer. His excitement does not last long, and by
the end of the first term it is almost completely gone. Willems struggles with math and gets a
low 19%. The rugby season has begun and with that so has Willem’s fear and disgust for
sport
Willem's parents:
"Who stays under the same roof, no kidding?"
Hans: Willem se pa (Father)
Manages and owns his own business: a butchery. Blue Bull Slaughterhouse.
Big rugby fan: “his father’s Twickenham knee and all the Van Vuurens No - ancestors of
fire!”
His serious knee injury left him frustrated and he hopes Franna and Willem will make his
dream come true.
Former rugby player who is big had ambition to one day for the Springboks to play.
Attended a farm school in Bloemfontein, where they could all do sums.
Like to enjoy a shot and listen to his favourite singer Nana Mouskouri's music
.
Willem's father is the Patriarch. He is the breadwinner.
Page | 1
,Willem's mother: Elmarie
Elmarie (Koeks) is Hans' wife and she works in the mornings at the slaughterhouse.
Mother of four children, three sons and late lamb little girl.
Does the butcher's books but did not do maths at school.
Bookkeeper in the butchery.
Cleans up Williem and Franna's rooms every April.
Finds the letter from Mr. Van Rensburg in Willems mathematics.
Has her own herb garden in the backyard.
The Matriarch: Willem's mother is firm and loving. She loves her children with all her
heart.
She does not let herself be subdued by the men in the house.
Francois of Franna: Willem’s brother
Wilem's older brother in grade eleven.
Smokes slyly with Angeique at the fig tree behind Coenie's rondavel (like a hut).
He speaks English with Angelique and "makes a fool of himself because he can not
speak proper English.”
Has a big mouth: "It's only his back muscles he can show."
He is often aggressive and moody and he bullies Wilem when he gets the chance.
Gives Willem a mysterious brown envelope (magazines/pictures of naked girls)to hide in
his room so mom does not find it.
Angelique Palworthy:
Neighbor's daughter or neighbor who is English speaking.
Her mother's maiden name was "Botha" of Boksburg.
Her father, Pete, is a sincere Englishman.
Smokes with Franna behind Coenie's rondavel.
Coenie (Willem’s eldest brother):
A matric pupil. Marietjie's boyfriend.
He is not very smart, but he is a dear son.
Wears thick glasses (does not see very well) and lives in the rondavel at home.
Tells a long story about his matric class' plans to raise and collect money for a school gift
when they leave at the end of the year.
Does not play rugby because he can barely see the ball.
Member of the school's brass band: plays a trumpet.
Marietjie (Coenie’s girlfriend)
Coenie's smart girl (a distinction candidate).
Page | 2
, Lydia (Willem’s baby sister)
"I'm here to stay. Live with it. "
She is two years old who often “puts everyone to shame "
She is the "late lamb" in the family.
Loves it when Willem puts her in her pram to go to the park so she can be pushed on the
swings until she roars from laughter.
Loves Coenie's trumpet music or noise.
Marietjie calls her the "cute factor."
Flip (Old dog)
"I was actually in Noah's ark "
He is already very old and deaf.
He "struggles-struggles" to walk and likes it when someone rubs his stomach.
What is the story about?
The humorous story of a boy who has to find his voice in a large family and his feet in a
confused world. The van Vuurens of Pretoria owns the Blue Bull Butchery. There are three boys
and a "late lamb" small sister, with whom the youngest son, Willem, has a special bond. Despite
pressure from his father to become a shiny rugby player, he would rather take art classes. He is
also in love with Uncle Ravi, his father's partner’s daughter Alesea. Against the background of
the “Father of the year” competition, for which the boys enter their father, the everyday
existence of this Afrikaans average family takes place. It’s a book without issues and morals:
just a nice story about a boy growing up.
Chapter 1: The land without milk and honey
Willem's mother cleans his room.
He is good friends with Schalk.
Mathematics and Science is his worst school subjects.
Photo of father-and-son evening emphasizes that he does not want to play rugby
anymore.
His mother found the letter from Mr. Van Rensburg.
His baby sister is an embarrassment because boys mock him.
Franna and Angelique sit and smoke in the backyard.
At dinner: Coenie talks about fundraising for a school gift.
Dad is unsatisfied that the grass has not been mowed.
After dinner: Dad and Willem sit on the porch, and chat about Willem's math problem.
Dad dreams that Willem will one day be a scrumhalf for the Boks.
Page | 3
