Red Apple Dreams
author Siphiwo Mahala
Genre business
Narrator Hangwi Liphadzi
Language english
At the heart of the story is a young Black boy growing up in a poor township, who becomes obsessed with a simple, yet powerful dream: to taste a bright, shiny red apple — a fruit that, in his world, represents luxury, freedom, and everything out of reach. In his community, apples are not everyday snacks. They are rare, expensive, and associated with white people’s privilege. To the boy, the red apple becomes a symbol of hope and desire, glistening in store windows he can’t afford to enter. It’s more than just food — it becomes a dream, an almost mythic object. As the boy tries to chase this dream — through small jobs, school competitions, or even wishful thinking — he’s constantly met with barriers shaped by poverty and racial inequality. His longing is innocent, but it collides with a world that’s anything but.