This study examines D.P.S Monyaise’s short story titled Omphile Umphi Modise which were scrutinized by Mogapi (1992), Pretorius (1990), Manyaka (1992), Shole (1997) and Malimabe (1998). Their investigation did not only focus on the content of the short story, but also concentrated on the structure and style of the author. When scrutinizing Omphile Umphi Modise, the focus mainly falls on content and characterization of the characters. This research is based on an adopted narratological model, which is used by Groenewald (1993) and Mojalefa (1994).. When investigating the content, emphasis is put on the topic as a theme and part of the plot, which is imperative in the analysis of Omphile Umphi Modise. Two terms which are to define and describe are used to explain and unravel ideas that were used by the writer to simplify the problems a reader would encounter in this investigation. When analyzing the content as theory, the following four elements are noticed: characters, events, time and place. Another important aspect on the level of content is the division of the characters into two subgroups, namely quarrelsome and kindhearted.. In Omphile Umphi Modise, the kindhearted is Motlalepule, while the quarrelsome is rraModise who blatantly refuses to see Motlalepule’s good side. These two characters are described by the following: intention, patronage abilities, success and resistance. The investigation explains that the theme, which is ‘keeping a secret can lead to one’s doom’, is the one that connects the events and the plot, with the intention of highlighting the message to attract the reader. Design is one of the most important aspects of the plot. It is herewithin divided into two sections which highlight the characterization of the protagonist and antagonist as well as the revelation of the aspect of tragedy in Omphile Umphi Modise. The characters are divided into two sections, namely main and minor characters. The main characters are the protagonist, the antagonist and the tritagonist. The antagonist in Omphile Umphi Modise is rraModise/Mosimane yo o tedu tsebeng/ tedu tsa katse who is portrayed to be evil because he mandated Thandi, a minor character, to put drugs in the tea Motlalepule was about to drink, and sadly ended up drinking it herself. After she was drugged, mosimane yo tedu tsebeng/tedu tsa katse raped and impregnated her. The writer uses techniques to explain the personality traits of the characters. He employs a distinguishing technique to highlight personality traits of Motlalepule which are beauty, misfortune, suffering, and poverty. These are explained by the following techniques: focus, differentiation, conflict, use of the possessive, use of the adjective form, point of view, use of diminutive form, exaggeration, use of the pronoun, use of idioms, proverbs and, similes and omission. Differentiation is employed to highlight leadership as a personality trait of the antagonist, mosimane yo o tedu tsebeng/ tedu tsa katse/rraModise is which is explained by two techniques: indicative mood and point of view. AFRIKAANS : In hierdie ondersoek word D.P.S Monyaise se kortverhaal getiteld Omphile Umphi Modise ontleed. Dié kortverhaal is krities ontleed deur Mogapi (1992), Pretorius (1990), Manyaka (1992), Shole (1997) en Malimabe (1998). Hulle ondersoeke het nie slegs die inhoud van die kortverhaal betrek nie, maar het ook op die struktuur van die kortverhaal en die styl van die skrywer gefokus. Met die ontleding van Omphile Umphi Modise, word daar gekonsentreer op twee aspekte, naamlik inhoud en karaktarisering van die karakters. Hierdie navorsing word gebaseer op die aangenome narratologiese model wat gebruik word deur Mojalefa (1994) en Groenewald (1993).. Wanneer die inhoud ondersoek word, word daar klem gelê op die onderwerp as ‘n tema en as deel van die plot, wat van belang is in die analise van Omphile Umphi Modise. Idees wat deur die skrywer gebruik is om die probleme van die leser ten opsigte van die verstaan van die ondersoek te vereenvoudig, word twee terme naamlik en defineer en te interpreteer verduidelik en geanaliseer. Wanneer die inhoud as teorie ontleed word, word die volgende vier elemente betrek: karakters, gebeure, tyd en plek. ‘n Ander belangrike aspek is die vlak van inhoud – die karakters word in twee subgroepe verdeel, naamlik. antagonis en protagonis. In Omphile Umphi Modise, is Motlalepule die protagonis, terwyl rraModise die antagonis is wat blatant weier om Motlalepule se goeie kant raak te sien. Hierdie twee karakters word beskryf deur intensie, vermoë, sukses en teenstand. Die ondersoek verduidelik dat die tema ‘om ‘n geheim te hou wat tot ‘n mens se ondergang kan lei’, die een is wat gebeure en plot koppel, met die doel om die boodskap uit te lig om sodoende die leser te interesseer. Ontwerp is een van die belangrikste aspekte van die plot. Dit word onderverdeel in twee afdelings wat die karakterisering van die protagonis en antagonis, sowel as die tragedieaspek van Omphile Umphi Modise beklemtoon. Die karakters word in twee groepe verdeel, naamlik. hoofkarakters en newekarakters. Die hoofkarakters is die protagonis, die antagonis en die tritagonis. Die antagonis in Omphile Umphi Modise is rraModise/Mosimane wa tedu tsebeng/ tedu tsa katse wat uitgebeeld word as boos, omdat hy Thandi, ‘n newekarakter, oorreed het om ‘n dwelmmiddel in Motlalepule se tee te gooi, en dit toe self gedrink het. Nadat sy bedwelm is, het mosimane yo tedu tsebeng/tedu tsa katse haar verkrag en swanger gemaak. Die skrywer gebruik verskillende tegnieke om die persoonlikheidskenmerke van die karakters uit te beeld. Hy gebruik ‘n spesifieke tegniek om die persoonlikheidskenmerke van Motlalepule uit te lig, naamlik skoonheid, ongeluk, swaarkry en armoede. Hierdie kenmerke word uitgelig deur die volgende tegnieke: fokus, differensiasie, konflik, die possessiewe vorm die adjektiewe vorm, perspektief, die diminutiewe vorm,, oordrywing, die gebruik van die voornaamwoord, die gebruik van idiome, spreekwoorde en vergelykings en elisie. Differensiasie is gebruik om leierskap as ‘n persoonlikheidskenmerk van die antagonis, mosimane yo o tedu tsebeng/ tedu tsa katse/rraModise uit te lig en wat verder verduidelik word deur twee tegnieke naamlik indikatiewe modus en perspektief. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / African Languages / unrestricted