Theme and protest in the South African post-apartheid novel: a case study of the writings of three black South African novelists
- Moyo, Mbongeni https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2256-9671
- Authors: Moyo, Mbongeni https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2256-9671
- Date: 2021-06
- Subjects: Postcolonialism in literature , Apartheid in literature , Protest literature, South African (English)
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22023 , vital:51937
- Description: This study analyses a selected cohort of black South African novelists‟ depiction of the real burning issues of the post-Apartheid South Africa. The ideas that the study is concerned with in the novel under study, are based on the aspect of theme and how it is utilised by the respective authors to address the social, economic and political issues in the post-Apartheid South Africa. The study is an investigation of the extent to which black South African novelists have depicted the aforementioned issues. The research highlights those issues that the novels under study addressed and continues by revealing how the authors depict these issues in their texts. Moreover, the study concludes that literature has a role to play in the society and recommends that it should be reliable and useful to the society. It further recommends that literature should not ignore societal issues and should be corrective in its approach. The study is comprised of six chapters: Chapter One functions as an introduction to the study. It provides information on the aims and objectives of the study, the background information on the novels under study and South African literature itself. The chapter also outlines the method and the theories, which will be used in the study. It concludes by addressing the significance of the study. Chapter Two provides a detailed analysis of the theories, which will be used in the study. This includes the Marxism and Realism theory, Afrocentric theory and the Feminist Literary theory. It also defines the concept of theme and outlines its characteristics. It discusses post-colonial literature and its development in Africa. The chapter will conclude with a disclosure of the role of theme and of the author in the African novel. Chapter Three addresses the depiction of burning issues in Mpe‟s novel “Welcome to Our Hillbrow”. It discusses the real post-colonial challenges confronting the society during the post-Apartheid South Africa. It determines whether the novel under study adequately addresses these issues. Chapter Four identifies and addresses the depiction of burning post-colonial issues in Magona‟s novel “Beauty‟s Gift”. It unveils the themes that are dealt with in the novel under study thereby linking them effectively to the current situation in the new South Africa. Chapter Five unveils the central themes in Mahala‟s Novel “When a Man Cries” and it illustrates how the author protests against the ills of post-Apartheid South Africa. Chapter Six serves as the conclusion of the study and brings out the findings and recommendations of the study. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-06
- Authors: Moyo, Mbongeni https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2256-9671
- Date: 2021-06
- Subjects: Postcolonialism in literature , Apartheid in literature , Protest literature, South African (English)
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22023 , vital:51937
- Description: This study analyses a selected cohort of black South African novelists‟ depiction of the real burning issues of the post-Apartheid South Africa. The ideas that the study is concerned with in the novel under study, are based on the aspect of theme and how it is utilised by the respective authors to address the social, economic and political issues in the post-Apartheid South Africa. The study is an investigation of the extent to which black South African novelists have depicted the aforementioned issues. The research highlights those issues that the novels under study addressed and continues by revealing how the authors depict these issues in their texts. Moreover, the study concludes that literature has a role to play in the society and recommends that it should be reliable and useful to the society. It further recommends that literature should not ignore societal issues and should be corrective in its approach. The study is comprised of six chapters: Chapter One functions as an introduction to the study. It provides information on the aims and objectives of the study, the background information on the novels under study and South African literature itself. The chapter also outlines the method and the theories, which will be used in the study. It concludes by addressing the significance of the study. Chapter Two provides a detailed analysis of the theories, which will be used in the study. This includes the Marxism and Realism theory, Afrocentric theory and the Feminist Literary theory. It also defines the concept of theme and outlines its characteristics. It discusses post-colonial literature and its development in Africa. The chapter will conclude with a disclosure of the role of theme and of the author in the African novel. Chapter Three addresses the depiction of burning issues in Mpe‟s novel “Welcome to Our Hillbrow”. It discusses the real post-colonial challenges confronting the society during the post-Apartheid South Africa. It determines whether the novel under study adequately addresses these issues. Chapter Four identifies and addresses the depiction of burning post-colonial issues in Magona‟s novel “Beauty‟s Gift”. It unveils the themes that are dealt with in the novel under study thereby linking them effectively to the current situation in the new South Africa. Chapter Five unveils the central themes in Mahala‟s Novel “When a Man Cries” and it illustrates how the author protests against the ills of post-Apartheid South Africa. Chapter Six serves as the conclusion of the study and brings out the findings and recommendations of the study. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-06
Aspects Allocentristes de l’Humanisme dans l’Univers Romanesque de Williams Sassine
- Authors: Dami, Emmanuel Naancin
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Sassine, Williams, 1944-1997 -- Criticism and interpretation , Guinean fiction (French) -- 20th century -- History and criticism , Humanism in literature , Human beings in literature , Postcolonialism in literature , Existentialism in literature
- Language: French , English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/61957 , vital:28089
- Description: The human being, his behaviour and more importantly, his very essence have, for time immemorial, proven to be enigmatic to many a man and to researchers in particular. Consequently, the need for a thorough and more profound understanding of man has made him the epicentre of epistemic investigations across many academic disciplines. This, unfortunately, does not seem to have shaded bright lights on the grey areas bordering on his nature to his behavior. This, in turn, opens up other windows requiring further probes. For instance, proponents of the Neo-classical economic school contend that the human being is homo oeconomicus. This implies that man is intrinsically egocentric and a rational being whose decisions are based on informed choices driven by his urge for maximal utility geared towards his personal satisfaction (O’Boyle 2009; Caruso 2012). This stance invalidates man’s ability to do ‘disinterested good’ in any form. African francophone literature is replete with different and diverse images of man, his behaviour and existential conditions: sufferings and struggles. It, therefore, constitutes, inter alia, a laboratory in which researchers undertake investigative endeavours. This thesis beams its floodlights on the allocentric aspects of humanism in the novels of Williams Sassine. Thus, using the phenomenological and ‘clavieniste’ lenses as overarching operational theories, the thesis investigates Sassine’s novels with the view to shading a ray of light on the ‘humanistic man’ especially the allocentric dimensions of his nature and comportment. Emphasis is laid on the motives and motivations underlying the individual and the in-group struggle of the sassinien heroes in the emancipation of their society from the shackles of colonial and postcolonial domination, exploitation and subjugation resulting in self-determination and the subsequent disenchantment. Furthermore, the thesis examines the nature and character of human charity, generosity and sacrifices among the characters in the novels. In conclusion, the thesis establishes, through an x-ray of the nature of actions and decisions of certain characters in the novels, the examination of the conscious and subconscious intentions underlying these same actions and decisions which, on a face value, are apparently altruistic, that the sassinien heroes’ efforts and sacrifices are geared towards the common and greater good. This invariably means that man is, indeed, capable of posing disinterested acts of charity and bringing succour, devoid of any ulterior motives for personal gain, to his fellow humans. The position of the Neo-classical economists is consequently over-assuming, sweeping and tad generalizing. The sassinien characters have demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that they are humanists. Their nature, the remote and immediate causes of their fights, the goals and objectives of their struggles and their spirit of abnegation have indeed proven that “human beings have the right and the responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. [They have stood] for the building of a more humane society through an ethics based on the human and other natural values in a spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities” (AHA 2017 : 3).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Dami, Emmanuel Naancin
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Sassine, Williams, 1944-1997 -- Criticism and interpretation , Guinean fiction (French) -- 20th century -- History and criticism , Humanism in literature , Human beings in literature , Postcolonialism in literature , Existentialism in literature
- Language: French , English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/61957 , vital:28089
- Description: The human being, his behaviour and more importantly, his very essence have, for time immemorial, proven to be enigmatic to many a man and to researchers in particular. Consequently, the need for a thorough and more profound understanding of man has made him the epicentre of epistemic investigations across many academic disciplines. This, unfortunately, does not seem to have shaded bright lights on the grey areas bordering on his nature to his behavior. This, in turn, opens up other windows requiring further probes. For instance, proponents of the Neo-classical economic school contend that the human being is homo oeconomicus. This implies that man is intrinsically egocentric and a rational being whose decisions are based on informed choices driven by his urge for maximal utility geared towards his personal satisfaction (O’Boyle 2009; Caruso 2012). This stance invalidates man’s ability to do ‘disinterested good’ in any form. African francophone literature is replete with different and diverse images of man, his behaviour and existential conditions: sufferings and struggles. It, therefore, constitutes, inter alia, a laboratory in which researchers undertake investigative endeavours. This thesis beams its floodlights on the allocentric aspects of humanism in the novels of Williams Sassine. Thus, using the phenomenological and ‘clavieniste’ lenses as overarching operational theories, the thesis investigates Sassine’s novels with the view to shading a ray of light on the ‘humanistic man’ especially the allocentric dimensions of his nature and comportment. Emphasis is laid on the motives and motivations underlying the individual and the in-group struggle of the sassinien heroes in the emancipation of their society from the shackles of colonial and postcolonial domination, exploitation and subjugation resulting in self-determination and the subsequent disenchantment. Furthermore, the thesis examines the nature and character of human charity, generosity and sacrifices among the characters in the novels. In conclusion, the thesis establishes, through an x-ray of the nature of actions and decisions of certain characters in the novels, the examination of the conscious and subconscious intentions underlying these same actions and decisions which, on a face value, are apparently altruistic, that the sassinien heroes’ efforts and sacrifices are geared towards the common and greater good. This invariably means that man is, indeed, capable of posing disinterested acts of charity and bringing succour, devoid of any ulterior motives for personal gain, to his fellow humans. The position of the Neo-classical economists is consequently over-assuming, sweeping and tad generalizing. The sassinien characters have demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that they are humanists. Their nature, the remote and immediate causes of their fights, the goals and objectives of their struggles and their spirit of abnegation have indeed proven that “human beings have the right and the responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. [They have stood] for the building of a more humane society through an ethics based on the human and other natural values in a spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities” (AHA 2017 : 3).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
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