Context, Popularity, & Audience

Bryce Courtenay, the author and inspired novelist of the book, ‘The Power of One’, was born in 1933 in South Africa and in which spent all his early childhood years in a town, deep in the Lebombo Mountains. He was and still is a bestselling author. The “Power of One” was his first novel that was he wrote and wasn’t popular when it first came out, but now it is. It’s popularity has been noticed by penguin books and therefore since it’s within the category of his previous work, it has greater interest for the readers and since it’s about Bryce Courtenay’s life story, the novel straight away has become a lot more interesting because it instantly can be related to the readers perspective in a sense that it is realistic. 

Bryce is now over 55 years old and has grandchildren, his life has been well educated, starting at Lebombo, moving onto universities studying journalism and now becoming a writer. As I received the penguin edition of the book, I didn’t really have a very appealing front cover, but as the saying goes, ‘don’t judge the book by its front cover’. Once you start reading it, it captures your attention straight away by the first line, as it continues, I found that it gets a bit strenuous, introducing and all that, but you get that with all novels. The language conventions used within the novel are amazing, in the sense that you can relate to most of what is said and can also interpret and imagine what it would be like in your head. Because of the way it’s written and the amount of detail it contains, many people consider it to be a great read and like the way its keeps the reader entertained. The novel is mostly intended for teenagers and those in adolescence, but it can also be for those aged right up to 80 years old, for it doesn’t specifically relate to anyone of any age, so it can be read and interested in by anyone.

'Peekay's Character'

Peekay, the main character in the novel, was born in South Africa in the 1930’s. As he grew up, he was sent into an Afrikaans boarding school, where, being tormented by the elder pupils and teachers, found particular ways to pursue through his troubles and misdeeds. He meets many tough and cruel people through his time as a naive child. Many children at his age would not think or act like he does.

The language he uses throughout the book is most captivating as it intrigues the readers to interpret Peekay’s actions and look at him from a particular view. At his age, not many kids go through what he did, and not many kids act the way he does either. He has interaction with many adults in his time and not many of them respect him, because of his race/colour. His speech towards those older than him was mostly intended to be sympathetic as he tried to be respectful to those around him, but his intention was still a bit naïve, as this would blow his cover for a normal childhood.

Within the time zone of the 1930’s to the 1940’s, boys still had much respect for the elders, enough to call one father, sir. The “Power of One” was a life based story set in this period of time and therefore set a definite language code for the author to write for ‘Peekay’. Peekay was very respectful for those around him, well, outside his mind anyway. He always thought the opposite of what he was ‘almost forced’ to say by his elders. This changed the way Peekay acted towards those around him, for it made him think about every move he had to make. The camp/boarding school that he stayed in was a temporary mockery of his kind; this made him stronger and more willing to pursue his dreams to become a boxer and successful writer, despite the thoughts and actions of others.

As a boy who lived without a mother for a couple of years and without a father also, wasn’t expected to be raised as a well dressed and presentable looking boy. Being poor and having earlier experience with Christianity, Peekay was not taught the essential things in life, including the true knowledge of God. As he took care for himself, this added to his strengthening of his own will (he notices this on page 173) and this was shown on his dress.

Within the very first few sentences, it is mentioned that his life did not start properly, but rather had many troubles and strife follow up behind him. The book starts off with this sentence, so that throughout the whole book we are able to get detailed and accurate information about how this not so good life turned out before it became so good and how he did it. Conventions, like dialogue, and interpretation by the main character, are a good way to get the reader to understand and acknowledge the whole concept and journey made by Peekay. Language conventions used are certain ‘nicknames’ like, Pisskop, Rooineks and Kaffir. These allow the reader to interpret the culture applied and allow the controversy between the two races also to be seen.

Narrator and Tone of text

A technique used by many authors is to help get them into the mind and thoughts of the main characters or even just the inferior characters mentioned in the novel. This technique is called the stream-of-consciousness. In order for the reader to posses these thoughts they are written exactly as a clear representation of the characters thoughts. Bryce Courtenay, the author and main ambition of the story, The Power of One, we extrapolate thoughts and ideas about Peekay and what happens to him. This happens because throughout the novel, it is a constant flow of thoughts being expressed by him directly to the reader.

We are relatively pushed aside from the descriptive written representation and shown Peekay’s emotions and feelings towards his thoughts, observations and understandings that are brought up. Throughout the novel, the reader can get a strong vibe of race controversial, bullying and poverty. By the use of the technique, stream-of-consciousness, Courtenay is able to convey to his readers, the mental struggles that young Anglo-African (Rooineks) boys underwent during an upsetting time in South African history.

The tone of a story is often described as what the author is feeling towards a subject. The tone can be developed through the use of language conventions such as pronunciation, imagery, enclosure or elimination of facts, and extended metaphor. In many cases, the tone may change or evolve throughout the piece of writing. This method of interpreting the novel can sometimes be mixed up with the other method called the mood, which is actually what the reader feels and thinks.

Christians are given a disapproving tone by Courtenay as he uses Peekay’s mostly negative experiences with Christians to demonstrate that. To Peekay, Christians appear racist hypocrites whose main objectives are the salvation of others only for their own benefit. Pik Botha, for example, is portrayed in a very negative light for is lack of compassion in helping Big Hettie and kindness towards Peekay. The hypocritical side of his actions can be seen as on his silver tie clip, which said “witnessing for the Lord", when in fact, he was being absolutely skeptic to Big Hettie’s pleas

'Racial Ideology'

Within the region of South Africa, there were groups classified as the Boers (Dutch farmers), the British (Rooineks) and the white people who were from different regions or completely from other countries.  Racial Ideology was present within South Africa, as a vestige representation of the Boer wars and others. There was discrimination of both colours, but the whites seemed to proclaim they were to be more superior to the blacks. Controversy between the Boers and the British were present also as they had retaliation between each other and the blacks. Remnants from the war(s) were the main cause of these disagreements and each member of a different culture had every reason to hate because of the losses of lives and life present.

As Peekay was a Rooinek, Courtenay vibrantly presents him being tormented by the pupils and the judge at his boarding school. This demonstrates that not only were the blacks held in disapproval but also the Boers and the British liked to quarrel between each other also. Everyone there was lead to believe that they had the right to have ownership over the country as any other culture did in South Africa.

Around the 30’s and 40’s, South Africa developed as a nation, being successful in importing and exporting things within the trade market and also upgrading their economy each day. As people saw this, they reacted to it by making an agreement as government to separate the different races altogether for their own common advantage.

'The Anglo Boer War'

The Anglo-Boer, defining ‘Dutch farmer’, first settled in the 1600s, but were taken over by Britain in 1814. Rebelling to foreign rule, many Boers headed north and established the Orange Free State and the Transvaal Republic. Some may call it the freedom wars, were fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, as well as the Orange Free State and the South African Republic or the Transvaal republic. There were two Boer wars, one from 1880 to 1881, and the other from 1899 to 1902.

The first war was a very brief war, and only consisted of conflict between the Boers and the British. The war was about re-establishment in the area of Transvaal and to regain their independence. With growing claims from the republic, the Pretoria government was ineffective in dealing with them.

The second war was a very lengthy battle and comprised of troops from British possession, which were Boer republics converted into British colonies. These colonies later formed part of the Union South Africa.  During this war, the British fought directly against the origin of Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Because of this, the British were high in losses, also due to the fact that disease was a factor for concern.

Alongside the war was the acting of concentration camps where Boer civilians were held. This made the quality of life cease and the majority of people in that particular area, grow to a majority of destitute black south Africans and Boers without farms to go back to.  To make this act a lot less tolerable for the Boers, the policy of the ‘scorched earth’ came into play. The policy of the ‘scorched earth’ was a terrible method to enforce on those Boers, (British destroyed everything they came across), destroying anything of use to the Boers, making their life worthy to die for.

'Reflection'

So far the narrative’s main character has lead me on an intriguing journey and his intelligence astounds me and I find that I can relate to this character. ‘Peekay’, being his progressed name, was not like the other kids of his age, the way he interprets things that come by him and his vocabulary and knowledge, all contribute to his ‘different’ personality. Judge me if you like, but in the novel, (to be referred to as a bildungsroman) I actually like the whole topic of the incongruity between the black and white or otherwise referred to in this book as Kaffirs and Rooineks.

The first seven chapters tell the audience about  him being moved into a camp and then moving to his grandpa’s house via a train, both of these elements in the book contain a considerable amount of detail, enough to make one ‘draw’ up their own imagination and scenery of  what is written. When I started reading it, I knew right there and then that if the book could capture my attention by the first line, then I knew it’s going to be a good and inspiring book.

The adaptation of Peekay’s move shows how courageous the young boy was. A child’s morals and values are still somewhat intact at that age and I believe that it forced him to not believe the worst or even the best in others, but to see the truth. He was neither naive nor mature, but he became brave. I expect toward the end of the novel that he will have not only grown in age and maturity, but also become sound in mind and realise his potential for greater things. His drive and courage display a sense of adventure and therefore makes this book an interesting read.

What captivates me as a reader is the segregation between the races in South Africa. During these years, Peekay would have endured derisive mockery and i believe that as a person, he would have become stronger. I think we can all take a lesson from this novel; that we must stand up for what we believe in, face the consequences in all situations and refuse to segregate others just because they are different to what we are.