Magister Artium - MA (English)

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https://hdl.handle.net/10566/16395

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African traditional culture and modernity in Zakes Mda’s the heart of redness
(2005) Birama, Prosper Ndayi; Wittenberg, Hermann
In my thesis entitled ‘African Tradition and Modernity in Zakes Mda’s The Heart of Redness’, I analyze the way Western modernity and African traditions interact in Mda’s novel. I suggest that both modernity and tradition interact to produce a hybrid culture. This will become apparent in my analysis of the way Mda depicts the cattlekilling episode and the effects of Nongqawuse’s prophecy, and also in the novel’s contemporary characters. Mda shows the development of an African modernity through the semi-autobiographical figure of Camagu who is not slavishly indebted to Western ideas of progress, but is a hybrid of African values and a modern identity. In my thesis I will look at the way Mda also addresses the issue of the oppression of the Xhosa in colonial history, and the way he demonstrates that the divisions of the past deeply influence post-apartheid South Africa. In this regard, I will show how The Heart of Redness is a critique not only of colonial oppression, but also of the newer injustices plaguing the post-apartheid South African society. The focus of Mda’s critique in this regard is the proposed casino that stands as a model of environmentally destructive, unsustainable and capitalist development. Instead, Mda’s novel shows an alternative modernization of rural South African society, one which is based on community upliftment and environmentally friendly development. Through an exploration of the above aspects of the novel, my thesis shows that Mda’s writing exemplifies a hybrid African modernity, one that incorporates Western ideas as well as African values.
Alex La Guma’s short stories in relation to A Walk in the Night: A socio-political and literary analysis
(University of the Western Cape, 2005) Ntaganira, Vincent; Field, Roger; Dept. of English; Faculty of Arts
The minithesis provides a detailed socio-political and literary analysis of A Walk in the Night: Seven stories from the streets of Cape Town. It investigates and systematically compares each short story to the novella or compares the short stories with each other and shows their thematic and formal similarities and differences. The results of the study will provide a valuable contribution to the study of African literature. It will complete what other critics have left out. No one among La Guma’s scholars has analysed the anthology as a single entity; most critics have analysed the novella and have not analysed the accompanying short stories. As a result, the relationships between the novella and the short stories are unknown to many readers. I argue that this needs to be corrected. In order to situate the thesis, the study also presents a selected list of critics who have studied the novella and the short stories, and indicates their achievements and their shortcomings. The study will be carried out from a Marxist perspective, and will explore the use of realist and naturalist literary styles. Marxism will provide the socio-political and theoretical framework. Naturalism and realism are the two main literary genres that occur in the anthology.
Aspects of narration and voice in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God
(The University of the Western Cape, 2017) Vass, Verity; Espin, Mark
Zora Neale Hurston is a significant figure in American fiction and is strongly associated with the Harlem Renaissance, the period noted for the emergence of literature by people of African-American descent. Hurston worked as a writer of fiction and of anthropological research and this mini-thesis will discuss aspects of her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, first published in 1937. While the novel traces the psychological development of the central female character, Janie Mae Crawford and, thus, demonstrates several features of a conventional Bildungsroman, the novel also contains some intriguing innovations in respect of narration and voice. These innovations imply that the novel can be read in terms of the qualities commonly associated with the Modernist novel. This contention becomes significant when it is understood that a considerable degree of critical responses to the novel have discounted these connections. The novel is widely accepted to be a story about a woman’s journey to self-actualisation through the relationships she has with the men in her life. Much of the criticism related to the novel is based on this aspect of it, with many stating that Janie’s voice is often silenced by the third-person narrator at crucial moments in the text and that, as a consequence, she does not achieve complete self-actualisation by the end of the novel. This thesis will examine the significance of the shifts between first-person and thirdperson narration and the manifestations of other voices or means of articulation, which give the novel a multi-vocal quality. The importance of this innovation will also be considered, particularly when it is taken into account that Hurston sought to incorporate some elements associated with the oral tradition into her work as a writer of fiction.
Between text and stage: the theatrical adaptations of J.M. Coetzee's Foe
(University of the Western Cape, 2016) Naidoo, Kareesha; Wittenberg, Hermann
This thesis will critically analyse two theatrical adaptations of J. M. Coetzee's Foe (1986). Primarily, this thesis will be seeking to understand the complex relationship of the primary text to its adaptations more closely, regarding them not only as second-order versions or interpretations of the novel, but also to consider the way they may retrospectively construct new readings and understandings of the source text. This thesis will not only consider the way in which Foe is used in the adaptations but also how Robinson Crusoe (1719) influenced the adaptors and adaptive process. Theories of adaptation will be discussed, drawing extensively on work by Linda Hutcheon (2006) and Robert Stam (2005). One of the key ideas in adaptation theory is that adaptive fidelity to the source text is neither possible nor desirable, but that adaptation is a more complex, multi-layered intertextual and intermedial interplay of fictional material. One of the aims of this thesis is to ask whether or not Foe can be successfully transposed to the stage. This thesis will serve as a close analysis of the two theatrical adaptations, focusing on the beginning and endings of the respective adaptations. This research will contribute a new approach to Coetzee studies and to Foe in particular by exploring how these texts can lead to a broader understanding of Coetzee's work and the way it crosses into different media.
Blood, race and the construction of 'the coloured' in Sarah Gertrude Millin's God's Stepchildren
(University of the Western Cape, 2011) Coetzee, Mervyn A.; Kohler, Peter
In this paper I attempt to look critically at the literary construction of one particular 'race', namely the 'Coloureds', in Sarah Gertrude Millin's God's Stepchildren. To this end, the paper draws on the historical background of Millin, and investigates the way in which Millin has consciously and strategically formed, as it were, a 'unique' Coloured identity. Furthermore, the paper explores the proximity or tension between author and narrator in the novel. This tension, I suggest, emerges in response to various pressures in the novel which in turn are based upon the author's social, political and economic background. Evidence to this effect is derived from Millin's biography and other sources. What emerges from the paper is that the concepts 'race' and 'Coloured', as they are employed in this novel, are equally elusive. In attempting to piece together a 'race', the novel communicates Millin's aversion to miscegenation, and discloses characteristics of her 'self'. Ironically, I conclude, she falls prey to the same kinds of prejudices that she projects onto her literary subjects.
Blood, race and the construction of 'the Coloured' in Sarah Gertrude Millin's God's stepchildren
(University of the Western Cape, 2011) Coetzee, Mervyn A.; Kohler, Peter
In this paper I attempt to look critically at the literary construction of one particular 'race', namely the 'Coloureds'. In Sarah Gertrude Millin's God's Stepchildren. To this end, the paper draws on the hlstorlcal background of Millin, and investigates the way in which Millin has consciously and strateglcally forrned, as it were, a 'unique' Coloured Identity. Furthermore, the paper explores the proximity or tension between author and narrator in the novel. This tension, i suggest, emerges In response to various pressures In the novel which in tum are based upon the author's social, . political and economic background. Evidence to this effect is derived from Millin's biography and other sources. What emerges from the paper Is that the concepts 'race' and 'Coloured', as they are employed In this novel, are equally elusive. In attempting to piece together a 'race', the novel communicates Millin's aversion to miscegenation, and discloses characteristics of her 'self. Ironically, I conclude, she falls prey to the same kinds of prejudices that she projects onto her literary subjects
Boycotting of academics: The case of UWC
(UWC, 1980) Miche, Ana; JJ, Rr
An abstract is a brief summary of a research article, thesis, review, conference proceeding, or any in-depth analysis of a particular subject and is often used to help the reader quickly ascertain the paper's purpose.
Changing rains, changing voices: Representations of black women over five decades of South African theatre (1950 - 1996)
(University of the Western Cape, 1997) Mazibuko, Nokuthula; Flockemann, Miki
Changing rains, changing voices: Representations of black women over five decades of South African theatre (1950 - 1996) The general aim of this research paper is to investigate/interrogate, tough analyses of four popular musicals, images of ideal womanhood put forward by South African popular theatre at various historical moments. I argue that these images have shifted from decade to decade (1950 - 1996), revealing the constructed and therefore changeable nature of unequal gender roles within society. My research will consist of textual and contextual analyses of the representation of women in the following popular musicals: King Kong ( 1959), Too Late ( 1975), Sarafina! ( 1987), and Marabi (1981/1995). The ideas of womanhood posited by the play texts will be examined vis-d-vis their "struggle narratives" (whose goal is liberation from racial and economic oppression).
A connotative turn for pictorial semiotics: The cultural semiotics of Goran Sonesson
(University of the Western Cape, 2000) Paulsen, Amanda; Hunter, Eva
Goran Sonesson provides a departure point from the work of Roland Barthes in the pictorial semiotic studies. He questions the theoretical and methodological assumptions underlying the Barthesian model. We compare Sonesson's model to results gathered from the iconic analysis of a selected photograph taken from a women's magazine (see Figure 1 above), and conclude that there is little to suggest an analysis of a pictures iconic content will convey its intended message. However, there is some indication that when the conventions or codes operating within a culture are known, the mechanisms responsible for the production of meaning in the visual medium become more transparent.
A Connotative Turn for Pictorial Semiotics: The Cultural Semiotics of Goran Sonesson
(University of the Western Cape, 2000) Paulsen, Amanda; Hunter, Eva
Goran Sonesson provides a departure point from the work of Roland Barthes in the pictorial semiotic studies. He questions the theoretical and methodological assumptions underlying the Barthesian model. We compare Sonesson's model to results gathered from the iconic analysis of a selected photograph taken from a women's magazine (see Figure 1 above), and conclude that there is little to suggest an analysis of a pictures iconic content will convey its intended message. However, there is some indication that when the conventions or codes operating within a culture are known, the mechanisms responsible for the production of meaning in the visual medium become more The art historian Erwin Panofsky (1892-1968) was a pioneer and leading exponent of iconographical studies. According to Panofsky, iconography is "that branch of the history of art which concerns itself with the subject matter or meaning of works of art, as opposed to their form" (Panofsky 1978: 51). An important distinction made by Panofsky is that between iconography as the study of subject matter and iconology as the study of meaning. Using the example of "doffing one's hat", Panofsky shows that two meanings can be appended to this common gesture. While the act of raising one's hat indicates a polite gesture, it originated from the practice of medieval knights where the removal of one's helmet indicated peaceful intent. Panofsky goes on to say: "To understand (the significance) of the gentleman's actions I must not only be familiar with the practical world of object and events, but also with the more-than-practical world of customs and cultural traditions peculiar to a certain civilisation." (ibid.: 51-3).transparent.
Contemporary South African speculative fiction: A study of Mohale Mashigo’s short story collection intruders (2018)
(University of the Western Cape, 2022) Ruiter, Marvyn John; Volschenk, Jacolien
Speculative fiction, South Africa, entanglement, social commentary, post-Apartheid, folktales, tropes, Africanfuturism, Africanjujuism, Mohale Mashigo Abstract Globally, speculative fiction is a popular genre, but it has not gained much traction in the contemporary South African literary sphere. In this thesis, I argue that speculative fiction allows for the exploration of social configurations of South African society because of its speculative and experimental nature. I will do so through an analysis of Mohale Mashigo's collection of short stories, Intruders (2018), using Sarah Nuttall’s concept of entanglement as a rubric.
Developing first year part-time students academic competencies in an academic literacy module
(University of the Western Cape, 2010) Chu, Fidelis Ewe; Goodman, Kenneth; Dept. of English; Faculty of Arts
The research findings are grouped according to the three themes identified which includes the relevance of the module, the effectiveness of the teaching and learning approaches and methods, and the integration of generic and discipline specific academic literacy. The researcher hopes this study will help illuminate perceptions of part-time students' about the Academic Literacy for Commerce course and also how it can be improved to better serve the needs of part-time students.
Developing first year part-time students' academic competencies in an academic literacy module
(University of Western Cape, 2010) Chu, Fidelis Ewe; Goodman, Kenneth
The transition from high school to university for many students all over the world has never been very easy and this is also true in the South African context. At the University of the Western Cape the majority of students, particularly part-time students, come from previously disadvantaged institutions of learning. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that most tertiary institutions in South Africa, including The University of the Western Cape, use English as the official language of instruction even though more than three quarters of students entering into institutions of higher learning in South Africa are second or even third language English speakers who do not have the language competence level required in the medium of instruction to successfully negotiate academic curricula.
"The enemy of the absolute": Women in the early poetry of T.S.ELIOT
(University of Western Cape, 2002) Birch, Alannah; Birch, Alannah
Mathew Arnold's 1867 poem presents romantic love as a condition of permanence that can offer refuge from a changeable world. Sixty years later, however, Virginia Woolf observes that romance has become rare as a subject of modern poetry. Her suggestion that there is an historical explanation for this change in literary subject matter is the starting point for this study of the representation of women in the early poetry of T.S. Eliot. Whereas Woolf tentatively dates the "death" of romance to the First World War I will suggest that this change in poetic sentiment is evident in Eliot's early work, some of which predates the war. In the poems under discussion, written between the years 1910 ("Portrait of a Lady" and "The Love Song of J.
An exploration of reader response to and social identification with Grade 12 prescribed poetry
(University of the Western Cape, 2019) Kamaldien, Naeelah; Davids, Courtney
The thesis offers insight into English literature studies as taught at high school level to Grade 12 learners, employing Louise Rosenblatt’s reader response theory to explore and understand their encounter and engagement with prescribed poetry by enquiring as to whether social conditions in their lives allow an identification with these poems. The thesis argues for the validity and implementation of reader response theory in the South African curriculum because when learners engage with their memories, experiences and opinions; identification with the poem is possible. If learners identify with the poems that are being taught, there may be a sense of harmony as they realise that their problems or experiences are not in isolation. The sample population comprises of learners attending two high schools located in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town: a community that presents a myriad of societal challenges. Proper ethical considerations were followed in order to gain access to the research sites and anonymity was promised to all research participants. The research entails the usage of openended questionnaires to elicit data which has been processed qualitatively by means of content analysis whereby various central social environment themes were identified. A background of Mitchells Plain’s social ills is provided in order to understand the challenges facing the research participants. The thesis offers an extensive discussion on the history and current state of education in South Africa, as well as a delineation of the study of the discipline of poetry by highlighting its proposed benefits from humanities and scientific perspectives. Additionally, the thesis provides a background on different reader response theories and published reader response studies with a focus on the social environment of the individual for further elucidation of the theoretical framework. Results of the study reveal that the selected poems by William Blake, W.H. Auden, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Chinua Achebe yield fascinating responses as most research participants can socially identify with the contextual themes and characters. The thesis sheds light on a few shortcomings or limitations which may have impacted the data collection process and provides recommendations on how to improve any future related studies and possibilities of best teaching practice of English literature in South African high schools.
Female identity and landscape in Ann Radcliffe's Gothic Novels
(University of the Western Cape, 2008) Davids, Courtney Laurey; Wittenberg, Hermann; Dept. of English
The purpose of this dissertation is to chart the development of an ambivalent female identity in the Gothic genre, as exemplified by Ann Radcliffe's late eighteenth century fictions. The thesis examines the social and literary context of the emergence of the Gothic in English literature and argues that it is intimately tied up with changes in social, political and gender relations in the period.
Figuring the heroine in the ankara romance series against the archetype of Flora Nwapa’s efuru: marriage, procreation, love, sex, and work, master’s
(University of the Western Cape, 2021) Mundembe, Enet; Moola, Fiona
Romantic love has been neglected in the study of African literature and culture. It has been misconstrued and overlooked in canonical African literature, and the scholarship of that literature. Only recently has some attention been directed to African popular romance writing. The main focus of African literature and its scholarship fell on questions of history, colonial resistance, and, later, in the work of women writers, on gender oppression. This neglect is gradually being addressed. Romantic love is slowly getting more recognition than before in the study of African literature, and as evidenced in popular culture by recent African imprints like the South African-based Sapphire imprint, and Nollybooks and Okada Books in Nigeria, among others. The Ankara popular romances under study in this thesis focus on the concerns of contemporary African women and suggest resolutions to their problems. Although they are in some ways similar to Anglo-American romance fiction like Mills and Boon and Harlequin, they present some concerns specific to their context. Among these are questions of childbearing, locally relevant questions related to work and career, and contextually shaped issues around desire and the erotic. The contemporary Ankara novellas have been read against the backdrop of Flora Nwapa’s novel Efuru, a first-generation African novel written by the first published African woman writer. We see that the dilemmas encountered by the Ankara heroines represent the concerns of Efuru, Nwapa’s heroine, with some variation in some cases. Of the Ankara novellas published to date, the following titles will be studied, namely, A Tailor-Made Romance by Oyindamola Affinih, Love Me Unconditionally by Ola Awonubi, A Taste of Love by Sifa Asani Gowon, The Elevator Kiss by Amina Thula, Finding Love Again by Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam and Love’s Persuasion also by Ola Awonubi. The thesis establishes that the resolution of the Ankara novellas is different from the ending of Efuru. Nwapa leaves Efuru’s dilemmas unresolved, whereas the Ankara novellas, because they are romances, present idealised resolutions in which model heroes, who manifest transformations coming to being in society more generally, constitute the wished-for happy-ever-after ending.
Flying in the face of convention: The heart of redness as rehabilitative of the South African pastoral literary tradition through the frame of universal myth
(University of the Western Cape, 2005) Jacobs, Anthony Richard; Merrington, Peter; Faculty of Arts
This thesis analyzed Zakes Mda's The Heart of redness in the tradition of South African pastoral and counter-pastoral. It proposed that the novel is a hybrid of both African and European tradition and perspectives. It adduced Northrop Frye's theory of myth and archetypes in literature as a basis for study. It also analysed the novel in its use of irony.
Framing and visuality in two postcolonial novels: J.M. Coetzee’s disgrace and Juan gabriel vasquez’s reputations
(University of the Western Cape, 2023) Daffue, Samantha Leigh; Wittenberg, Hermann
The aim of this study is to examine the concept and effect of framing in two postcolonial novels, Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee and Reputations by Juan Gabriel Vasquez. A frame can be defined as “[t]hat in which something, esp. a picture, pane of glass, etc., is set or let in, as in a border or case” (Oxford English Dictionary). It thus encloses, limits but also structures a particular point of view or way of seeing. The thesis will examine such conceptions of framing as devices that serve to isolate and foreground particular moments or scenes within the larger narrative. Specific instances of framing will be analysed in the two chosen novels. Disgrace is set in post-Apartheid South Africa, against a backdrop of the political transition. The story grapples with a literature professor’s challenges concerning his lack of insight and empathy, and at the centre is the question of gender-based violence. The analysis will focus on several moments of framing which allow insight into his limited point of view and his lack of empathetic engagement with others. Similarly, Reputations focuses on the life of an accomplished, middle-aged political cartoonist whose life comes to a standstill when past, private events intersect with his prosperous present in Bogota, Colombia. As these are both novels from the Global South, there are various degrees of comparison; however, this thesis will focus on framing, and how this literary technique brings pivotal moments to the forefront.
Gender and landscape in the works of Olive Schreiner
(University of the Western Cape, 2022) Jacobs, Nicolette; Birch, Alannah
My research will focus on the relationship between gender and landscape as portrayed in Olive Schreiner’s first published novel, The Story of an African Farm, and her much later novel, Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland, with reference to her letters and the non-fictional text, Woman and Labour. In The Story of an African Farm, Schreiner explores a young person’s viewpoints on religion, feminism and the social and physical environment of the Cape Colony. Published in 1883 under the pseudonym Ralph Irons and widely recognised as among the first South African novels, the novel shows Schreiner’s interest in the emergence of female subjectivity revealed through the protagonist, Lyndall, in a landscape shaped by social hierarchies.

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