South Africa: Cultural and Gender Identities under the Influence of Apartheid Njabulo Ndebele, Nadine Gordimer and Antjie Krog

South Africa: Map 

Various Identities  A Women Waiting for her Husband-to-be. Police gangsters Vukani’s mother, Dr. Zwane and his wife Vukani’s father The farm hands The White Masters Vukani His sister

Njabulo Ndebele  Ndebele's writings -- constitutes “ a return to more traditional concerns with narrative complexity and literary quality."  Fools: The township life seen through the eyes of a young and sensitive protagonist. (e.g. “ The Prophetess ” ; “ The Violin ” )

Ndebele on Children  "South African literature has generally handled the images of childhood as social criticism: 1. an infant abandoned by its mother. 2. Friends going against each other. the entrance of the young in national politics  education affected; (I.e. Soweto uprising) Reconstruction should begin with the recovery of childhood and innocence. (source: ulm.de/~rturrell/antho4html/Ndebele.html ) ulm.de/~rturrell/antho4html/Ndebele.html

"The Music of the Violin"  How are the two women (Vukani ’ s mother and Beatrice) different from the two men (Vukani ’ s father and Dr. Zwane in the opening scene? What are they each concerned with?  How are Vukani and Toboho treated differently? How does Vukani respond to having visitors at home? Why is he so afraid?  How is “ education ” presented in this story?  In the two central scenes of conflicts, how are the issues of gender and race mixed together?

Allusions  Footprints Bush School Designed for primary school children under 12 Teaches about nature in a fun way (source)source

Gender Relations  The men are condescending to the women and their “ Housewives ’ League. ” (97; 98)  “ Peace, women of Africa ” ; their laughter;  Vukani ’ s father – African nationalism. (96-97)

Education  Vukani ’ s homework (104)  Mabaso – the teacher at a bush school;  Ms. Yende 100 red dress = violin;  Maseko – dog: chained dog, hungry dog; wandering dog; p. 101;  Vukani ’ s mother  turns her son into Mozart; Mrs. Zwane  her daughter into ballerina

Vukani in between the gangs and the “ educated ”  wanted to escape 97; wish to talk to Toboho;  His anxiety and latent need for rebellion (book turned into flame 99 & Doksi p. 100); source — school teachers, parents  Another source of his anxiety – the school kids his violin stolen p. 101 – “ inspector ’ s son ” “ music man ” pp. 104 – Bhuka and the copper bangles

Nadine Gordimer (1923-)  Born in South Africa in 1923, the daughter of immigrants: her father was a Lithuanian Jew, and her mother was born in England.  A chronicler of the history of Apartheid. Raised in a segregated town, Spring, outside Johannesburg The Sharpeville massacre of 1960; Her comments on P.W. Botha ’ s facing a black judge.  Nobel Prize winner,  (image source)image source

"Six Feet of the Country" Allusions  “ baas ”  leader  boss  "Piccanins" -- a somewhat condescending slang for small black children.  Zoot suits were wide-lapelled, high-waisted outfits worn by "hip" urban blacks in the forties.

Allusions (2) Rhodesia  1890 to the area of Southern Rhodesia was conquered & settled by the British South Africa Company.  Southern R under Crown rule  1953 to Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland formed part of the Central  African Federation  In 1965 its government was unilaterally declared its independence as Rhodesia.  Rhodesia was renamed Zimbabwe.

Rhodesia and Southern Africa  Zimbabwe

"Six Feet of the Country"  Why does the narrator say that they are not real farmers? Why do they buy a farm? How are the couple related to each other?  How do they relate to the “ farm boys ” ? (e.g. p. 97, their report of the death, the illegal immigrants and the death) Are they helpful to Petrus in the matter of the family death.  How are the blacks presented in the story? (e.g. the way Petrus speaks, donkey carts p. 102, views of money and family death.) How are the blacks ’ and the white master ’ s views of money different from each other?  Why do the wife and Petrus look alike to the narrator at the end?  What does the title mean?

Husband and Wife  “ tension ” in the city: 97;  tension between the couple: incapacity on the husband ’ s part (97), feel like a fool 97; incommunicative 99 wife – seen as plain 99 and messy 101;  Lerice, fits better into the farm life.  The husband ’ s views: “ have it both ways ”

The White Masters and the “ Farm Boys ”  Lerice: patronizing 97;  The husband: Relationship “ feudal ” – wrong, obsolete, but “ comfortable. ” “ easy-going gossipers ” 102  Report of Death: troubled; startled a bit; Lerice – wanted more communication; Husband – handles his responsibility but more is thrust on him. (a waste to get the body back p. 101) The funeral The baas changed? --in his attitude towards the authorities,

The Black Servants and immigrants  mutual support – not reporting on each other; relatives going to them to seek a better job; contributing money for the funeral;  Petrus seems to trust his “ baas. ”  At the end, he cannot even get six feet of the country to bury his “ brother. ”

Antjie Krog  "Lovesong After the Music of K. E. Ntsane" The Country of my Skull – a poetry collection; script writer of Long Night’s Journey into the Day.

Allusions  K. E. Ntsane, one of the great Sotho poets. Sotho: one of the languages spoken by Africans.