Abstract
Distance and experience/endurance: liminal spaces and survival in Ingrid Winterbach’s Niggie (Cousin) In this article aspects of Ingrid Winterbach’s novel, “Niggie” (“Cousin”), which is set against the backdrop of the last months of the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) are analysed. The geographical (spatial) and psychological isolation of the characters and the influence of the historical situation on the psyche of the characters are discussed. Special attention is paid to the relation of the characters to nature. The main characters seem to find themselves in a series of liminal situations. The war experiences force them to accept the inevitable, but also to find ways and means to transcend personal and collective trauma. Though they do change irrevocably and have to exploit their own creativity and psychological resources to the utmost, they do survive and eventually continue their lives under more normal circumstances. The novel explores the experience of trauma and the possibility and quality of survival, but the sensitive analysis of the human aspects of the specific historical circumstances has a wider resonance – so that the novel can be regarded as a historical novel about the future.
Highlights
In hierdie artikel word enkele aspekte van Ingrid Winterbach se roman, “Niggie”, wat afspeel tydens die laaste maande van die Literator 27(7) April 2006:1-22
Die hoofkarakters bevind hulself in opeenvolgende liminale situasies
Hulle word gedwing om die onvermydelike gevolge van die oorlog te aanvaar, maar hulle moet ook maniere vind om die trauma op persoonlike en kollektiewe vlak te verwerk
Summary
Ingrid Winterbach se roman, Niggie, speel af tydens die laaste maande van die Anglo-Boereoorlog (1899-1902). Ten spyte van die sterk historiese inslag, is dit geen gewone historiese roman nie, omdat die fokus verplaas word weg van die geskiedenis as sodanig op die belewenisse van beproewing en oorlewing van spesifieke individue, wat juis nie tipiese karakters is nie, maar mense wat sowel persoonlike as kollektiewe trauma op ’n spesifieke manier ervaar en hanteer. Daar is vele fasette van hierdie meerduidige roman wat ontleed en bespreek kan word. Niggie is ’n roman van buitengewone tegniese kompleksiteit en hierdie stilistiese veelsydigheid behoort deurlopend in ’n lesing van die teks verreken te word. In hierdie artikel word teoretiese begrippe en konsepte dus met groot omsigtigheid gebruik om nie die assosiatiewe aard van die betekenisgenerering in die roman in te perk nie, soos wat ’n mens die subtiele spel van lig en skadu in ’n landskap liefs nie deur mure en pilare wil versper nie
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