Abstract
Die verdwaalde land was written by Abraham Phillips, a so-called Coloured man from a South African working class background; someone who has no knowledge of literary conventions. The question arises: how can such a text be read without its uniqueness being affected by biased preconceptions? This article shows that post-structurally inspired theories on colonial discourse reveal perspectives on the complexity within the simplicity of this story. In this analysis of Die verdwaalde land particular emphasis is placed on identifying the framing strategies through which images and presentations of the Self and Other are created. Literary conventions are exposed as mechanisms which demarcate meaning, which in principle do not differ much from the manipulative strategies which define identity in the real world.Irrespective of nationality and time the line at which light race meets dark is the line at which human sociality is found at the lowest ebb; and wherever that line conies into existence there arc found the darkest shadows which we humans have cast by our injustice and egoism across the earth. (Olive Schreiner - Thoughts on South Africa)
Highlights
Irrespective o f nationality and time the line at which light racc meets dark is the line at which human sociality is found at the lowest ebb; and w herever that line conies into existence there arc found the darkest shadows which we humans have cast by our injustice and egoism across the earth
Herlees 'n mens Brink se voorwoord nadat jy die verhaal gelees het, kontrasteer die wêreld van die professor in letterkunde skerp met dié van Phillips, iemand wat die literatuur as laaste, desperate opsie in sy soeke na waarheid en geregtigheid sien
Brink se voorwoord bevestig die groot sosio-politieke afstand tussen verskillende gem eenskappe in Suid-Afrika, maar signaleer sy inleiding, sáám met Phillips se verhaal gelees nie dalk ook 'n wedersydse uitreik na mekaar, die begin van '11 nuwe identiteitsom skrywingsproses eie aan 011s tyd nie? Dit is juis die interaksie tussen die voorwoord en die verhaalteks wat die belangrikheid van identiteit as tekstuele konstruksie vir die interpretasie van D ie verdwaalde land laat opval en dit is in die perspektief waarin die res van die bespreking staan
Summary
Binne die konteks van die Afrikaanse letterkunde is Die verdwaalde land van Abraham Phillips in verskillende opsigte anders. Rcferaat gelcwer op Stellenbosch by die A L V -Kongrcs, O ktobcr 1992 die bemiddeling van wit skrywers in die Afrikaanse prosa gehoor is, lewer dit 'n waardevolle bydrae. Die dringendheid waarmee Phillips die waarheid as storie vertel - sy enigste uitweg in 'n werklikheid waarin waarheid aan hom as verdigsel voorgehou word - lewer skerp kommentaar op die tegnies-teoretiese beheptheid van baie hedendaagse Afrikaanse prosai'ste. Ook binne die Afrikaanse literêre bediyfsw êreld van 'n veranderende Suid-Afrika is dié boek iets besonders; die verhaal is geskryf deur 'n plattelandse bruin man uit die w erkersklas, keurig uitgegee deur 'n onafhanklike wit uitgewer en van ekstrateks voorsien deur 'n bekende wit kanonskrywer
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