Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Landskap met vroue en slang, Lettie Viljoen's fifth novel, differ substantionally from her previous novel Karolina Feirrera. Landskap met vroue en slang concentrates on the inner processes of the main character rather than a series of external happenings. Because of the fragmentary presentation, wide reference field and many intertexts critics saw the novel as difficult, complex and challenging. It is clear that the title and cover of Landskap met vroue en slang "landscape," emphasize. In my opinion this serve as a point of orientation for the reader. Landscape not only plays an important roll in the text but also functions as a medium to make the text more accessible. With this research I focus on the function of the different landscapes in the novel. Almost all the reviews of Landskap met vroue en slang focus on the input of Nicolas Poussin, a seventeenth century artist, within the novel. On the cover of the novel is an illustration of two landscape paintings of Poussin. The title also call to mind one of Poussin's landscape paintings, "Landscape with two nymphs and a snake". By looking into the sublime landscape paintings of Poussin, one can come to a better understanding of Lena Bergh, the main character's, inner development. In addition to the sublime landscape as found in landscape paintings of Poussin, the domesticated landscape of gardens and parks, and the body as a landscape also plays an important roll to make the text more accessible. Lena's development during her psychological journey is clearly portrayed through her perception of and association with her garden while in parks and cemeteries she is confronted with issues of her past which she has to work through during her psychological journey. She uses bodily metaphors to get a better understanding of the landscape. The opposite also takes place. Lena uses the landscape to get a better understanding of her own changing body and sexuality. Her psychological journey is completed during the autopsy. Furthermore, one can draw interesting conclusions with regards to Lena's development by looking as how the colonel, a character that can be seen as the opposite of Lena, experience the landscape. In my opinion by focusing on landscape readers can gain a better understanding of this challenging and complex text. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Landskap met vroue en slang (1996), Lettie Viljoen se vyfde roman, verskil grondig van sy voorloper Karolina Feirrera, deurdat die roman eerder op die hoofkarakter se innerlike prosesse as 'n reeks uiterlike gebeure konsentreer. Dit, tesame met die fragmentariese aanbod en wye verwysingsvelde en intertekste wat deur die teks opgeroep word, het veroorsaak dat die roman deur verskeie resensente as moeilik, kompleks en uitdagend beskou is. Uit die titel en buiteblad van Landskap met vroue en slang is dit duidelik dat "landskap" in hierdie roman vooropgestel word. Volgens my bied die titel en buiteblad 'n oriëntasiepunt vir die leser: landskap speel nie net 'n belangrike rol in die roman nie, maar dien ook as sleutel om die teks te ontsluit. In hierdie ondersoek fokus ek op die funksie van landskap in die roman en probeer sodoende die teks vir die leser meer toeganklik maak. In byna al die resensies oor Landskap met vroue en slang, word gewys op die belangrike rol wat Nicolas Poussin, 'n sewentiende eeuse skilder, binne die roman speel. Op die buiteblad van die roman is 'n afbeelding van twee landskapskilderye deur Poussin. Die titel herinner ook aan een van Poussin se landskapskilderye, Landskap met twee vroue en 'n slang. Deur die sublieme landskapskilderye van Poussin te ondersoek, kan belangrike insigte ten opsigte van die hoofkarakter Lena Bergh se innerlike ontwikkeling verkry word. Behalwe die sublieme landskappe soos dit in Poussin se landskapskilderye voorkom, speel die gedomestikeerde landskap van tuine en parke en die liggaam as landskap ook 'n belangrike rol om die teks meer toeganklik te maak. Lena se ontwikkeling tydens haar psigiese reis word duidelik uitgebeeld in haar persepsie van en omgang met haar tuin terwyl sy in parke en begraafplase met inhoude uit haar verlede gekonfronteer word wat sy op hierdie psigiese reis moet deurwerk. Sy gebruik liggaammetafore om 'n beter begrip van en greep op die vreemde Natalse landskap te kry. Die omgekeerde vind egter ook plaas: Lena gebruik die landskap om 'n beter begrip van haar eie veranderende liggaam en seksualiteit te kry. Haar psigiese reis word voltrek deur haar konfrontasie met die liggaam as landskap tydens 'n lykskouing. Deur verder die landskapsbelewing van die kolonel te ondersoek, 'n karakter wat as keersky van Lena beskou kan word, kan insiggewende kommentaar op Lena se beskouing van die landskap en psigiese reis gelewer word. Deur die verskillende landskappe te ondersoek, kan die leser myns insiens 'n beter greep op hierdie uitdagende en komplekse teks kry.

Thesis (MA.(Afrikaans))-Universiteit van Pretoria, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Text in Afrikaans / In die proefskrif word gepoog om die Namibies-Afrikaanse literatuur wat gepubliseer is sedert die twintigerjare (met die verskyning van die eerste Afrikaanse gedigte in Afrikaanse koerante) tot met die onafhanklikwording van die land in Maart 1990, bymekaar te bring, en aan te toon hoe die land en al sy mense daarin na vore kom. Daar is hoofsaaklik gekonsentreer op werke wat by gevestigde Suid-Afrikaanse uitgewerye verskyn het. Altesaam 146 bundels prosa, 35 bundels poesie, twee dramas, en 46 gedigte wat in koerante en tydskrifte verskyn het, geskryf deur 92 skrywers en uitgegee deur 26 uitgewerye-, word in die proefskrif geidentifiseer en bespreek. Talle kenmerke van die land en sy mense vind neerslag in bogenoemde werke. Die meeste werke speel in die noorde van die land en die Namib-woestyn af, en die inheemse bevolkingsgroep wat die sterkste na vore kom, is die Boesmans; klem word veral geplaas op hul gewoontes en gebruike. Die hoofkarakters in die verhale is oorwegend plattelandse blanke boeremense. Die tipiese landsomstandighede sedert die einde van die vorige eeu, toe bloedige stamgevegte in die land gewoed het, tot en met die grensoorlog wat met onafhanklikwording beeindig is, word in die literatuur gereflekteer. Wat die invloed van die land op die mens betref, is dit die ontbering en lyding, maar veral die geestelike verryking wat die land die mens hied, wat na vore kom. In die algemeen openbaar die skrywers 'n oorweldigende positiewe gesindheid teenoor die land en sy mense, hoewel ander nuanserings van gesindheid ook voorkom / In this dissertation an attempt is made to bring together Namibian-Afrikaans literature published since the twenties (when the first Afrikaans poems appeared in the Afrikaans papers), until the independence of the country in March 1990, and to illustrate how the country and its people come to the fore as revealed in the literature. Stress is given mainly to works that were published by established South African publishers. A total of 146 anthologies of narrative prose, 35 anthologies of poetry, two dramatic works, and 46 poems which appeared in papers and periodicals, written by 92 authors and published by 26 publishers, are identified and discussed. Hundreds of features of the country and its people are revealed in the abovementioned literature. Most works take place in the northern regions and the Namib desert and the indigenous people that predominate are the Bushmen; stress is mainly laid on their customs and their habits. The main characters in the narratives are to a large extent white rural people. The literature reflects the typical political circumstances of the country since the end of the previous century when bloody tribal conflicts raged, until the border war that ended with independence. As far as the influence of the country on the people is concerned, it is mainly the hardships and suffering, but above all the spiritual enrichment that the country offered that are ascertained. In general the authors reveal an overwhelmingly positive attitude towards the country and its people / English Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Afrikaans)

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: At the start of the twentieth century Afrikaans humour was researched quite intensively. Since then, however, such research has been relatively sporadic and has concentrated on related sub-genres of humour, such as satire, irony and wit. This dissertation investigates anew the phenomenon of humour as manifested in Afrikaans short story texts, from the dual starting points of a current context and of the extensive theoretical studies done by other researchers worldwide. In the process, humour is viewed as a communicative strategy, a combination of codes which writers utilize within a specific socio-political context in order to create humorous effects and elicit resultant reactions from readers. One of the primary aims of this investigation into the codes and strategies employed by Afrikaans writers in the humorous short story genre, is to determine whether they coincide with universal tendencies or whether they have certain unique features. After a broad exposition of the historical background and of the evolution of the continually changing concept humour, attention is paid to theories regarding its nature and effect. The creative interaction between related modi, like comedy, satire, irony, wit, burlesque, travesty, parody, caricature, grotesque, absurd and black humour and their contribution to one's experience of humour are all researched. Initially, the Afrikaans humour-tradition is set against its historical background. Following this, a more detailed investigation considers strategies of humour selected from Afrikaans short story texts from 1884 to 2001. These are selected for their variety of types of humour and according to criteria relating to structure, style and convention. The major emphasis is placed on short stories of the past two decades, in an attempt to measure the era-relatedness of humour and the interaction with the prevailing socio-political context. These various stylistic strategies are contextualized in writers' deliberate attempts to create a humorous outcome. Along with generally universal characteristics - like the interaction of humorous and non-humorous texts, with time-bound trends (in common with other literatures) - it is concluded that the Afrikaans humorous short story is strongly ancho.ed both in relevance and contextuality. Humour remains a vibrant aspect of the Afrikaans short story and, by keeping this tradition alive, it also remains popular with the reading public. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Nadat daar aan die begin van die twintigste eeu betreklik intensiewe navorsing oor humor in Afrikaans gepubliseer is, het sedertdien slegs sporadiese studies verskyn oor verwante humormodi soos satire, ironie en geestigheid. Hierdie proefskrif wil gevolglik vanuit 'n huidige konteks, en na aanleiding van die uitgebreide teoretisering en navorsing elders ter wêreld, die verskynsel humor opnuut ondersoek, soos gemanifesteer in Afrikaanse kortverhaaltekste. Humor word in die proses benader as 'n kommunikatiewe strategie, 'n versameling kodes wat skrywers binne 'n bepaalde sosio-politieke konteks aanwend, met die oogmerk om humoristiese effekte te bewerkstellig en bepaalde reaksies by lesers uit te lok. Dié studie wil veral vasstel watter kodes en strategieë Afrikaanse humoristiese kortverhaalskrywers hierby gebruik, of dit ooreenstem met breë tendense elders of eie is aan Afrikaans. Na 'n oorsigtelike uiteensetting van die historiese grondslae en die evolusie van die steeds veranderende begrip humor, word aandag bestee aan teorieë oor die aard en effek daarvan. Die vrugbare interaksie tussen verwante modi soos die komedie, satire, ironie, geestigheid, die burleske, travestie, parodie, karikatuur, die groteske, die absurde en swart humor, asook die bydrae daarvan tot die humorbelewing, word vervolgens ondersoek. Die Afrikaanse humortradisie word eers oorsigtelik histories nagespeur, waarna nadere ondersoek ingestel word na humorstrategieë aan die hand van Afrikaanse kortverhaaltekste wat dateer van 1884 tot 2001, geselekteer op grond van sowel verskeidenheid met betrekking tot die tipe humor as kriteria soos struktuur, styl en konvensie. Die klem val op kortverhale uit die afgelope twee dekades, ten einde aspekte soos die tydgebondenheid van humor en die interaksie met die heersende sosiopolitieke konteks te probeer bepaal. Die verskillende stylstrategieë wat geïdentifiseer is, word in verband gebring met die skrywers se berekende opset om 'n humoristiese uitkoms te bewerkstellig. Naas meer universele kenmerke, soos die wisselwerking tussen humor en erns in dié tipe tekste en tydspesifieke neigings (in ooreenstemming met ander letterkundes), soos die toename in groteske en absurde tipe verhale, word bevind dat die Afrikaanse humor- en humoristiese verhaal sterk kontekstueel veranker is. Humor in die Afrikaanse kortverhaal word steeds op 'n lewenskragtige wyse beoefen deur skrywers en bly gewild by lesers.

Text in Afrikaans / In die proefskrif word gepoog om die Namibies-Afrikaanse literatuur wat gepubliseer is sedert die twintigerjare (met die verskyning van die eerste Afrikaanse gedigte in Afrikaanse koerante) tot met die onafhanklikwording van die land in Maart 1990, bymekaar te bring, en aan te toon hoe die land en al sy mense daarin na vore kom. Daar is hoofsaaklik gekonsentreer op werke wat by gevestigde Suid-Afrikaanse uitgewerye verskyn het. Altesaam 146 bundels prosa, 35 bundels poesie, twee dramas, en 46 gedigte wat in koerante en tydskrifte verskyn het, geskryf deur 92 skrywers en uitgegee deur 26 uitgewerye-, word in die proefskrif geidentifiseer en bespreek. Talle kenmerke van die land en sy mense vind neerslag in bogenoemde werke. Die meeste werke speel in die noorde van die land en die Namib-woestyn af, en die inheemse bevolkingsgroep wat die sterkste na vore kom, is die Boesmans; klem word veral geplaas op hul gewoontes en gebruike. Die hoofkarakters in die verhale is oorwegend plattelandse blanke boeremense. Die tipiese landsomstandighede sedert die einde van die vorige eeu, toe bloedige stamgevegte in die land gewoed het, tot en met die grensoorlog wat met onafhanklikwording beeindig is, word in die literatuur gereflekteer. Wat die invloed van die land op die mens betref, is dit die ontbering en lyding, maar veral die geestelike verryking wat die land die mens hied, wat na vore kom. In die algemeen openbaar die skrywers 'n oorweldigende positiewe gesindheid teenoor die land en sy mense, hoewel ander nuanserings van gesindheid ook voorkom / In this dissertation an attempt is made to bring together Namibian-Afrikaans literature published since the twenties (when the first Afrikaans poems appeared in the Afrikaans papers), until the independence of the country in March 1990, and to illustrate how the country and its people come to the fore as revealed in the literature. Stress is given mainly to works that were published by established South African publishers. A total of 146 anthologies of narrative prose, 35 anthologies of poetry, two dramatic works, and 46 poems which appeared in papers and periodicals, written by 92 authors and published by 26 publishers, are identified and discussed. Hundreds of features of the country and its people are revealed in the abovementioned literature. Most works take place in the northern regions and the Namib desert and the indigenous people that predominate are the Bushmen; stress is mainly laid on their customs and their habits. The main characters in the narratives are to a large extent white rural people. The literature reflects the typical political circumstances of the country since the end of the previous century when bloody tribal conflicts raged, until the border war that ended with independence. As far as the influence of the country on the people is concerned, it is mainly the hardships and suffering, but above all the spiritual enrichment that the country offered that are ascertained. In general the authors reveal an overwhelmingly positive attitude towards the country and its people / English Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Afrikaans)

D.Litt. et Phil. / Please refer to full text to view abstract.

Thesis (MA (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / In fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master in Afrikaans Creative Writing, the following has been submitted: (i) an assignment, titled Postcolonial Correspondence: resistance against or alliance with Colonialism, taking the form of an essay on the problematic surrounding the representation of the Other in postcolonial discourse; (ii) a volume of short prose, titled Tweespoor, wherein a representation of general human experiences within recognizable South African milieus was attempted.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation investigates the increase in Afrikaans novels set in the future at the time of publication in the period after 1999. The following seven Afrikaans futuristic novels were published in this time: Oemkontoe van die nasie (2001) by P.J. Haasbroek, Hotel Atlantis (2002) and Raka die roman (2005) by Koos Kombuis, Miskruier (2005) by Jaco Botha, Die nege kerse van Magriet (2006) by Barend P.J. Erasmus, Horrelpoot (2006) by Eben Venter and Wederkoms – Die lewe en geskiedenis van Jannes Hoop (2009) by Louis Krüger. These novels are discussed within the framework of dystopian literature since they all portray a future South Africa that is worse off than it was at the time of the novels’ publication. It is discussed whether the socio-political climate in South Africa after 1999 contributed to the increasing popularity of the dystopian genre in Afrikaans in this time. Dystopian literature in general comments on the present rather than the future. The social commentary in these novels is therefore also discussed. The following aspects of dystopian literature, as identified by critics such as Raffaella Baccolini, Fredric Jameson, Tom Moylan, Lyman Tower Sargent and Brian Stableford, is focused on in the analysis of the seven novels: the typical narrative in dystopian works; the distinction between the classical dystopia, critical dystopia and pseudo-dystopia; the connection between dystopian literature and apocalyptic literature, and common themes within dystopian literature (for example the control of language and the media, history and ecological issues). This dissertation highlights the similarities to as well as differences between the seven Afrikaans dystopian novels and typical dystopian works. It is also discussed how the context of a postcolonial and post-apartheid South Africa makes these novels unique. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif ondersoek die toename van Afrikaanse romans in die tydperk ná 1999 wat ten tyde van publikasie in ʼn toekomstige Suid-Afrika afspeel. Die volgende toekomsromans verskyn in hierdie tyd: P.J. Haasbroek se Oemkontoe van die nasie (2001), Hotel Atlantis (2002) en Raka die roman (2005) deur Koos Kombuis, Miskruier (2005) deur Jaco Botha, Eben Venter se Horrelpoot (2006), Die nege kerse van Magriet (2006) deur Barend P.J. Erasmus en Louis Krüger se Wederkoms – Die lewe en geskiedenis van Jannes Hoop (2009). Dié sewe romans word binne die raamwerk van distopiese literatuur bespreek omdat hulle voldoen aan Lyman Tower Sargent se definisie van ʼn literêre distopie: hulle beeld almal ʼn toekomstige Suid-Afrika uit waarin dit slegter gaan as die tyd waarin die romans gepubliseer is. Daar word ondersoek of die sosio-politiese konteks waarin die toekomsromans van ná 1999 verskyn, moontlik ʼn bydrae gelewer het tot die toename van hierdie tipe roman in die tydperk. Toekomsvoorstellings binne distopiese literatuur lewer dikwels eerder kommentaar op die tyd waarin die werke verskyn as op die toekoms. Daar word ondersoek of dit ook die geval is met die Afrikaanse distopiese toekomsromans van ná 1999. Na aanleiding van teorieë rondom distopiese literatuur deur kritici soos Raffaella Baccolini, Fredric Jameson, Tom Moylan, Lyman Tower Sargent en Brian Stableford word daar op die volgende aspekte van distopiese literatuur gefokus in die analise van die sewe romans: die handeling in tipiese distopiese werke; die onderskeid tussen die klassieke distopie, kritiese distopie en pseudo-distopie; die verband tussen apokaliptiese en distopiese literatuur en algemene temas binne distopiese literatuur (byvoorbeeld die beheer van die taal en media, die geskiedenis en ekologiese vraagstukke). In die bespreking word daar gewys op die ooreenkomste, maar ook die verskille, tussen die sewe Afrikaanse distopiese romans en tipiese distopiese werke. Daar word ook bespreek hoe die konteks van ʼn postkoloniale en postapartheid Suid-Afrika ʼn uniekheid verleen aan dié werke.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Two separate texts are submitted towards the degree MA in Kreatiewe Afrikaanse Skryfkunde. Firstly, a thesis with the title ‘’n Kritiese ondersoek na die Afrikanerbees as ideologiese kulturele fenomeen binne die konteks van Afrikanernasionalisme’, and secondly a novel titled Die nalatenis. The novel and the thesis are thematically related. The focus of the thesis is the ideological character of the Afrikaner cattle as a cultural phenomenon within the context of Afrikaner nationalism. The novel tells the story of a certain family’s fate and their special connection to the breeding of Afrikaner cattle in the Free State. Firstly I need to make it clear that the theme of this thesis was not lightly chosen, but that I do have a personal interest in the material. My uncle and aunt were well-know Afrikaner cattle breeders, each from families who have been renowned for their association with the stud breeding of these cattle for many generations. Since my aunt was an enthusiastic collector of family history, I have since childhood been familiar with the stories about certain family personalities and their love for their cattle. In my version of the stories, and my research on the subject, I wanted to explore the connection between this cattle breed and the Afrikaner culture. I aim to demythologize the histories to a certain extent and give a critical commentary on certain constructions of these histories. To examine these issues, J.B Thompson’s (1990) critical theory of ideology will be used as main theoretical tool. Thompson identifies certain ideological practices and strategies of symbolic construction through which relations of domination are established and sustained in the social world. These concepts will be used to examine the ideological character of the Afrikaner cattle breed as symbolic form and the strategies that were used to establish it as such. Through an analysis of a number of texts I will identify the different meanings and values that were associated with the Afrikaner cattle within the context of Afrikaner nationalism. I will aim to establish if and how these values served to sustain the relations of domination associated with Afrikaner nationalism. The novel tells the story of Ragel, ’n young photographer, who is her late uncle and aunt’s only heir. She inherits the farm and needs to decide what to do with it. She is also the last keeper of a family secret. She and her boyfriend are relocating to London and he has proposed to her. The news of her uncle’s death also triggers the pain of previous losses – especially her own mother traumatic death. Where she sits locked in her darkroom in this liminal state, the larger family saga is played out: the story of the patriarg Rooi Jakob, who blessed the wrong child; of Anna who had to flee during the war with her children and cattle; of Magriet who rejected her younger son and the resulting rivalry between the two brothers, Louis and Jakob; and of course the small love story of Beth and Louis, whose fateful relationship brought everything to a bitter end. The novel is based on the theory that a family photo album can also be a self-portrait in which one can (re)discover oneself. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Twee afsonderlike werkstukke word hier ingehandig ter verkryging van die graad MA in Kreatiewe Afrikaanse Skryfkunde. Eerstens, ’n tesis met die titel: “’n Kritiese ondersoek na die Afrikanerbees as ideologiese kulturele fenomeen binne die konteks van Afrikanernasionalisme”. Tweedens ’n roman getiteld Die nalatenis. Die roman en tesis hou tematies met mekaar verband. Die fokus van die navorsing is die ideologiese aard van die Afrikanerbees as gekontekstualiseerde fenomeen gedurende, en ná, die opkoms van Afrikanernasionalisme. Die roman handel oor ’n sekere familie se lot en spesiale verbintenis met die teel van Afrikanerbeeste in die Vrystaat. Ek wil dit graag aan die begin van die betoog stel dat die tematiek van die tesis nie lukraak gekies is as studie-onderwerp nie, maar dat ek ’n persoonlike belang het in die stof waarmee ek hier omgaan. My oom en tannie was bekende Afrikanerbeestelers, elk uit families wat vir geslagte reeds geassosieer is met die stoet teling van dié beesras. Aangesien my tannie ’n entoesiastiese versamelaar van die familiegeskiedenis was, is ek van kleins af bekend met vertellings oor sekere familiepersoonlikhede en hul liefde vir hul beeste. In my weergawe van die verhale, en navorsing oor die onderwerp, wou ek die besondere verhouding tussen dié beesras en die Afrikanerkultuur ondersoek. In hierdie tesis poog ek om die geskiedenis tot ’n mate te ontmitologiseer en kritiese kommentaar te lewer op sekere konstruksies daarvan. Vir dié ondersoek sal J.B Thompson (1990) se kritiese teorie oor ideologie as belangrikste teoretiese gereedskap gebruik word. Thompson identifiseer sekere ideologiese praktyke en strategieë van simboliese konstruksie waardeur magsverhoudinge in stand gehou word in die sosiale wêreld. Aan die hand hiervan sal daar ondersoek ingestel word na die ideologiese aard van die Afrikanerbees as simboliese vorm en die strategieë wat gebruik is om dit te vestig. Deur die analise van enkele tekste sal daar gekyk word na die verskillende betekeniswaardes wat binne die konteks van Afrikanernasionalisme aan die Afrikanerbees toegeken is. Daar sal vasgestel word of en hoe hierdie betekenisse kon dien om die magsverhoudinge wat Afrikanernasionalisme gekenmerk het, te konstrueer en te ondersteun. Die roman vertel die verhaal van Ragel, ’n effens labiele jong fotograaf, wat die enigste erfgenaam is van haar pas oorlede oom en tante. Sy erf die plaas en beeskuddes, en moet besluit wat sy daarmee sal doen. Sy is ook die laaste bewaarder van ’n familiegeheim. Sy en haar kêrel staan op die punt om na Londen te verhuis en hy het haar gevra om te trou. Die nuus van haar oom se dood, die laaste van haar familie, roep vir Ragel alle vorige verliese op – veral ook die traumatiese dood van haar ma. Waar Ragel toegesluit in haar donkerkamer in hierdie liminale toestand verkeer, speel ook die groter familieverhaal homself af: die verhaal van familievader Rooi Jakob wat die verkeerde kind geseën het; van Anna wat in die oorlog moes vlug met haar kinders en beeste; van Magriet wat haar jonger seun verwerp het en die gevolglike wedywering tussen die twee broers, Louis en Jakob; en dan natuurlik ook die klein liefdesgeskiedenis van Beth en Louis, ’n lotsverbintenis wat alles tot ’n bitter einde gevoer het. Die verhaal is gevorm op die teorie dat ’n familie-fotoalbum ook ’n soort selfportret kan wees waarin ’n mens jouself kan (her)ontdek.

Thesis (MA)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die eerste gedeelte van hierdie tesis is ʼn opstel met die titel Van plaas tot agterplaas: Die uitbeelding van Afrikaners in Johannesburg in drie Hertzogpryswenners en die tweede deel is ʼn roman getiteld ʼn Duisend stories oor Johannesburg. Die roman en die opstel hou tematies met mekaar verband. Soos die roman, speel al drie bekroonde werke in Johannesburg af met Afrikaners as sentrale karakters. Die bepaalde historiese konteks waarin elkeen van die drie pryswenners verskyn het, dikteer die invalshoek van die opstel, hoe die werk krities ontvang is, sowel as die rol en waarde wat deur die Afrikaner-instelling daaraan toegeken is. Daar sal verder in die bespreking getoon word watter rol die Hertzogprys in die skepping van die Afrikaner-instelling gespeel het. Die gebruik van die begrip en eienaam “Afrikaner” in hierdie bespreking verwys na die wit, Afrikaanssprekende, Christelike gemeenskap in Suid-Afrika, in die sin dat dit ooreenstem met die (uiters aanvegbare) stelling dat alle wit Afrikaanssprekers saamgevoeg kan word in ʼn organiese “volkseenheid”. Hierdie voorveronderstelling aanvaar ook dat hierdie “Afrikanerdom” tradisionele, konserwatiewe volkswaardes deel, en altyd beskikbaar is vir mobilisering ter wille van gedeelde Afrikaner-belange, soos deur Dan O‟Meara gedefinieer in sy Volkskapitalisme: Class, capital and ideology in the development of Afrikaner nationalism, 1934 – 1948 (1983:6). Hierdie kwessies word, onder meer, deur die polisisteemteorie van die Israeliese kultuurnavorser, Itamar Even-Zohar, asook J.B. Thompson se kritiese teorie van ideologie gedoen. Daar word ook na Jacques Rancière se teorie oor “die verspreiding van die waarneembare” (the distribution of the sensible) verwys. Daar word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die Hertzogprys van meet af aan in diens van die Afrikaner-instelling gestaan het en ten spyte van ʼn veranderende ideologiese landskap, ʼn voortgesette rol gespeel het in die daarstelling van die Afrikaner-repertoire. Binne die polisisteemteorie is die “repertoire” die versameling reëls en elemente wat die produksie van tekste bepaal. Die term “instelling” verwys na die faktore wat betrokke is by die instandhouding van die letterkunde as ʼn sosio-kulturele aktiwiteit. Die roman speel af in ʼn klein Johannesburgse hotelletjie, genaamd Mei Villa, in die buurt Belgravia, tydens ʼn uitbarsting van xenofobiese geweld in 2008. Binne ʼn raamverhaalstruktuur fokus die roman op twee karakters, naamlik die ontheemde argitek, Zweig van Niekerk, wat na 40 jaar na Johannesburg terugkeer, asook die hoteleienaar, die bekroonde maar mindere digter, Bosman Hiemstra. Omring deur hotelgaste en personeel met hulle uiteenlopende verhale, soek Zweig van Niekerk tevergeefs na die Johannesburg van sy jeug, terwyl Bosman Hiemstra met ewe min sukses ʼn tweede digbundel probeer skryf. Aan die einde van die boek begin die digter ʼn roman te skryf met sy gas se lewensverhaal as gegewe dalk ook die boek wat die leser pas klaar gelees het. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The first part of this thesis is an essay titled Van plaas tot agterplaas: Die uitbeelding van Afrikaners in Johannesburg in drie Hertzogpryswenners (From farm yard to back yard: The depiction of Afrikaners in Johannesburg in three Hertzog Prize winners) and the second part is a novel called ʼn Duisend stories oor Johannesburg (A thousand tales of Johannesburg). The novel and the essay are thematically linked. Like the novel, the three Hertzog Prize winners takes place in Johannesburg with Afrikaners as central characters. The point of departure of the essay is the historical context in which the three literary works were published, the critical reception thereof and what role and value was attributed to it by the Afrikaner institution. The role played by the Hertzog Prize in the creation of the Afrikaner institution will also be discussed. The term “Afrikaner” in this discussion refers to the white Afrikaans-speaking, Christian community in South Africa, in the sense that it correlates with the (highly debatable) contention that all white Afrikaans-speakers can be combined in an organic “volkseenheid”. This use of the term assumes that “Afrikanerdom” also shares traditional, conservative national values, and is always available for mobilisation in service of shared Afrikaner interests, as defined by Dan O'Meara in his Volkskapitalisme: Class, capital and ideology in the development of Afrikaner nationalism, 1934 – 1948 (1983:6). To examine these issues, the polysystem theory of the Israeli cultural researcher, Itamar Even-Zohar, as well as J.B. Thompson's critical theory of ideology, will be used. Reference is also made to Jacques Rancière's theory around “the distribution of the sensible”. The conclusion is reached that despite a continuously changing ideological landscape, the Hertzog Prize served the interests of the Afrikaner institution from the very start and played an ongoing role in the Afrikaner repertoire. Within the polysystem theory the “repertoire” is the aggregate of rules and elements which determine the production of texts. The term “institution” refers to the factors involved in the maintenance of literature as a socio-cultural activity. The novel is set in a small hotel, Mei Villa, in the Belgravia neighbourhood in Johannesburg during an outbreak of xenophobic violence in 2008. Within the story structure it focuses on two characters, the displaced architect, Zweig van Niekerk, who returns to Johannesburg after 40 years, and the hotel owner and award-winning, but lesser poet, Bosman Hiemstra. Surrounded by other hotel guests and staff with their own stories, Zweig van Niekerk searches in vain for the Johannesburg of his youth, while Bosman Hiemstra attempts with equal lack of success, to write a second book of poetry. At the end of the book the poet starts to write a novel using his guest's life as material; that could be the book that the reader has just completed.