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[Truncated abstract] This thesis makes three assertions. The first is that the sublime is a principal pleasure of science fiction. The second is that the conditions for the emergence of both the sublime and science fiction lie in the modern developments of technology, mass economy and imperialism. Maritime and optical technologies; the imagination that accompanied imperialism; and the influence of capitalism furnished the cognition by which the pleasures of both science fiction and the sublime came into being. The third claim is that a historical conception of the sublime, one that changes according to the different circumstances in which it appears, offers privileged insights onto changes within the genre. To make such extensive claims it has been necessary to make a cognitive map of the development of both the sublime and science fiction. This map reaches from the Ancient Romans, Lucian and Longinus; to Thomas More, Jonathan Swift, Johannes Kepler, Voltaire and Immanuel Kant; to Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. This thesis then examines how the features of these fictions mutate in the twentieth-century fiction of A.E. van Vogt, Clifford Simak, Philip K. Dick, Arthur C. Clarke, Ivan Yefremov, the Strugatsky brothers, J.G. Ballard, Pamela Zoline, Ursula Le Guin, Vonda McIntyre, Octavia Butler, Kim Stanley Robinson, Stephen Baxter, William Gibson, Ken MacLeod and Stanislaw Lem. These writers are considered in their own specific periods, and in their national contexts, as they create pleasures that are contingent upon changes to their own worlds. In representing these changes, their fictions defamiliarise the anxieties of the reading subject. They transcend the contradictions of their times with a sublime that betrays its own conditions of transcendence. The deployment of the sublime in these texts offers a moment of critical possibility, as it betrays the fantasies born of a subject's relation to their world

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The main objective of this study is to explore the literariness in JRL Rafapa's novels published between 1979-1991. This study was prompted by views of literary scholars who claim that post-0.K. Matsepe writers such as Rafapa were all influenced by Matsepe's writings to such an extent that they actually emulate his themes, settings, characters, plots and so on. This kind of emulation is said to have put the Northern Sotho Novel in a cul-de-sac. The modus operandi in this study is as follows: Chapter one deals with the aim of study, critical comments on the post-Matsepe writers, biographical sketch on Rafapa, literary approaches and method as well as the scope. The second chapter concentrates on the relationship between the writer and characters as his creations. It also deals with conventional character stereotypes such as the hero, the opponent and the supporter. Narrative strategies such as self-display or exteriorization, the narrative voice and the creation of an autobiographical narrative are also looked into. Chapter three explores Rafapa's themes. The main themes discussed are: social decay, madness and vengeance, as well as protest and conflict. We conclude the chapter by examining Rafapa's titles. Chapter four focuses closely on "place" and "time" in Rafapa's novels. The two mentioned aspects of setting are discussed separately according to: place as a space of action and place as acting space. convoluted time and chronological time. The chapter ends with a brief discussion of the functions of setting. Rafapa's idiolect is dealt with in chapter five. Here, we consider the word as the writer's main tool of communication. The use of words in different types of sentences as well as in various types of paragraphs come into focus. Chapter six looks into Rafapa's use of non-prose forms such as the interior monologue, the dialogue and the praise poems as the writer's means of extending meaning. Chapter seven is the recapitulation of the main findings in the thesis. It also touches on aspects which may form bases for future research. It is followed by a bibliography and an Appendix. / African Languages / D.Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

The aim of this research is to investigate the nature and development of the detective narrative in Northern Sotho from its beginnings in the 1960s up to its present level in the 1990s. . Due to the peculiarities of each text under study, different literary approaches, viz. Marxism, Feminism and lntertextuality have been utilized in an attempt at getting the best out of each text. The basic requirements of a detective narrative as legislated by the Detective Club in Britain and Ronald Knox have been used as a scale on which to weigh this product in Northern Sotho. The study investigates also how the detective narrative in Northern Sotho reflects the social history of the society out of which it originates. The differences in the texts of the 1970s with those of the 1990s is highlighted and the accurate way in which they are mirrors of the socio-political developments is revealed. The study finally reveals the achievements and failures of writers of this genre in Northern Sotho. Different areas which need research by future scholars are suggested. By way of conclusion the most important observation made is the need of being guided by a text under discussion whenever a literary approach is to be chosen. Also, more of vmodern literary approaches need to be experimented on in relation with African literature written in indigenous African languages so as to assist in finally deciding upon the need of a home-brewed approach. / African Languages / D.Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

In this dissertation the rights of women are investigated with special reference to Monyaise's novel, Bogosi Kupe. The description is based on the theory offeminism and womanism. Among those scholars who have discussed theories on feminism are Ashworth (1995), Lovenduski and Randall (1993), Ryan and Van Zyl (1992), Besley and Moore (1989), Nosizwe Mrwebi (1996) and Phindile Xaba (1999). Among those who have advanced theories on womanism are Alice Walker and Chekwenye Okonjo Ogunyemi (1997), Cannon (1995), Lovenduski and Randall (1993), Collins (1990) and Jones e.a. (1994). The main aim of the dissertation is to investigate the two narratologicallevels of the novel, Bogosi Kupe, namely content and plot structure, with special attention to the rights of women. Furthermore, the concept of feminism is discussed as the movement that fights for the rights of women. In this investigation the two concept to define and to interpret are also examined. Furthermore, the examination follows the adapted narratological model of theorists such as Mojalefa and Groenewald. In terms of this model, a literary text operates on three levels: content level, plot level and style level. Bogosi Kupe is discussed within the framework of this adapted narratological model, with the focus being on the first two levels, namely, content level and plot level. The concept topic is highly significant with regard to the content level because it links the events of the content level, coherently. In Monyaise's text, Bogosi Kupe, the topic has been identified as exhorting or inspiring women to fight for their rights. This topic determines the relationship between all the events on the content level. On the plot level, the theme is strongly emphasised as the most important component of the plot structure because it also links the events of the plot level coherently. The events in Bogosi Kupe are arranged and linked by means of specific techniques to highlight the author’s intention. Title, as an element of plot level is also investigated as it plays a significant role in making the reader aware of the distinguishing name of the literary text and also in enunciating the type of the literary text. Another component which is also considered as vitally important when analysing plot structure, is the design which is the framework in which the story is rooted. Furthermore, design has been described as having two parts which determine plot structure of a particular literary text so that the message is highlighted by the theme and thus well disclosed to the reader. In that way, design in the text can be discussed as having two special functions which are firstly, to identify the type of literary work and secondly to examine characterization. It has been observed that Bogosi Kupe, also falls within the category of womanism because it reflects certain features of womanism. F our phases of the plot, namely exposition, development, climax and denouement have also been examined as the pillars of literary text. In the exposition phase, the first conflict is discussed in terms of the technique of fore shadowing to highlight the rights of women for which Matlhodi strives for. The events, in the development phase are arranged and linked by means of nineteen techniques to form a unit. In the climax phase, Monyaise uses three techniques namely, flashback, frequency and contrast, to highlight the power of modernism in contrast to traditionalism. In the denouement phase, the author uses three basic techniques namely, frequency, elision and symbol to reflect the dawn of civilization and the fading out of tradition. Monyaise concludes Bogosi Kupe with an important occasion in which characters celebrate the advent of civilization. These events are also arranged and linked by means of three basic techniques which are related to the theme of this novel. / Dissertation (MA (Setswana))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / African Languages / unrestricted

Although it is generally acknowledged that Puritanism has been a major influence in Canadian society, little has been done to trace that influence in the literature. It is the aim of this thesis to discuss the place of Puritanism within some of the best Canadian prairie fiction. The broadly historical approach is avoided in order to make possible a detailed study of a few significant novels. Five novelists were .chosen for consideration: Arthur Stringer, Robert J. C. Stead, Martha Ostenso, Frederick Philip Grove, and Sinclair Ross. Three novels by Arthur Stringer, The Prairie Wife, The Prairie Mother, and The Prairie Child, are included because together they form one complete work, and three by Frederick Philip Grove, Settlers of the Marsh, Our Daily Bread, and Fruits of the Earth, because of his relatively large output of significant fiction. Only one novel by each of the other novelists is discussed: Robert J. C. Stead's Grain, Martha Ostenso's Wild Geese, and Sinclair Ross's As For Me and My House. The selection of the novelists was governed by a desire to examine only fiction worthy of critical examination and yet to represent as many attitudes towards Puritanism as possible. Arthur Stringer, the least important in terms of artistic achievement, is included because of his attempt to replace Puritanism with the American myth of innocence. Robert J. C. Stead and Martha Ostenso represent, respectively, the extremes of acceptance and rejection. Frederick Philip Grove, a more complicated figure, accepts many of the Puritan values, but points to the breakdown of those values' in the society. Sinclair Ross presents the most comprehensive and articulate description of Puritanism. Although he is critical of it, and, like Grove, sees the weakening of its hold on the society, he is nevertheless able to maintain a positive attitude towards it. The Introduction states the need for a comparative and thematic approach to Canadian literature and suggests some of the pre-suppositions of this study. In order that the main emphasis be placed on the literature, the definition of Puritanism is given within the discussion of the specific works under consideration. Canadian Puritanism is obviously not the same as the original Puritanism of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, but neither is it simply the rigid and narrow-minded morality which represents the worst form of its later historical development. It is best approached with an awareness of both its original form and its later perversions. The five main chapters are devoted to separate studies of the five novelists. The emphasis is placed on the attitudes towards Puritanism reflected in the novels. For each novel, the major themes are examined, a discussion of symbolism and imagery is included whenever possible, and comparisons with the other novels are made where relevant. The Conclusion draws more specific comparisons and defines more fully the three themes common to all the novels: the problem of man's relationship with the soil, the problem of woman, and the problem of authority. The land, like the Puritan God, is the arbitrary master, controlling the seasons and the outcome of the crops, and demanding obedience and co-operation of man. The rigorous nature of farm life and the need for children encourages the Puritan attitude that the proper role of woman is that of a hard working wife and mother father than that of an intellectual or sexual companion. Because the farm is an independent and self-sufficient unit, the main authority figure is the father, and because the work is so time-consuming the father often becomes, to his family, as aloof and arbitrary as the Puritan God. Prairie Puritanism may appear inordinately harsh, but the harshness is the result of the Puritan's awareness of sin which, forces him to face his situation realistically. Any realization of love and forgiveness, when it comes, is achieved after all the facts have been faced and the temptation to romanticize has been resisted. With the movement away from the land and the gradual improvement in working conditions, the characteristic themes and settings of prairie life, and with them, the explicit Puritan doctrines may disappear, but it is to be hoped that the tough-minded and realistic approach to life which is basic to Puritanism, will not be lost. / Arts, Faculty of / English, Department of / Graduate

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