No description available.

The basic aim of this mini-dissertation is to apply the Levi-Straussian theory to the Setswana short story: 0 nkutlwe by R.M. Malope in order to determine the dynamism of binary oppositions in the structure of the story and relate these to the context of the Batswana community. The study is divided into four chapters. The objectives as well as the central problem are outlined and motivated in the first chapter. The second chapter deals with the theoretical concepts. An explanation of binary oppositions and a discussion of the Levi-Straussian theory with reference to the Tsimshian myth, The story of Asdiwal are provided. The third chapter concentrates on the structural analysis of 0 nkutlwe in the context of the Batswana community. The binary oppositions are identified in the essential aspects of the structure of the story on various levels (the geographic, economic, sociological and cosmological) according to LeviStrauss's theory. The theme of contrast between modern life and traditional life should not be misunderstood as an attack on modem life as such, but as an appeal to the Batswana community not to disregard their tradition. Chapter four is a summary of the main points of this study and conclusion. In 2:eneral it can be concluded that Levi-Strauss theory can be successfully applied to a reading of modem literature. / Thesis (MA (Tswana))--PU for CHE, 1998

The basic aim of this mini-dissertation is to apply the Levi-Straussian theory to the Setswana short story: 0 nkutlwe by R.M. Malope in order to determine the dynamism of binary oppositions in the structure of the story and relate these to the context of the Batswana community. The study is divided into four chapters. The objectives as well as the central problem are outlined and motivated in the first chapter. The second chapter deals with the theoretical concepts. An explanation of binary oppositions and a discussion of the Levi-Straussian theory with reference to the Tsimshian myth, The story of Asdiwal are provided. The third chapter concentrates on the structural analysis of 0 nkutlwe in the context of the Batswana community. The binary oppositions are identified in the essential aspects of the structure of the story on various levels (the geographic, economic, sociological and cosmological) according to LeviStrauss's theory. The theme of contrast between modern life and traditional life should not be misunderstood as an attack on modem life as such, but as an appeal to the Batswana community not to disregard their tradition. Chapter four is a summary of the main points of this study and conclusion. In 2:eneral it can be concluded that Levi-Strauss theory can be successfully applied to a reading of modem literature. / Thesis (MA (Tswana))--PU for CHE, 1998

Chapter One of this thesis investigates the growth and development of the Tswana short story. It commences with an evaluation of studies done on this genre and proceeds to a brief exposition of the Tswana short stories published prior to 1995. It also provides theoretical backgmund on the modern short story. The main focus of Chapter Two concerns the major themes explored in Tswana short stories. These include tradition and culture, love and marriage, the makgoweng motif, religion as well as corruption and other social problems. This thesis has discovered that the Tswana Miters not only criticise the negative aspects of these realities, but also recognise their significance and beauty. Chapter Three examines the organisational patte~ of the Tswana short story and tests it against the structural pattenl of the West. It is revealed that the Tswana short story, like short stories of other cultures, shows a continuous sequence of exposition, development and resolution. However, it occasionaHy deviates from the nonn and commences with philosophical commentaries and details irrelevant to the developmental phase. In structuring their stories, the Tswana writers also use flashback and foreshadowing to link their events. However, what has been discovered is that foreshadowing occurs less frequently than flashback in the Tswana short story. Chapter Four focusses on the word, the sentence and the paragraph and refers to other related clements such as repetition, rhetorical questions, proverbs, idioms and Biblical allusions. These elements serve to enhance the style of the Tswana short story and bring the readers into a dialogic relationship with their language and culture. Creative writing in Tswana illustrates a strong, dynamic relationship with oral tradition. Chapter Five shows how writers have cirawn from the wealth of their traditional and cultural heritage original and wlique devices to improve their works of art. The threads of oral tradition that reveal themselves in the Tswana short story pertain to the organisation of material, characterisation, setting, style and language as well as narrative perspective. In Chapter Six the findings of the earlier chapters are highlighted and recommendations for future research are outlined. / African Languages / D.Litt. et Phil.(African Languages)

Ghosts and Lovers is a collection of short stories told from the points-of-view of four related characters. Travis is a bisexual restaurant owner who fears commitment and longs for the idealistic version of love that he remembers from his past. Ezra, his boyfriend, is an artist struggling to accept the inherent imperfections of life. Travis's ex-girlfriend, Beth, attempts to come to terms with the life that she has chosen for herself. Her husband, Richard, deals with feelings of helplessness as he watches the events of his life unfold before him. By depicting the events of the story from multiple perspectives, the collection attempts to create a more objective view of reality than is ordinarily possible in fiction. An introductory preface examines the role of unreliable narrators and how reality is presented in fiction.

"Distance" and Other Stories is a collection of four short stories and a novella that explore the themes of isolation and personal revelation. The dissertation opens with a preface which describes my background as a writer and the forces that shape my work, including science fiction, technology and the internet, cultural marginalization, and Joseph Campbell's hero's motif.

N/A

This thesis contains five short stories, each narrated by a character with a psychological disorder. The disorders represented are as follows: alcohol use disorder, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, phobic disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. Research was conducted in two parts: (1) study of psychological texts including peer reviewed articles and case studies and (2) study of literary works including memoirs and novels. The author aims to use storytelling to humanize and therefore generate empathy for those with mental illnesses.

“Daffodils” is a collection of three fictional short stories without obvious thematic connection, yet all containing tenacious female characters. “The Winner” is told from the unflinching voice of a young wife in her struggle for control within the newfound environment of a Massachusetts boarding school. “The Seers” is a dystopian story, taking place in a world with months of “Sun” and months of dark at a time, intimately describing the effects of this phenomenon upon the civilization. Lastly, “Plastic Flowers” examines the loss of love and comfort within a relationship, depicting the insecurities of young adult life in New York City. The three stories vary in perspective, tense, genre, and setting, which allowed me to experiment broadly within fictional short story writing. An in depth introduction describing my process and inspiration for writing is included. Please enjoy!

The term ‘snap’ can be defined as breaking under tension as well as a sudden sharp noise. Both definitions lend themselves to the content of this short story collection and its theme of self-realization (the awakening from an illusionary self-identity or ego). Snap is a progression of stories that revolves around waking up. Novels such as Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing, and Paul Auster’s The New York Trilogy have all examined the issue of finding identity through a breaking of the protagonist. In each case, the protagonists come to a point where they completely separate themselves from their identity, and thus are able to see themselves from a new perspective. Snap further explores the issue of finding identity. However, unlike many postmodern predecessors it tries to give answers. The collection reveals that while we are individuals engaged in an internal struggle we are also connected to one another.