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Writing, reading ... reconciliation? : the role of literature in post-apartheid South Africa

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Socially responsible writing has been a feature of South African literature for many
years. Under apartheid, many novels dealt with apartheid, as it was one of the main
features of our social landscape. The end of apartheid did not however bring about the
end of a need for socially responsible writing. South Africa is still faced with many
problems, one of which is reconciliation. This thesis investigates whether
reconciliation may have become a new theme in South African novels, and whether
these novels could playa role in assisting the process of reconciliation in the country.
For this purpose, three South African works are analysed, namely Country of My
Skull by Antjie Krog, Smell of Apples by Mark Behr and Disgrace by J .M. Coetzee.
The introduction attempts to explain the psychological discourse surrounding
reconciliation, especially Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and parallels that
may exists. The main body presents detailed readings of the three works, with the
focus being on the presentation of reconciliation in the works, and the role that the
individual works could play in assisting the reader in coming to terms with his or her
feelings of guilt. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vir baie jare was apartheid die onderwerp van baie Suid Afrikaanse skrywers
aangesien dit die mees problematiese element van Suid Afrikaanse samelewing was.
Die einde van apartheid het egter nie die einde van alle probleme beteken nie. Een
van die belangrike probleme is versoening. Hierdie tesis ondersoek die moontlikheid
dat versoening die nuwe tema in Suid Afrikaanse letterkunde geword het en ofhierdie
werke 'n bydrae kan lewer tot werklike versoening. Vir hierdie doel word drie werke
behandel, naamlik Country of My Skull deur Antjie Krog, Smell of Apples deur Mark
Behr en Disgrace deur J .M. Coetzee.
Die inleiding poog om die sielkundige diskoers om versoening te verduidelik, veral
rondom posttraumatiese stres, en die ooreenkomste wat mag voorkom. Die hoofdeel
van die tesis bestaan uit 'n diepgaande bespreking van die drie werke, met die fokus
op versoening in die werk, maar ook die rol wat die werke kan speel om die leser deur
sy ofhaar skuld gevoelens te help.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53228
Date12 1900
CreatorsBonthuys, Eugene
ContributorsHeyns, M. W., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences . Dept. of English.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format68 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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