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Postcolonial minoritarian characters : transformative strategies for re-mediating raced marginalisation in South African English fiction
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2022
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| _version_ | 1867614135508795392 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Misbach, Abdul Waghied |
| author2 | Murray, Sally-Ann |
| author_browse | Misbach, Abdul Waghied Murray, Sally-Ann |
| author_facet | Murray, Sally-Ann Misbach, Abdul Waghied |
| author_sort | Misbach, Abdul Waghied |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/124535 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:47:13.687Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/124535 Postcolonial minoritarian characters : transformative strategies for re-mediating raced marginalisation in South African English fiction Misbach, Abdul Waghied Murray, Sally-Ann Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of English. Time will tell -- Criticism and interpretation Literary transformative strategies Postcolonial creative writing South African fiction (English) -- Criticism and interpretation UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation consists of a research component titled “Speak, Love” and a creative component, the original novel Time Will Tell. The research essay is informed by strategic postcolonial imperatives and explores selected literary transformative strategies for remediating raced and related marginalisations to advance a social justice agenda. In adopting a minoritarian theoretical approach to fiction writing, it engages with silences of race, gender, belief and class. The creative manuscript, Time Will Tell, adopts certain narrative devices (among them the counterfactual, satirical and fabulist) to narrow the distance between minority and dominant ideologies. The research component emphasises a humanistic thinking that seeks to develop affinity, rather than divisions, between cultures, much like Goethe’s idea of Weltliteratur, or World Literature. The research draws on postcolonial ideas in an attempt to understand and dissect the manner in which certain canonical texts in English, including those of J.M. Coetzee, continue to effect social divisions rather than encourage unity. The study offers original insight that (in an approach not yet seen in Coetzee scholarship), argues for a clear link between Disgrace and Chaim Potok’s 1975 novel In the Beginning, whose protagonist is also named David Lurie. In my doctoral novel manuscript, I suggest that the much-lauded Coetzee harbours Orientalist and Islamophobic tendencies, supported and promoted by influential members of the academy and publishing. My discussion demonstrates, additionally via the novels of other authors, how deep-rooted prejudicial attitudes have sedimented, even among seemingly progressive thinkers and publishers. The creative part of the dissertation, Time Will Tell, employs absurdist and fabulist narrative devices to comment on the state of South African society, with the ‘reawakening’ of various historical figures into a tense, divided nation marked by malevolent machinations and counter-strategising. My main characters include Nelson Mandela (renamed Atallah in an allusion to Shakespeare’s Othello), Will (a version of William Shakespeare and The Tempest’s Prospero), Zarqa (a figuration of Sycorax and the mythical Arabian prophetess Zarqa Al-Yamamah), and Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd (renamed Henry Farwood). We also have Adolf Hitler (renamed Adi Hiedler), and Leni Riefenstahl (renamed Hélène Stahl). The primary inspiration for my novel is Timur Vermes’ Look Who’s Back (2014), a popular work which reanimates Adolf Hitler as a mass media celebrity in contemporary Germany. Through what might at first appear a preposterous premise (as in the Vermes novel), my narrative uses satirically layered storytelling methods to prompt trenchant questions about such issues as economic exploitation, systemic racism, and entrenched historical privilege. My novel reminds us, as scholars Heynders and Bax have noted, of the efficacy of a “provocative realist setting” which may serve “as an obvious imaginary construct” in order to give a narrative “an innovative specific urgency” via a premise that “critiques actual events and concerns”. One of the dissertation’s key research questions expressed in the novel is the reimagining of canonical works (combining homage and critique) from the perspective of minor, marginalised characters. I effect this through a literary-imaginative disrupting of received Historical Truths and inherited (life) stories. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif bestaan uit ʼn navorsingskomponent met die titel “Speak, Love” en ʼn kreatiewe komponent, die oorspronklike roman Time Will Tell. Die navorsingsopstel word ingelig deur strategiese postkoloniale imperatiewe en ondersoek geselekteerde literêre transformerende strategieë vir die herstel van rasse en verwante marginalisering om ʼn agenda vir sosiale geregtigheid te bevorder. By die aanvaarding van ʼn minoritêre teoretiese benadering tot fiksieskryf, gaan dit oor stilte van ras, geslag, geloof en klas. Die kreatiewe manuskrip, Time Will Tell, gebruik sekere narratiewe metodes (waaronder die kontrafaktuele, satiriese en fabulistiese) om die afstand tussen minderheid en dominante ideologieë te verklein. Die navorsingskomponent beklemtoon ʼn humanistiese denke wat affiniteit, eerder as verdeeldheid, tussen kulture wil ontwikkel, net soos Goethe se idee van Weltliteratur, of Wêreldliteratuur. Die navorsing maak gebruik van postkoloniale idees in ʼn poging om die manier waarop sekere kanonieke tekste in Engels, insluitend die van J.M. Coetzee, die sosiale verdeeldheid te bewerkstellig eerder as om eenheid aan te moedig, te verstaan en te ontleed. Die studie bied oorspronklike insig wat (in ʼn benadering wat nog nie in die Coetzee-beurs gesien is nie) argumenteer vir ʼn duidelike verband tussen Disgrace en Chaim Potok se roman In the Beginning van 1975, wie se protagonis ook David Lurie genoem is. In my doktorale manuskrip stel ek voor dat die baie geprysde Coetzee Oriëntalistiese en Islamofobiese neigings bevat, ondersteun en bevorder deur invloedryke lede van die akademie en uitgewery. My bespreking demonstreer, ook via die romans van ander skrywers, hoe diepgewortelde vooroordeel houdings neersak het, selfs onder oënskynlik progressiewe denkers en uitgewers. Die kreatiewe deel van die proefskrif, Time Will Tell, gebruik absurdistiese en fabulistiese narratiewe instrumente om kommentaar te lewer op die toestand van die SuidAfrikaanse samelewing, met die ‘herontwaking’ van verskillende historiese figure in ʼn gespanne, verdeelde nasie wat gekenmerk word deur kwaadwillige verwikkelinge en teenstrategisering. My hoofkarakters sluit in Nelson Mandela (herdoop tot Atallah in ʼn toespeling op Shakespeare’s se Othello), Will (ʼn weergawe van William Shakespeare en die karakter Prosper van The Tempest), Zarqa (ʼn beeld van Sycorax en die mitiese sewende eeu Arabiese profetes Zarqa Al-Yamamah), en Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd (herdoop tot Henry Farwood). Ons het ook Adolf Hitler (herdoop tot Adi Hiedler) en Leni Riefenstahl (herdoop tot Hélène Stahl). Die primêre inspirasie vir my roman is Timur Vermes se Look Who’s Back (2014), ’n gewilde werk wat Adolf Hitler hernu as ʼn beroemdheid in die massamedia in die hedendaagse Duitsland. Deur wat aanvanklik ʼn belaglike uitgangspunt sou wees (soos in die Vermes roman), gebruik my narratief satiries gelaagde verhaalmetodes om dringende vrae te stel oor kwessies soos ekonomiese uitbuiting, sistemiese rassisme en gevestigde historiese voorreg. My roman herinner ons, soos geleerdes Heynders en Bax opgemerk het, aan die doeltreffendheid van ʼn “uitdagende realistiese toonsetting” wat “as ʼn voor die hand liggende denkbeeldige konstruksie” kan dien om ʼn narratief “ʼn innoverende spesifieke dringendheid” te gee deur ʼn veronderstelling dat “kritiseer werklike gebeure en bekommernisse”. Een van die belangrikste navorsingsvrae van die verhandeling wat in die roman tot uiting kom, is die herbeeld van kanonieke werke (wat hulde en kritiek kombineer) vanuit die perspektief van klein, gemarginaliseerde karakters. Ek bewerkstellig dit deur ʼn literêrverbeeldingryke ontwrigting van ontvangde Historiese Waarhede en oorerflike (lewens) verhale. Doctoral 2022-03-01T19:05:59Z 2022-04-29T09:18:32Z 2022-03-01T19:05:59Z 2022-04-29T09:18:32Z 2022-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/124535 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 228 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Time will tell -- Criticism and interpretation Literary transformative strategies Postcolonial creative writing South African fiction (English) -- Criticism and interpretation UCTD Misbach, Abdul Waghied Postcolonial minoritarian characters : transformative strategies for re-mediating raced marginalisation in South African English fiction |
| title | Postcolonial minoritarian characters : transformative strategies for re-mediating raced marginalisation in South African English fiction |
| title_full | Postcolonial minoritarian characters : transformative strategies for re-mediating raced marginalisation in South African English fiction |
| title_fullStr | Postcolonial minoritarian characters : transformative strategies for re-mediating raced marginalisation in South African English fiction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Postcolonial minoritarian characters : transformative strategies for re-mediating raced marginalisation in South African English fiction |
| title_short | Postcolonial minoritarian characters : transformative strategies for re-mediating raced marginalisation in South African English fiction |
| title_sort | postcolonial minoritarian characters transformative strategies for re mediating raced marginalisation in south african english fiction |
| topic | Time will tell -- Criticism and interpretation Literary transformative strategies Postcolonial creative writing South African fiction (English) -- Criticism and interpretation UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/124535 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT misbachabdulwaghied postcolonialminoritariancharacterstransformativestrategiesforremediatingracedmarginalisationinsouthafricanenglishfiction |