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The representation of water in selected Southern African fiction
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2024
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| _version_ | 1867613907010453504 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Mbingo, Seluliwe Felicia |
| author2 | Steiner, Tina |
| author_browse | Mbingo, Seluliwe Felicia Steiner, Tina |
| author_facet | Steiner, Tina Mbingo, Seluliwe Felicia |
| author_sort | Mbingo, Seluliwe Felicia |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/130198 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:35.721Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publishDateRange | 2024 |
| publishDateSort | 2024 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/130198 The representation of water in selected Southern African fiction Mbingo, Seluliwe Felicia Steiner, Tina Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of English. Water in literature Water -- Symbolic aspects Memory in literature Southern African fiction (English) -- Women authors -- History and criticism Jayes, Karen -- Criticism and interpretation Head, Bessie, 1937-1986 -- Criticism and interpretation Christiansë, Yvette -- Criticism and interpretation Metaphor in literature UCTD Colonial violence Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Water, in all its forms, is essential to human life. This thesis offers a study of the representation of water in selected novels from Southern Africa, namely Bessie Head When Rain Clouds Gather (1969), Karen Jayes For the Mercy of Water (2012) and Unconfessed: A novel (2007) by Yvette Christiansë. The thesis explores the trope of water in these selected texts and highlights how water in its absence and abundance represents fundamental human experiences, while in a political discourse it represents inequality and dispossession, frequently as a response to colonial violence. I analyze both the material reality of the element of water as well as its metaphorical meanings as depicted in the three narratives. I argue that the representation of water articulates the intricate traits of water as it affects social and ecological concerns. In my exploration of water, I adopt the idea of water as a literary device which enables dialogues across different times, cultures, and contexts. I focus in particular on the way in which characters experience the presence or absence of water. I am interested in the context in which water or bodies of water appear and how this is used to represent social realities as well as abstract qualities. The three main chapters focus on how human nature is connected and reliant on watery resources of nature. Through close reading of the selected novels in each chapter, the discussions within this study involves a selective emphasis on how the narratives explore human nature and the theme of water. The watery reading of texts invites us to explore the interaction of the political, social, and ecological frame. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Water, in al sy vorme, is noodsaaklik vir menslike lewe. Hierdie tesis bied 'n studie van die voorstelling van water in geselekteerde romans uit Suider-Afrika, naamlik Bessie Head se When Rain Clouds Gather (1969), Karen Jayes se For the Mercy of Water (2012) en Unconfessed: A novel (2007) deur Yvette Christiansë. Die tesis verken die watertroop in hierdie geselekteerde tekste en beklemtoon hoe water in sy afwesigheid en oorvloed fundamentele menslike ervarings verteenwoordig, terwyl dit in 'n politieke diskoers ongelykheid en ontneming verteenwoordig, dikwels as 'n reaksie op koloniale geweld. Ek ontleed beide die materiële werklikheid van die element water sowel as die metaforiese betekenisse daarvan soos uitgebeeld in die drie narratiewe. Ek argumenteer dat die voorstelling van water die ingewikkelde eienskappe van water artikuleer soos dit sosiale en ekologiese bekommernisse raak. In my verkenning van water neem ek die idee van water aan as 'n literêre instrument wat dialoë oor verskillende tye, kulture en kontekste moontlik maak; ek fokus veral op die manier waarop karakters die aan- of afwesigheid van water ervaar. Ek stel belang in die konteks waarin water of waterliggame voorkom en hoe dit gebruik word om sosiale realiteite sowel as abstrakte kwaliteite voor te stel. Die drie primêre hoofstukke fokus op hoe die menslike natuur verbind is en afhanklik is van waterige hulpbronne van die natuur. Deur die geselekteerde romans in elke hoofstuk noukeurig te lees, behels die besprekings binne hierdie studie 'n selektiewe klem op hoe die narratiewe die menslike natuur en watertema verken. Die waterige lees van tekste nooi ons om die interaksie van die politieke, sosiale en ekologiese raamwerk te verken. Masters 2024-02-19T14:05:20Z 2024-04-26T08:52:40Z 2024-02-19T14:05:20Z 2024-04-26T08:52:40Z 2024-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130198 en Stellenbosch University v, 88 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Water in literature Water -- Symbolic aspects Memory in literature Southern African fiction (English) -- Women authors -- History and criticism Jayes, Karen -- Criticism and interpretation Head, Bessie, 1937-1986 -- Criticism and interpretation Christiansë, Yvette -- Criticism and interpretation Metaphor in literature UCTD Colonial violence Mbingo, Seluliwe Felicia The representation of water in selected Southern African fiction |
| title | The representation of water in selected Southern African fiction |
| title_full | The representation of water in selected Southern African fiction |
| title_fullStr | The representation of water in selected Southern African fiction |
| title_full_unstemmed | The representation of water in selected Southern African fiction |
| title_short | The representation of water in selected Southern African fiction |
| title_sort | representation of water in selected southern african fiction |
| topic | Water in literature Water -- Symbolic aspects Memory in literature Southern African fiction (English) -- Women authors -- History and criticism Jayes, Karen -- Criticism and interpretation Head, Bessie, 1937-1986 -- Criticism and interpretation Christiansë, Yvette -- Criticism and interpretation Metaphor in literature UCTD Colonial violence |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130198 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mbingoseluliwefelicia therepresentationofwaterinselectedsouthernafricanfiction AT mbingoseluliwefelicia representationofwaterinselectedsouthernafricanfiction |