Masters Degrees (Afrikaans and Dutch)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Afrikaans and Dutch) by Subject "Abjection in literature"

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    Abjeksie in MS Burger se Bloedfamilie (2012) en Seuns wat weet (kortverhaalbundel)
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-12) Botha, Frederick Johannes; Schaffer, Alfred, 1973-; Anker, Willem; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Afrikaans and Dutch.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In fulfilment of the degree of Magister in Creative Writing, a mini-thesis is presented with the title, “Abjeksie in MS Burger se Bloedfamilie (2012)” (“Abjection in MS Burger’s Bloedfamilie (Blood Family)”). This research topic was decided upon during the writing of Seuns wat weet (Boys who know), a collection of short stories in which the abject play a prominent role. The mini-thesis points out the close interplay between the individual stories in MS Burger’s Bloedfamilie, which not only creates unity in the collection, but also places the text within the genre of the short story cycle. This genre is briefly defined, after which coherence markers such as the single protagonist, recurring characters, and continuous motifs are pointed out. However, it is the theme of abjection in Bloedfamilie that forms the focus of this mini-thesis. Julia Kristeva’s (1982) authoritative abject theory is outlined, followed by an exploration of the way in which abjection functions in the literature (Booker, 1991; Bousset, 2004; Arya, 2014). Kristeva’s view that abjection contributes to the process of creating identity is taken as point of departure for the textual analysis of Bloedfamilie where abjection is investigated on the basis of the following aspects: the bodily, the sexual, illness, rebellion against the mother, and violence. Apart from the fact that the abject portrayal of these aspects enables the first-person protagonist to establish her identity, it is also used in a moralistic manner to deploy the moral bankruptcy of orders and systems such as religion, family, and tradition, and to comment on issues such as gender inequality and rights. Seuns wat weet is a short story cycle in which Frikkie acts as first-person protagonist, with character development taking place from his childhood through to adulthood. Although the fifteen stories in the collection function individually, they form a greater coherence when they are read as part of a cycle, by showing Frikkie’s emotional development more clearly. The fifteen stories explore themes such as family, religion, culture, violence and (gay) sexuality, and how these aspects have a formative influence on Frikkie’s identity.
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    Die abjekte held in Steppenwolf, Fight Club en a Whistling Woman : Kielhaal (roman)
    (Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2006-03) Kapp, T. P.; Van Niekerk, Marlene; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Afrikaans and Dutch.
    In fulfilment of the degree of Magister in Creative Writing: Afrikaans, a novel titled Kielhaal (Keelhaul) is presented in which the main character figures as an abject hero. It is accompanied by a formal essay titled “Die abjekte held in Steppenwolf, Fight Club en A Whistling Woman” (“The abject hero in Steppenwolf, Fight Club and A Whistling Woman”). The essay researches the application of the abject hero in literary texts.