Loss of identity and racial melancholy in Nadine Gordimer's burger's daughter and Zakes MDA's The Madonna of excelsior
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Date
2018
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
Loss of identity and racial melancholy are essential in a postcolonial Namibia; the feeling of not belonging is brought to the fore in this study. This thesis is an exploration of racial melancholy and loss of identity in Zakes Mda’s, The Madonna of Excelsior (2002) and Nadine
Gordimer’s Burger’s Daughter (1979). The main aim of the research is to examine, discuss and explore how the two concepts are presented in the two novels under investigation. The study is a desktop study, as the researcher was not in the field to collect data. All the data was collected from the written texts and was guided by the research objectives. The researcher purposively selected the two novels, so the purposive sampling technique was used. The study used a
qualitative research approach. This approach was essential as it deals with written information and making judgement from the texts. The critical race theory and Erikson’s theory of human development were employed in this study. The critical race theory was vital as it states that racism is engrained in the fabric of postcolonial societies (Delgado and Stefancic, 2012). The Erikson theory of human development asserts that, for human beings to develop fully, they encounter different hindrances in the course of their lives (O’Brien, 2010). The findings suggest that there are severe issues lead to loss of identity and racial melancholy. Loss of identity and racial melancholy are exacerbated by racism, apartheid, cultural and linguistic identity. Loss of identity and racial melancholy thrive in a racially segregated environment where there is an abuse of power. The study also contributed to the field of knowledge on contemporary postcolonial studies, which has proven a valuable reference device to students, politicians, and academics studying African and Namibian literature.
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in English Studies
Keywords
Loss of identity, Racial melancholy