Determinism, Fate, and Tragedy in Alex la Guma’s Fiction
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This book explores from the lenses of Naturalism, New Historicism and Social Marxism, the intrinsic link between the chronotope (time and space) of Alex La Guma’s characters and their tragic fate: hence the principle of determinism. The author scrutinizes the time and space of Alex La Guma’s five novels, the corpus of his study, to lay emphasis on the socioeconomic and political message conveyed by the various images about the environment and to highlight the socioeconomic, moral and psycological impact of his repressive and degrading environment of Blacks. The study has noted that despite the many efforts of La Guma’s characters, their tragic end could be predicted, due to the fact that they are not equipped to keep under control the unseen and huge forces at play in their environment.
A native of Togo, West Africa, Dr. Kokouvi Mawulé d’Almeida, is a PhD holder in African Literature. He is currently a Senior Lecturer at Université de Lomé-Togo. His areas of research interests include: Literary Theory, Setting and Characterization, Language and Style in Fiction, Culture and the Creative Imagination, and Women in African Literature.
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Dedication …………………………………………………………….. vii
Acknowledgements …………………………………………………… viii
Introduction …………………………………………………………….. 1
PART ONE: DETERMINISTIC DIMENSION OF THE
CHRONOTOPE IN LA GUMA’S FICTION . . . . . . . . 13
CHAPTER I: Socio-Economic Chronotope of La Guma’s Fiction . . . 15
1.1 Physical Environment and the Social Conditions
of La Guma’s Characters ……………………………………… 16
1.2 Occupational Chronotope of La Guma’s Characters …………. 33
CHAPTER II: P o l i t i c a l C h r o n o t o p e o f L a G u m a ’ s F i c t i o n . . 39
2.1 Political Reality in La Guma’s Fiction ………………………… 39
2.2 Political Chronotope of Verbal and Physical Violence ……….. 49
CHAPTER III:
Impact of the Chronotope on the Development
of La Guma’s Characters ……………………… 55
3.1 Social Impact …………………………………………………. 55
3.2 Psychological Impact …………………………………………. 62
3.3 Moral Impact ………………………………………………… 77
PART TWO: TRAGIC FATE OF LA GUMA’S
CHARACTERS …………………………………….. 81
CHAPTER IV:
Bewailing One’s Fate and Making
Apartheid Survive ……………………………. 83
4.1. Problem of Lack of Political Awareness ……………………… 83
4.2. Fear for Suffering and Death ……………………………….. 102
CHAPTER V:
Fighting Against One’s Fate and
Challenging Apartheid ……………………… 113
5.1. Importance of Education and Unity………………………… 113
5.2. Importance of Courage and Determination ………………… 126
CHAPTER VI: T r a g i c E n d o f L a G u m a ’ s C h a r a c t e r s . . . . . . . . . 1 4 1
6.1. Tragic End of Apartheid Bewailers …………………………. 141
6.2. Tragic End of Apartheid Resisters ………………………….. 151
Conclusion …………………………………………………… 163
Bibliography and Webliography ………………………….. 171