Koloniale en postkoloniale ontmoetings : representasie en identiteit in die romans Eilande (Dan Sleigh) en Pelican Bay (Nelleke Noordervliet)

[摘要] This study investigates the way in which the representation of history and of theother coheres with the construction of the identity of the characters in Eilande(2002) by Dan Sleigh and Pelican Bay (2002) by Nelleke Noordervliet. Initially theresearch contextualises the authors and their novels by means of a shortbiographical introduction on the two authors and their different oeuvre's, as well asan outline of the reception history of the two chosen postcolonial novels. Thetheoretical background which follows, gives a review on postcolonial literature ingeneral and, more specific, in the Netherlands and South Africa respectively.Different perspectives on representation of the history and the representation of theother are provided, with specific attention to the relationship between hybridity,syncretism and identity.These theoretical insights form the basis for the analysis of the two novels, wherethe relationships and differences between these two postcolonial texts arehighlighted. The conclusion is that Eilande and Pelican Bay could be seen as, firstlypostcolonial, as both novels provide criticism on the colonial order in different waysand, secondly, were published during a period which followed the colonial era.Hybridity is an important term in this study, with reference to the forming ofidentity of some of the prominent characters. The conclusion is that the termdynamic cultural hybridity could be used in discussions about postcolonial mixedidentities. Although both novels use techniques to give a voice to voiceless marginalsubjects, shortcomings in their portrayal as fully-fledged characters do, however,exist. Both novels also have as an ultimate objective to prove that it is impossibleto know history and the other and that no one truth exists. The motif of islandswhich appears frequently in both novels is related to aspects like identity, exile andalienation. In conclusion it is not only apparent how strongly the differentcharacters in the novels are formed by their socio-historical contexts, but also fromthe approach of the authors in their contemporary criticism on oppressing systemslike the VOC and/or slavery.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University