-c, ·;4,;_;« ~3,0;).Ql~"') CHANGING SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN ENGLISH NOVEL AFTER WORLD WAR II, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PETER ABRAHAMS, ALAN PATON, ES'KIA MPHAHLELE AND NADINE GORDIMER by Karin Ilona Mary Paasche Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the subject ENGLISH at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA Supervisor: Dr D.W. Lloyd Joint Supervisor: Prof. E. Pereira PRETORIA November 1992 CONTENTS Page SUMMARY PREFACE 11 INTRODUCTION 1 Chapter l: THE SOUTH AFRICAN ENGLISH NOVEL 13 BEFORE WORLD WAR II: The Emergence of Predominant themes in South African English Fiction Chapter 2: PETER ABRAHAMS: Exile and Freedom 31 Chapter 3: ALAN PATON: The Liberal Dilemma - 51 before and after 1948 Chapter 4: ES'KIA MPHAHLELE: A Protest Writer 71 Returns from Exile Chapter 5: NADINE GORDIMER: The Alienated 91 Liberal Chapter 6: THE END OF AN ERA or THE BEGINNING 113 OF A NEW ONE? SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 124 INDEX OF AUTHORS 136 SUMMARY The changing social consciousness in South Africa during the twentieth century falls within a political-historical framework of events: amongst others, World Wars I and II; the institution of the Apartheid Laws in 1948; the declaration of a South African Republic in 1960; Nelson Mandela's release in 1992. The literary social consciousness of Abrahams, Paton, Mphahlele and Gordimer spans the time before and after 1948. Their novels reflect the changing reality of a country whose racial and social problems both pre-date and will outlive the apartheid ideology. These and other novelists' changing social consciousness is an indication of the development of attitudes and reactions to issues which have their roots in the human and in the economic spheres, as well as in the political, cultural and religious. Their work interprets the history and the change in the South African social consciousness, and also gives some indication of a possible future vision. _, - PREFACE Objectivity is one of the chief criteria of academic integrity and discipline. However, as individuals we are shaped by our life experiences and our own personal beliefs and philosophies. While we should not allow these unduly to affect our academic perceptions, they give our contribution to research its unique character. Thus, this thesis was written from the perspective of one who has tried hard to understand the complexity, tragedy and challenge of the South African situation, and whose heart has often echoed Guy Butler's 'A Prayer for all my Countrymen': ... dear God, ordain such deeds be done, such words be said, that men will praise Your image yet when all these terrors and hates are dead •.. Born a white South African of German parents, I have at various times been part of the English, Afrikaans, 'Coloured', Venda, Zulu, Xhosa and urban black communities. Not only have I lived within these different communities, I also have deep personal and family ties within each of them. This has given me a 'different' perspective on life. It has, however, also often made it very difficult for me to 'define' myself. While I am in a very real sense a member of each of these societies, and each has. become part of my being, I do not belong to any of them. I have, consequently, often felt torn apart in my own person by the conflict that separates them from one another. My reading of South African literature and its critics has, further, largely been determined by my own 'radical' Christian view of life. This approach sees in what is happening in South Africa a marvellous challenge, an opportunity for all of us to help create a society which will be able to acknowledge its common humanity, yet celebrate its diversity. Such an outlook presupposes, however, that it will only be possible to meet this challenge if we accept that in the eyes of God none of us is guiltless. We somehow all stand condemned by our words and actions and, at times, by our inability or unwillingness to act. My -ii- personal conviction, that there is none amongst us who is 'without sin', that we all share responsibility for the present situation, has determined my own definition of objectivity and makes it difficult for me to support any particular ideology. I have, furthermore, had to accept my own guilt, to acknowledge that I too have often remained silent, and have been neither loving nor compassionate, not merely because 'the situation' was too big for me, but because I could find many good reasons why I should not speak out, and, perhaps, because I preferred not to give up my privileged position. This thesis is an attempt to comprehend some of the things that have hurt and separated us. It is written in the hope that there will come a day of real reconciliation, love and understanding, not just a superficial truce. While the thesis touches on deeply emotional issues, it attempts not to be judgemental. It is part of an endeavour to understand and thereby help bring about a therapeutic process in which we can really look at ourselves and each other and try to put right what is wrong. ************ This MA thesis is dedicated to all those who have prayed for and with me. My special thanks go to the English Department of the University of South Africa, and in particular to Professor Ernest Pereira. A special word of thanks and appreciation is due to Dr David Lloyd who has always made himself available, who has given more than was asked of him, and who has accompanied me through the very difficult process of putting my thoughts and feelings on paper. Then there is a special word of thanks to people who in a particular way have been present during the writing of this thesis: Maureen Williams and Baba Nxala, faithful prayer partners through many years; Sandra Lee, Natacha LaGuardia and Carol Miele, loving friends and fellow pilgrims; Father Franz Baumann, a beloved friend and mentor, whose daily prayers and Masses have accompanied me through -iii- both dark and joyful days; Msgr. Walter Niebrzydowski who has been present as I stumble toward my own changing consciousness, who has refused to let me give up, and who once reminded me that God hears 'the cry of the poor', and it is up to us, as individuals and as collectivities to respond with generosity and love. My own thoughts and feelings towards a troubled South Africa are best summed up by the words of Peter Scagnelli, a prayer I hope will become real for each one of us: Daylight fades in days when deathless Light has robbed earth's night of fear On the edge of all our twilights Easter's angels shall appear; When hearts broken by believing count their faith and hope as dead, Christ shall meet them in each other and in breaking of the bread. Wondrous mystery of love's giving! Our forgiving Father's Son. Crushed in sorrow, raised to glory, Death had conquered; life has won! Once in silence he submitted, Now earth sings to him, our King; Fear will ever flee defeated When a heart in love can sing! 0 Lord Jesus, risen Saviour, Hear our joyful hymn of praise; Grant a season of salvation, Peace and joy these Easter days, To our Father and the Spirit Equal praises ever be; Born again, we sing his goodness Now and through eternity. -ill· INTRODUCTION There is today in the world a general desire for a literature which could penetrate with its beam deep into the tangled jungle of our time (Lukacs1: 1972:19). Even at a time when the dramatic events in South Africa are catching the imagination of so many people worldwide, the South African situation with its multitude of conflicts seems to defy all attempts at definition. Thus, as the world watches the struggle taking place in South African society, more and more people in and outside the country are looking to South African English literature to make some sense of a situation characterised by anomalies which only the very naive and simplistic would define merely in terms of a cause and effect relationship vis-a-vis current political reality. Through the novel of social purpose, the four novelists discussed here have, in their own way, committed themselves to dealing with conflicts and contradictions inherent in South African society2. Often their perception has been severely limited by a South African reality which 'effectively prevents any real identification of the writer with his society as a whole' (Gordimer: 1976:11~. Yet the social realism each has aspired to, in some way 'offers a clear and graspable conception of the relationship between individuals and their society' (Gakwandi: 1977:127). In their writing they have attempted to meet one of the most important criteria of the novel of social purpose: the reading public's need 'to deal with ad hoc issues' (Partridge: 1956:59), and the wish of individuals to define and understand themselves within their social reality. The nature of their subject material, one of its primary concerns being inter-racial relationships in South Africa, defines these novelists as social critics rather than simply as entertainers. Consequently, their works will, inevitably, be 'treated retrospectively as social or literary "documents"' (Gross: 1980:vii). H, however, their novels are also to be viewed as part of a body of literature relevant beyond the immediate social context, they should 'challenge the whole of mankind' (Sartre: 1974:26) and not become mere vehicles for political or other propaganda which, like reportage or documentary and statistical evidence, is more suited to sociological treatises.