Abstract:
When reading Henning J. Pieterse’s work the reader is confronted by a
sombre central theme, that of loss. Loss manifests itself in different ways in
his oeuvre, but the most notable forms of loss are as result of the ending of a
love affair or death. A second noticeable theme in Pieterse’s work is art and
artistry, specifically the creative writing process.
In my opinion these themes are most evident in his 1998 collection of short
stories Omdat ons alles is (Because we are everything). The main premise in
this collection of short stories is the suicide of the beloved wife and the
accompanying feelings of loss and grief. The male characters in these stories
struggle with processing and accepting loss - loss due the suicide of a
beloved wife or due to the ending of a relationship. Various attempts are
made to forget the loss and to numb the pain. The characters turn to alcohol,
drugs and sex as ways of trying to work through or process the loss, but these
methods only bring temporary relief. These self-destructive methods op
escapism are contrasted with the constructive act of writing. At the same time
the journey to psychic recovery and the processing of trauma becomes a
creative journey. By expressing trauma through writing about wounding
experiences there is striven to process it. The processing of trauma by means
of literary narratives is often extremely exhausting and distressing. In the act
of writing about trauma, painful memories that are repressed in the psyche
are brought to the surface.
In this thesis Omdat ons alles is is viewed from a therapeutic perspective to
establish whether the act of writing plays a part in the processing of trauma.
Narrative therapy is concerned with the finding of words and language to
communicate trauma by creating a story in which the meaning and coherence
that trauma destroys, can be recaptured. Trauma destroys the meaning and
coherence of a life story and leaves the individual powerless and confused,
but by finding words to communicate trauma, there is a positive movement in
the direction of dealing with and accepting loss. In Omdat ons alles is Pieterse
maps the journey of working through loss and trauma, but in these stories it is
also emphasised that this journey is by no means a joyride. In the end it
seems that the act of writing does play a part in the processing of trauma, but
to which extent, remains an open question.
