Die miskruier, hoop en die verlede? Miskruier (2005) deur Jaco Botha as kritiese distopiese roman
Date
2013-12
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LitNet
Abstract
In hierdie artikel word daar geargumenteer dat Miskruier (2005) deur Jaco Botha hoofsaaklik as ’n kritiese distopie beskou kan word as gevolg van die wyse waarop die verlede hanteer word in die roman. Volgens Baccolini (2003:116) speel die herwinning van die geskiedenis ’n deurslaggewende rol in sowel die narratiewe struktuur van die kritiese distopie as die protagonis se missie. Die hoofkarakter, die joernalis Braam Fourie, beland in die moeilikheid oor ’n artikel wat in die koerant waarvoor hy werk, verskyn. Wanneer twee lede van die veiligheidspolisie by sy huis inbreek, skiet Braam hulle dood. Hy word gedwing om te vlug en word uiteindelik in hegtenis geneem. Voor, maar veral ook tydens sy vlug, dink Braam onderskeidelik terug aan sy kinderjare en aan sy studentejare. Die herinneringe aan sy kinderjare is dikwels nostalgies van aard en dien gewoonlik as ’n ontvlugtingsmeganisme. Deur die loop van die roman begin hy egter sy kennis van die verlede te gebruik om sin binne die distopie te skep. Miskruier speel hoofsaaklik in drie ruimtes af: Johannesburg, Seepunt in die Kaap en die Nuwe Overbergse Sentrum vir Rehabilitasie naby Swellendam. Die ruimte van die stad en tronk funksioneer op verskillende wyses as distopiese ruimtes. In die roman word dié ruimtes gekoppel aan Suid-Afrika se apartheids- en koloniale verlede. In die bespreking word daar gewys dat die verwysings na Braam se persoonlike verlede, asook die Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedenis, in die roman kenmerkend is van die kritiese distopie. Die element van hoop binne die kritiese distopie word versterk deur die beeld van die miskruier in die roman, wat in die Egiptiese mitologie dui op vernuwing en hergeboorte.
Jaco Botha’s Miskruier (Dung beetle) (2005) is one of seven Afrikaans novels published from 2001 to 2009 which depict a dystopian future South Africa. The other six novels are: Oemkontoe van die nasie (Umkhonto of the nation) (2001) by P.J. Haasbroek, Hotel Atlantis (2002) and Raka die roman (Raka the novel, 2005, by Koos Kombuis, Horrelpoot (2006; English version Trencherman, 2008), by Eben Venter, Die nege kerse van Magriet (The nine candles of Magriet) (2006) by Barend P.J. Erasmus and Wederkoms – Die lewe en geskiedenis van Jannes Hoop (The second coming – The life and times of Jannes Hoop) (2009) by Louis Krüger. This paper explores Miskruier as a critical dystopian text. Sargent (quoted in Baccolini and Moylan 2003:7) defines the critical dystopia as a dystopia which contains at least one utopian enclave or the hope that the dystopia can be replaced by a utopia. Baccolini (2003) identifies the use of the past, history, and memory as central themes in critical dystopian literature. These themes relate to issues such as the acceptance of responsibility and reconciliation. In critical dystopian literature the recovery of history and the past is often linked to the narrative structure of the novel, as well as to the protagonist’s mission. According to Baccolini (2003:116), in the critical dystopia “history is central and necessary for the development of resistance and the maintenance of hope, even when it is a dystopian history that is remembered”. In the classical dystopia, on the other hand, the recovery of the past is characterised by nostalgia and historical amnesia. It is not acknowledged that the dystopian future is a result of past actions (Baccolini 2006:113–34).
Jaco Botha’s Miskruier (Dung beetle) (2005) is one of seven Afrikaans novels published from 2001 to 2009 which depict a dystopian future South Africa. The other six novels are: Oemkontoe van die nasie (Umkhonto of the nation) (2001) by P.J. Haasbroek, Hotel Atlantis (2002) and Raka die roman (Raka the novel, 2005, by Koos Kombuis, Horrelpoot (2006; English version Trencherman, 2008), by Eben Venter, Die nege kerse van Magriet (The nine candles of Magriet) (2006) by Barend P.J. Erasmus and Wederkoms – Die lewe en geskiedenis van Jannes Hoop (The second coming – The life and times of Jannes Hoop) (2009) by Louis Krüger. This paper explores Miskruier as a critical dystopian text. Sargent (quoted in Baccolini and Moylan 2003:7) defines the critical dystopia as a dystopia which contains at least one utopian enclave or the hope that the dystopia can be replaced by a utopia. Baccolini (2003) identifies the use of the past, history, and memory as central themes in critical dystopian literature. These themes relate to issues such as the acceptance of responsibility and reconciliation. In critical dystopian literature the recovery of history and the past is often linked to the narrative structure of the novel, as well as to the protagonist’s mission. According to Baccolini (2003:116), in the critical dystopia “history is central and necessary for the development of resistance and the maintenance of hope, even when it is a dystopian history that is remembered”. In the classical dystopia, on the other hand, the recovery of the past is characterised by nostalgia and historical amnesia. It is not acknowledged that the dystopian future is a result of past actions (Baccolini 2006:113–34).
Description
CITATION: Barendse, J.-M. 2013. Die miskruier, hoop en die verlede? Miskruier (2005) deur Jaco Botha as kritiese distopiese roman. LitNet Akademies, 10(3):232-255.
The original publication is available at http://www.litnet.co.za
The original publication is available at http://www.litnet.co.za
Keywords
Afrikaans dystopian literature, Dystopias in literature, Afrikaans literature -- History and criticism, Botha, Jaco, 1972-
Citation
Barendse, J.-M. 2013. Die miskruier, hoop en die verlede? Miskruier (2005) deur Jaco Botha as kritiese distopiese roman. LitNet Akademies, 10(3):232-255.