Themes and Symbols

Within the Bildungsroman The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay there are many reoccurring symbolism and themes in order to have a common thread throughout the novel. There are many ideas and references throughout the book that help appeal to the reader and allow them to make links and further understand the text.  Ideas and symbols such as the three waterfalls, the loneliness birds and the swastika frequently make appearances in the book as well as literary references such as to the Bible and Christianity as well as to the story of Alice in Wonderland.

The three waterfalls made its first appearance in chapter one where the Inkosi-Inkosikazi came to Peekay’s farming home after he returned home for the holidays at boarding school. Peekay had been suffering from bedwetting and his nanny called on the Chief of Chiefs to cure Peekay of his ‘night water’. The Inkosi-Inkosikazi showed Peekay the dreamtime world where he had to jump into the 3 waterfalls and then across 10 stones. This became a reoccurring theme throughout the book, Peekay going back to the place when things really mattered. The Inkosi-Inkosikazi became a type of role model for Peekay through this dreamtime and as Peekay develops so does the dream, formulating to link with his life. When Doc died Peekay had gone into this dreamtime state and the dream turned its way into informing Peekay of his death and further changing into more of a positive dream as Peekay comes to terms with the passing of his dear friend and mentor.

Another symbol was the loneliness birds which started to come about when Granpa Chook died and when Peekay was being severely bullied by the Judge. This showed the beginning of the power of one, the idea of being lonely because you are different but as Peekay learnt to cope with life the loneliness birds became less of his life, and stopped laying stone eggs inside him, referring to the troubles that would get Peekay down, but still symbolised that he was alone. This symbol comes about a few times in the book but instead of the birds being there but not laying stone eggs, at the end of the book the loneliness birds have disappeared, indicating that Peekay had fully come to the power of one.

The swastika, the symbol of the Nazi party, had many meanings throughout history. To some it meant good luck, to others it referred to the good to come, more people saw it as a representation of power and the Nazis saw it is a symbol of their struggle. In the book it makes its first appearance in the second chapter after the boarders come back from holidays. It was tattooed to the Judges arm and Peekay saw this as a symbol for the revenge towards his ‘hatless snake’, Peekay thinking it looked like “…blue lines which crossed at the centre like two headless snakes wriggling across each other”(Courtenay 1989, page 26). The Judge most likely saw this as a sign of power and a commitment to Hitler. Many of the Boers originated for Germany and the English obviously from England so although South Africa was in line with the Allies the Boers often tended to lean to the German side because of the hatred towards the English, transferring into their children.

The Bible and Christianity are referred to throughout the book, first in not such a mocking way, when appearing in the first chapter when quoting “visited upon the sons, unto the third generation”.  This was not a mocking but a quote to show the truth of the situation, however as the book develops and Peekay becomes more independent and less naive he realises, in his own mind, that the idea of Christianity is pathetic. Although this is not what we as Christians believe, this is portrayed in the book and shown through the way Pastor Mulvery only uses parts of the Bible to appeal to his idea, taking much out of context. This shows that Peekay viewed the idea of Christianity very cynically and possibly because of the upbringing he had, being bullied and struggling to survive and also because he was only exposed to one, and a very strange one at that, denomination. This reference to the Bible and Christianity therefore shows the development of Peekay, although bad, and shows his growing independence.

Alice in Wonderland appears with the names of Dee and Dum, the servants in Peekay’s home and also refers to the rose garden in his Barberton home as something from ­Alice in Wonderland. This is not the only reference to fairy tales though, Peekay thinking that the Crystal Cave of Africa felt like something out of a fairy tale. By doing this Courtenay is appealing to the magic in the rest of the book, the idea of Inkosi-Inkosikazi, the Tadpole Angel and the idea of African Osmosis where the African tribes know something has happened before it was possible for them to know. This is even shown in Peekay when after his boxing match with Gideon Mandoma he knows that Doc had died, confirming that he was missing a few hours later when he received a call from Mrs. Boxall.

Symbols and themes often develop and become a thread throughout a book; this is clearly evident through the bildungsroman The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. Through the idea of the waterfalls it shows Peekay develops because of a role model, the loneliness birds showing he uses the advice he receives and becomes an independent man and the swastika showing that there will always be those who seek power and revenge but in the right mind set even the smallest of people can overcome the trouble and let small beat big. The references to other literature further develop the story, allowing the appeal of magic and help to show the development of the main character who grows, though in our eyes the wrong way, into a independent man.