Thursday, February 23, 2006

In my FYEC: How We Move People class wit hDr. Sheckels, we read books, speeches, and other important literature that helped form and start modern social movements. For everything we read Dr. Sheckels asks us to journel a reaction. These journals are a mix between diary and academic paper, and should reflect on the readings.

In this journal I discuss the first section of A Dry White Season, a novel by Andre Brink. I summarize the story so that I understand it better, and I compare a small part of it to a novel we read previously in FYEC.

In A Dry White Season, Andre Brink narrates the story of Ben Du Toit, a white schoolteacher living in Johannesburg, South Africa. Under the corrupt South African government, Ben’s friend Gordon Ngubene supposedly “commits suicide” while in prison. This book takes place in the 1960’s, while racism was widespread in South Africa and young people were demonstrating against the cruel government. When, Gordon’s son dies of “natural causes” after protesting and demonstrating in the streets of Johannesburg, Gordon dives into the case and begins investigating how his son really died. Just as Gordon gets close enough to unveil the truth, police take him into custody and kill him.
Andre Brink writes in a unique style throughout this book. Unlike a lot of contemporary writers who experiment with chronology, Brink unfolds this story like a court case, allowing the reader to investigate and speculate along with Gordon, and eventually with Ben. Unlike the previous book we read for this class, No Telephone to Heaven, Brink uses narration to show political upheaval. In No Telephone to Heaven, Michelle Cliff creates a swirl like pattern as she tells her story in order to illustrate the confusion that goes hand in hand with political disorder. Brink exemplifies political disorder just as effectively, by creating so many mysteries that he convinces the audience of the government’s dishonesty and inconsistency.
This is a very interesting story because it truly questions the motives of the South African government and calls for social movement. Books such as this create so much tension in society that the readers are forced to realize the truth behind the fiction and revolt against the oppressive government.

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