In 2011, Lily Herne published Deadlands, the first in her series of Mall Rats zombie novels for young adults. Deadlands was followed by Death of a Saint (2012) and Army of the Left (2013). The novels ...are set ten years after the zombie apocalypse, referred to as the 'War' by the characters, which took place during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament in South Africa. The novels should be read within the context of a resurgence of zombie fiction in the USA and Europe after 2000. Described by Lauren Beukes as 'teen-fighting-zombie-fun', Herne's novels have all the makings of zombie fiction in global popular culture. In Herne's depiction of a South African zombie apocalypse, though, the zombies - except for the threat of contagion - are not the real enemy. They are pawns in a power struggle between the human survivors of the apocalypse and the Guardians, mysterious figures who seem to have appeared out of nowhere after the apocalypse. The way in which politics, power and witchcraft are intertwined in Herne's novels can therefore also be linked to the zombie discourse in postcolonial South Africa. Here, I explore whether Herne expresses a specific view in her novels on the role of authority in contemporary society.
Representations of the Boer in French youth literature duringthe Anglo Boer War Representations of the “other” or alterity are to a large extent influenced by the historical context of the onlooker. ...When this historical context changes, it often happens that the representation of the “other” is adapted accordingly. This article provides a short overview of the way in which French representations of the Boers in youth novels written before the Anglo-Boer War differ from youth novels about the war. Before the war the Boer is described as a Dutch descendant living in utmost, almost barbaric, simplicity. When the Anglo- Boer War breaks out, the Boer becomes an alter ego for the French who indirectly continue the French struggle against the British. This article discusses the way in which the French adapt their representation of the Boers in order for young French readers to identify with the Boers.
Voorstellings van die "ander" of die "vreemde" word grootliks beïnvloed deur die voorsteller se eie historiese konteks. Wanneer hierdie konteks verander, gebeur dit dikwels dat die voorstelling van ...die "ander" ook aangepas word by hierdie veranderings. Hierdie artikel kyk kortliks hoedat die Franse voorstellings van die Boere verskil in jeugromans wat vóór die Anglo-Boereoorlog geskryf is van jeugromans wat oor die Anglo-Boereoorlog handel. Vóór die oorlog word die Boer as 'n Nederlandse afstammeling beskryf wat byna agterlik en in uiterste eenvoud leef. Wanneer die Anglo-Boereoorlog uitbreek, word die Boer egter 'n soort alter ego vir die Franse wat indirek Frankryk se stryd teen die Britte voortsit. Hierdie artikel bespreek die manier waarop die Franse hulle voorstelling van die Boere aanpas sodat jong Franse lesers met die Boere kan identifiseer. Representations of the Boer in French youth literature during the Anglo Boer War Representations of the "other" or alterity are to a large extent influenced by the historical context of the onlooker. When this historical context changes, it often happens that the representation of the "other" is adapted accordingly. This article provides a short overview of the way in which French representations of the Boers in youth novels written before the Anglo-Boer War differ from youth novels about the war. Before the war the Boer is described as a Dutch descendant living in utmost, almost barbaric, simplicity. When the Anglo-Boer War breaks out, the Boer becomes an alter ego for the French who indirectly continue the French struggle against the British. This article discusses the way in which the French adapt their representation of the Boers in order for young French readers to identify with the Boers.
Starting from Mikhail Bakhtin's and Yuri Lotman's theoretical postulates of space in an art work, the paper investigates the chronotope of school in the contemporary Serbian novel for children. The ...introductory part of the paper presents a review of prevailing attitudes of literary theoreticians towards space in prose works. In the central part of the paper the chronotope is seen as a meeting place for diverse populations and the initiator of the plot. The function of the prom was pointed out. The final part gives a review of the fabular, summary and chronotopic features of the novel. The corpus of investigation consists of the following novels: Miroslava Mihajlov Cerović's Schoolyard, Vladan Zec's The diary of one staff room, Boško Lomović's The theft of a mobile phone in class 7 B and Dragutin Beg's A party in school and Milutin Đuričković's: Twins and Friday the 13th.
Rannamaa's youth novel duology Kadri (1959) and Stepmother (1963), set from mid-1950s to 1961, has retained its appeal across generations in Estonia. This article discusses the novels as a ...postcolonial Bildungsroman, analyzing the tangle of divergent and often contradictory strands inflecting the socio-political, cultural, and literary phenomena and interconnections operative at the time of their writing. The example of the Kadri novels and their history of publication will show how a particular locus of entanglement need not be static, but rather one transforming in time, and, crucially, one producing propulsions to untangle combined with the dynamics of entanglement and relationality.
The article is devoted to the analysis of modern youth novel as a genre variety in literature. In the process of study of the modern youth literature the author analyses the peculiarities of its ...changes and transformations typical for the beginning of the 21st century. On the example of works by individual writers the author considers the main characteristics, among which there is an image of contemporary cultural processes in the world of young people’s lives.
In this article two Afrikaans youth novels are analysed in order to determine to what extent nature and elements of the natural environment can influence a child's experience and view of life. In ..."Gamkab" (Betsie van Niekerk) and "Om 'n kierie te keer" (Pieter Pieterse) their natural surroundings expose the characters to challenges and adventures which form a context in which their ways of thinking are challenged and stimulated. This develops their ability to make decisions and solve problems, thereby broadening their life experience and developing their life skills. Theories on reader identification are used to argue that stories like these have the potential to expand and develop reader consciousness. These novels are of importance to the South African child of today, because they introduce various contemporary issues, such as entrepreneurship, social responsibility and multicultural interaction. In identifying with the characters, the reader is confronted with pertinent topics such as peer pressure, teenage insecurities and fears, and problematic family relationships. From the analysis of the novels, which focuses on the enriching and reinforcing contribution of nature, it is apparent that through nature's challenges the characters are empowered to overcome their problems and improve their personal circumstances. This foreshadows the potential empowerment of the reader. Verryk en bemagtig : die invloed van die natuur op die gees en denke in twee Afrikaanse jeugromans Hierdie artikel ondersoek twee Afrikaanse jeugromans met die doel om vas te stel watter rol die natuur en elemente van die natuurlike omgewing kan speel in die verruiming van die kind se lewenservaring en -uitkyk. In "Gamkab" (Betsie van Niekerk) en "Om 'n kierie te keer" (Pieter Pieterse) bied die natuurlike omgewing uitdaging en avontuur aan die karakters, maar ook 'n uitdagende en stimulerende konteks vir ontwikkeling op die vlakke van denke, besluitneming en probleemoplossing, vir die wysiging en verbreding van karakters se denkwyse en lewensinsig, en vir die inskerp van praktiese lewensbeginsels en -vaardighede. Teorie oor leseridentifisering word betrek om te argumenteer dat verhale soos hierdie die potensiaal het om ook die lesersbewussyn te verruim. Hierdie verhale is van aktuele belang vir die Suid-Afrikaanse kind van vandag, aangesien die jong leser bekendgestel word aan beginsels soos entrepeneurskap, sosiale verantwoordelikheid en multikulturele interaksie. Die leser word, via die proses van identifisering met die verhaalkarakters, gekonfronteer met algemeen relevante kwessies soos groepsdruk, tienervrese en problematiese gesinsverhoudings. Uit die verhaalanalise, met die fokus op die invloed van die natuur op 'n verrykte denk- en ervaringswêreld, blyk ook die bemagtiging van die karakters om probleme te oorkom en hulle lewensomstandighede te verbeter. Die potensiële bemagtiging van die leser word hiermee geïmpliseer.
In this article two Afrikaans youth novels are analysed in order to determine to what extent nature and elements of the natural environment can influence a child’s experience and view of life. In ...“Gamkab” (Betsie van Niekerk) and “Om ’n kierie te keer” (Pieter Pieterse) their natural surroundings expose the characters to challenges and adventures which form a context in which their ways of thinking are challenged and stimulated. This develops their ability to make decisions and solve problems, thereby broadening their life experience and developing their life skills. Theories on reader identification are used to argue that stories like these have the potential to expand and develop reader consciousness. These novels are of importance to the South African child of today, because they introduce various contemporary issues, such as entrepreneurship, social responsibility and multicultural interaction. In identifying with the characters, the reader is confronted with pertinent topics such as peer pressure, teenage insecurities and fears, and problematic family relationships. From the analysis of the novels, which focuses on the enriching and reinforcing contribution of nature, it is apparent that through nature’s challenges the characters are empowered to overcome their problems and improve their personal circumstances. This foreshadows the potential empowerment of the reader.
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