2024-issue-sforum-04-25-574021-joanne-lombard-educational-administration-theory-and-practice

Copyright and Licensing

• Copyright © 2024 by Author/s and Licensed by Kuey.

• Open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution License.

Citation and Authors

• Citation: Lombard, J., Lekganyane, M. (2024). Unveiling intrigue: A comparative analysis of detective stories in Sepedi and Afrikaans, Nnete Fela and Ikarus/Prooi. Educational Administration: Theory and Practice, 30(6), 3168-3173. DOI: 10.53555/kuey.v30i6.6008

• Authors: Joanne Lombard and Matemane Lekganyane, Language Unit, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Abstract

• Comparative Literature Studies: Promotes multilingual education by engaging students with texts from different languages.

• Enhances proficiency in multiple languages, linguistic skills, and cultural nuances.

• The study compares a Sepedi detective story with an Afrikaans detective series, focusing on suspense and mystery.

• Key Characters: Ariel Meso (Nnete Fela) vs. Bennie Griessel (Ikarus/Prooi).

  • Ariel: Lucky, successful in love and personal relationships.

  • Bennie: Struggles with misfortune, personal turmoil, and alcoholism.

  • Both act as moral anchors in their narratives but embody contrasting archetypes.

Introduction

• Purpose: The goal is to understand multilingualism through comparative literature.

• Cultural Nuances: Tötösy de Zepetnek (1998): The concept of cultural nuances in language learning and literary engagement.

• Historical Context: Comparative literature in South African universities has evolved to reflect societal changes since the 1980s.

  • Early courses aimed at promoting democracy and changing the ideological curriculum.

  • Ongoing contributions by younger scholars are broadening perspectives in South African literature.

Literature Review

• Scholars have increasingly compared texts from diverse South African languages to enhance understanding of national literature.

• Notable studies include comparisons of biographical aspects in Xhosa praise poems and urban experiences in English and Zulu literature.

• Diversity Call: There is a necessity for more inclusive research on South African literatures (van Niekerk 2016:270).

• The proposed comparison will dissect the genres of Sepedi and Afrikaans detective stories.

Theoretical Background

• Suspense: Arises from the protagonist's threat perception; explored by Vorderer et al. (1996) and Zillmann (1996).

  • Reader involvement is key; emotional responses enhance narrative investment.

• Mystery: Defined as the suspense between protagonists and antagonists, culminating in resolution at the story's end (Turco 1999:59).

  • Five elements are fundamental in mystery investigation: investigator, criminal, victim, evidence, and the investigative process.

Methodology

• Utilizes qualitative research methods focusing on close textual analysis to understand literary narratives and their emotional impacts.

Investigators in South African Fiction

Detective Attributes

• Characteristics of detectives shape narrative tone and suspense.

  • Energetic, optimistic detectives increase action and engagement, while flawed detectives add depth and moral complexity.

  • Examples include Matlala's Serapeng sa Badimo, which introduces a fraudster as an investigator, twisting traditional roles.

Character Archetypes

• Ariel Meso (Nnete Fela): Represents persistence and success in personal matters.

• Bennie Griessel (Ikarus/Prooi): Portrayed as a flawed hero, struggling with professional and personal demons.

  • His narrative aligns with the hard-boiled detective genre, featuring complications that obscure the case's simplicity.

Findings

• Comparison Results: Highlights both the similarities and differences in character archetypes and narrative techniques of the two texts.

• Suspense Creation: The necessity of complex protagonists in maintaining reader engagement.

Conclusion

• Significance of Comparative Studies: Advocates for the promotion of multilingual education and literary diversity in South Africa.

• Literature Insights: Highlights techniques that create suspense and mystery relevant to the reader's experience, focusing on emotional engagement with protagonists.

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