‘Andifuni madyakophu apha!’ Uphicotho lwepolitiki nocalucalulo ngeendlela ezinoburharha, ukhwenkco, nezigqebhelo, kwinoveli kaZotwana Imijelo yegazi ‘Andifuni madyakophu apha!’ An analysis of politics and discrimination using humour, satire and irony in Zotwana’s novel Imijelo yegazi

Abstract

Iinjongo zombhali ziba liqela kuze kuthi kulowo ufundayo kubekho uxanduva lokutolika nokuhlalutya oko kubhaliweyo. UZotwana kwincwadi yakhe yenoveli ethi, Imijelo yegazi usibalisela ibali, kuze kuthi xa umfundi efunda elo bali ancothule ubuchule bokubhala bukaZotwana. Xa eveza okwenzekayo kwiifama zabamhlophe nendlela imidaka ibisakuphatheka ngayo kuloo maplasi usebenzisa isakhono esahlukileyo kwaye ephendula imiba etshisa ibunzi. Lo kaZotwana uthi asebenzise ipolitiki, ucalucalulo esebenzisa izixhobo nezakhono ezifana noburharha, izigqebelo (irony) izikweko, izenyeliso neentetho ezikhwenkcwayo (satire). Ngokusebenzisa nokukhokelwa yinkcazobungcali yesakhono-bunzululwazi sokubhala, eli phepha liphicotha iindlela uZotwana azisebenzise ngayo ezi zithako ukuveza ubutyhakala bamafama ngeminyaka yocalucalulo phakathi kowe1948 no1986. Ukwaleka, ukwaveza oku esebenzisa ixesha lengcinezelo apho impathogadala yemidaka yayigquba. Uphengululo luncwadi lubonisa ukuba ababhali besiXhosa bazisebenzisa kakhulu ezi zakhono ukuzama ukubonisa iindlela zokumelana nempatho egadalala ababehlangabezana nayo kumaxesha ocalucalulo. Uburharha bubonwa njengendlela esetyenziswa ngababhali kakhulu ukuquma le ntlungu, ngokuba babhale ngeendlela ezihlekisayo kodwa beveza indlela abaphetheke ngayo. Ngokusebenzisa uphando ntyilazwi, eli phepha liphonononga esi sakhono sikaZotwana. Ulwimi olusetyenziswe ngumbhali luyavezwa kwaye lujongwa nzulu kusetyenziswa iindlela zokufunda ngeendlela zokukhangela iintsingiselo zoko kubhalwe ngumbhali. Eli nqaku liqukumbela ngokuxoxa nzulu ngendlela lo kaZotwana athi asebenzise ngayo ulwimi lwesiXhosa ebhentsisa izakhono zokubhala, nesilulutho kubafundi boncwadi. Kananjalo, likwabonisa ukuba le ndlela yokubhala kumele ikhuthazwe kuba ikhulisa inkcubeko nolwimi olo. Ukudadela enzulwini, eli phepha liza kuqukumbela ngokuveza ingxoxo ebonisa ubuchule bukaZotwana ekubhaleni le noveli yezopolitiko nokubaluleka kwayo ekufundiseni ulwimi.

There are many reasons for writers to write, and the responsibility lies with the readers to interpret what has been written. Zotwana in his novel Imijelo yegazi tells us a story. When a reader reads this novel, they find the many ways of writing used by Zotwana. Zotwana writes his book in a way that portrays politics and discrimination using humour, irony, metaphor and satiric language. By using a stylistic theory, this article analyses Zotwana’s ways of using these language tools to portray the idiocy of farmers during the apartheid years between 1948 and 1986. Additionally, he does this in the context of apartheid where the ill-treatment of black people was the order of the day. A literature review shows that isiXhosa writers use these language tools to show how people withstood this ill- treatment during apartheid times. Humour can be used to dilute pain, but authors also use it as a coping mechanism so that they do not always feel the inhumane treatment. Using the qualitative methodology of literary analysis, this article undertakes to analyse these skills of Zotwana. The use of language by the author is portrayed and analysed using different ways of analysing and trying to find the hidden meaning and message. This article concludes by discussing that Zotwana has shown prolific skills through the use of language. Furthermore, the article discusses that this way of writing should be encouraged as it further promotes culture and language. Finally, the article indicates that there is value in this way of writing, and it can be used for teaching, learning and analysing literature.