This final blog entry will focus on the representation of certain adults and children, and it will also look at the attitudes, values and beliefs presented. The characters are a very important part of a story, and this novel is no exception. It is important to evaluate certain character groups and look at how they are presented. It is also important to understand the certain attitudes values and beliefs of Peekay.
All throughout the story Peekay comes into contact with adults and children. At the beginning the adults, at the boarding school, treated Peekay with cruelty because of his English background. As Peekay grew up, he became very successful. He began to be widely respected by the adults who realised Peekays talents and respected and admire him for them. Peekay's mentors, Doc and Mrs. Boxall, claimed that he is a genius and they both had great respect for him. The black South Africans in the novel hail him as the Tadpole Angel, a chief who has come to lead them out of white oppression. Peekays mother, on the other hand, was strict, religious and constantly weary and stressed. Peekay also had different experiences with children. At the boarding school, he was generally hated and was nicknamed ‘pisskop’. However once he became a great boxer, he was respected and admired by adults and children alike. It shows how judgmental many where, at that time and how people would first have to get to know someone before accepting them.
Peekay had certain attitudes, which constantly showed up all throughout the novel. As the title suggests, Peekay always had this attitude of "the power of one." He didn’t seem to like the idea of depending on others and seemed to always seek personal independence in all aspects of his life. Already at a young age, he had the attitude of the necessity of camouflages in order to survive the system. Throughout the book he often referred to the words: "adapt, blend, … develop a camouflage." Peekay also has specific attitudes toward Christianity. At his younger age he admits God but as he grows and matures he becomes hardened to Christianity and to God. He admits that God is not interested in us, has nothing to do with us. Another important positive attitude that he had was the attitude of success. He always had a positive attitude; always believed he would be welterweight champion.
Peekay also held to certain values, throughout the story. He was the kind of person who was not easily influenced by other people’s values but developed his own, in response to his own experiences and understandings. For example: he had respect for all people, and did not treat them with disrespect on the basis of what color they were. He also had his own kind of morality, instead of following his mother's strict ideas of good and evil, based on Gods word. Peekay had his own idea of what was good and evil; right and wrong. He strongly believed everyone deserved a fair go; he said there were good and bad people in every race. Peekay’s own values were important in a society where hatred, prejudice and contempt were wreaking havoc.
There are also certain beliefs, which are emphasised throughout the novel. Beliefs are a very important part of a person and it was the belief that Peekay had, which eventually led to his success. From the very beginning of the story, Peekay held to the belief that small could beat big. This belief came about, when Hoppie beat the huge heavyweight Jackhammer Smit in a fight. As Peekay grew and matured, he never forgot his childhood belief that he could defeat those larger then him. Another important belief he had, came about when Hoppie taught him: “first with the head and then with the heart, thats how you stay ahead from the start.” This belief comes up constantly throughout the novel and this inspirational phrase was what guided Peekay to become a welterweight champion. All throughout the story we see the belief that Peekay had, in himself, that he would achieve success and become a champion. He was always confident and gave everything his best shot. Such beliefs led to Peekays great achievements.
Throughout the novel, The power of One, we see the representation of certain adults and children as they come into contact with the main character, Peekay. Peekay’s strong attitudes, values and beliefs led to his success in becoming a great boxer. By his achievements Peekay gained the respect of many adults and children alike. The strong portrayal of Peekay’s attitudes, values and beliefs makes this novel such a powerful and inspiring read.
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