The Politics of Magic Realism in ZakesMda’s Ways of Dying

Abstract

The sole thrust of this thesis is to examine how two different brands of realities coexist side by side in ZakesMda’s Ways of Dying. One reality refers to the mounting carnage and massacre that take place when anti-apartheid movement reaches climax. Magic realism severs as the viewpoint from which Toloki’s entire redemptive endeavor is analyzed. In the novel, the death toll takes such a massive proportion that it is necessary to organize public mourning by hiring public mourner like Toloki and nurse. Toloki’s frequent philosophy of death foils the harrowing experiences of murder and massacre. Though majority of people take part in the anti-apartheid movement, they themselves become the victims of their anger and aggression. The more the movement gets prolonged, the more conflict, chaos and carnage occur. Due to the prolongation of conflict and anti-apartheid movement, people begin to think that violence become the part of daily life. Fed up with the lingering trace of violence, majority of people turns to the mythical belief and practice. The myth of mountain woman occurs frequently in the novel. To give the mythological twist to the pervading phenomena of death, there is frequent reference to African mysticism, mythic belief and religious doctrine.