Heartfruit

This novel, Heartfruit, challenges the traditional fann novel as practised specifically by Afrikaans writers in South Africa and challenged by a younger generation of writers, post 1980. It therefore challenges the genre of fann novel. The rewrite of the fann novel presupposes a critical view on social and economic relationships within a rural context and the usurping of traditional power relationships within the fanning context. This novel traces the story of a South African fruit fann and the fann' s transition from a traditional white-held ownership to a new dispensation of collective ownership where traditional roles of worker and landowner are redefined. The story explores the economic relationships and legal issues surrounding fanning and the export of fruit from South Africa. Time-wise the novel stretches from the 1970's to approx the tum of the 20th century. As a historical novel it also deals with a private relationship and the public implications of this relationship within a changing political and economical space. The novel begins with the main male protagonist, a fruit fanner traveling in Europe in search of funding and new markets, here at the end of the 1990' s. The latter half of this decade has seen the opening up of trade for individual growers and agents in South Africa to access international markets, without governmental control through the old Marketing Board system. He has an accident in the home of his estranged brother in Holland, whereby he lands up in hospital. Here he has time to reflect and consider his private history as well as his future and the fragile prospects of the new fann structurc he has implemented. In essence the novel speaks of a broader human experience of loss and guilt as well as the struggle to reach out and build relationships. The title of the novel, Heartfruit is derived from the common name of the tree Hymenocardia acida, which is a tree indigenous to Southern Africa. The fruit of the tree is in the shape of a deeply indented heart, turning red and conspicuous when mature. In African culture, the fresh leaves are placed in the roof of a house to protect it from lightning. The root ashes and the bark are also used for various oral and stomach conditions.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of English Language and Literature

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Wolfaardt, Ingrid

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8093

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/8093