Zakes Mda’s other arts: an intermedial study
type: CreativeWork
description: This thesis aims to unravel the intermedial dimensions embedded in Zakes Mda’s select novels by closely examining and critically analysing multiple references to images, art, performance, and music. At the core of this thesis lies the employment of the critical theoretical concept of intermediality which seeks to augment established literary analysis methodologies with an exploration of these intermedial instances woven throughout the narratives. Drawing onW.J.T. Mitchell’s concepts of nesting, braiding, and weaving, the thesis suggests that such narrative strategies offer deeper insights into the socio-political and racial upheavals within pre- and post-colonial contexts. It endeavours to illustrate how meaning emerges from the interaction between literary texts and various media, highlighting Mda’s intermedial creativity as a disruptor of traditional reader-text interactions. Through this exploration, the thesis aims to highlight how Mda’s narrative technique fosters an innovative approach to engaging with characters within the text, challenging conventional responses to black characters and contributing valuable insights into the intricacies of modern societal dynamics.
abstract: This thesis aims to unravel the intermedial dimensions embedded in Zakes Mda’s select novels by closely examining and critically analysing multiple references to images, art, performance, and music. At the core of this thesis lies the employment of the critical theoretical concept of intermediality which seeks to augment established literary analysis methodologies with an exploration of these intermedial instances woven throughout the narratives. Drawing onW.J.T. Mitchell’s concepts of nesting, braiding, and weaving, the thesis suggests that such narrative strategies offer deeper insights into the socio-political and racial upheavals within pre- and post-colonial contexts. It endeavours to illustrate how meaning emerges from the interaction between literary texts and various media, highlighting Mda’s intermedial creativity as a disruptor of traditional reader-text interactions. Through this exploration, the thesis aims to highlight how Mda’s narrative technique fosters an innovative approach to engaging with characters within the text, challenging conventional responses to black characters and contributing valuable insights into the intricacies of modern societal dynamics.
author: Isaacs, Lauren-Lee
keywords: Zakes Mda, Performance art, Theatre, South African literature, Intermediality
license: https://uwcscholar.uwc.ac.za/bitstreams/c1dd6e6f-0a56-473d-a373-e561aa5e9110/download
date published: 2024
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:00:36Z
provider: University of the Western Cape
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of the Western Cape