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University of the Western Cape

Zakes Mda’s other arts: an intermedial study

Abstract

dc:description.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.

Degree

thesis:*
Grantor dc:publisher.institution
University of the Western Cape
Year dc:date.issued
2024

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Isaacs, Lauren-Lee

Subjects

dc:subject × 5

Rights

dc:rights

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of the Western Cape
Base URL
uwcscholar.uwc.ac.za:8443/server/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Isaacs, Lauren-Lee. Zakes Mda’s other arts: an intermedial study. University of the Western Cape, 2024.