Reading Log: The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
Level one ‘The Power of One’ reading log I read the novel The Power of One written by Bryce Courtenay, The Power Of One is an extremely inspirational text that traces the life of the young white Peekay who was being raised into South Africa, where it was a world of racism and hatred.
It tells the story of how he refused to be broken and how he did what he knew what was right, despite what was forced upon him.
It shows how he eventually learnt that small can beat big, and how he eventually learnt to use this principle in real life. The Power of One follows the life of Peekay, the main character.
The story begins with Peekay being brought up by a Zulu wet nurse who eventually becomes his ‘Nanny’, as his mother had a nervous breakdown and was incapable of raising him. Peekay soon forms a close bond with his Nanny and she is like a mother to him.
Peekay is eventually torn from his beloved Nanny and is made to attend a boarding school where he is bullied and treated as an animal. Peekay is hated by the other children, as he is white skinned and only speaks English.
Peekay is an extremely witty child and eventually manipulates the other children and the woman in charge (Mevrou) to make life slightly more liveable.
After a long, torturous year Peekay is sent on a train back to his hometown, Barberton where he would be reunited with his mother.
It is on the train that Peekay meets Hoppie Groenewald, the ‘boxing champion of the railways’, who looks after Peekay and teaches him one of the life lessons that he would keep for his entire life, that small can beat big. Hoppie manages to inspire Peekay to become a boxer, as he sees much potential in him.
When Peekay arrives at Barberton he finds that his mother is different, everything is different, and to Peekays horror his Beloved Nanny had been fired.
His mother had also become a ‘born again’ Christian and insists upon her son to take up Christianity.
His grandfather however, is as unchanged as ever.
It tells the story of how he refused to be broken and how he did what he knew what was right, despite what was forced upon him.
It shows how he eventually learnt that small can beat big, and how he eventually learnt to use this principle in real life. The Power of One follows the life of Peekay, the main character.
The story begins with Peekay being brought up by a Zulu wet nurse who eventually becomes his ‘Nanny’, as his mother had a nervous breakdown and was incapable of raising him. Peekay soon forms a close bond with his Nanny and she is like a mother to him.
Peekay is eventually torn from his beloved Nanny and is made to attend a boarding school where he is bullied and treated as an animal. Peekay is hated by the other children, as he is white skinned and only speaks English.
Peekay is an extremely witty child and eventually manipulates the other children and the woman in charge (Mevrou) to make life slightly more liveable.
After a long, torturous year Peekay is sent on a train back to his hometown, Barberton where he would be reunited with his mother.
It is on the train that Peekay meets Hoppie Groenewald, the ‘boxing champion of the railways’, who looks after Peekay and teaches him one of the life lessons that he would keep for his entire life, that small can beat big. Hoppie manages to inspire Peekay to become a boxer, as he sees much potential in him.
When Peekay arrives at Barberton he finds that his mother is different, everything is different, and to Peekays horror his Beloved Nanny had been fired.
His mother had also become a ‘born again’ Christian and insists upon her son to take up Christianity.
His grandfather however, is as unchanged as ever.