The Power of One
The Power of One
In the movie, The Power of One, Botha, an Afrikaner, symbolizes the racial hatred and ignorance in Africa. Botha, unknown and foreign to other cultures and races, abuses P.K. for being the only English boy in a school of Afrikaners. The only way he knows how to cope with others different to himself is to abuse and to humiliate. He blames his own faults on those who have less authority. Botha is a symbol for all those in Africa who don’t care for anyone but their own race.
Botha does not accept P.K. so he makes P.K. regret even coming to the school. He bullies P.K. for being English. He would call P.K. “Pisskop” and spit in his face, showing disrespect. Botha’s hatred makes P.K. so terrified that he would wet his bed every night in fear, while Botha is the fearful one. His ignorance breeds fear.
For P.K.’s whole school year, he had one friend, Mother Courage. Botha knows that the only way to hurt P.K. is to kill his only friend, as well as his confidence. He hangs Mother Courage and kills her by slinging a rock at her. Then he hangs P.K., but just as he is about to sling a rock at P.K., Botha gets caught and gets expelled. Botha’s fear of P.K. gets him in trouble. His fear breeds hate.
As the movies progresses, Botha’s grudge over P.K. heightens. Before, Botha would try to crush P.K.’s entire source of happiness, but once he notices it was not good enough, he goes for P.K. instead. He blames P.K. for getting him expelled and “ruining” his life. He comes back for P.K., attempts to kill him, and kills the African tribes. His hatred at P.K. leads him to hate on all the South Africans helping him. He destroys the town and kills most of the Africans just to find P.K. His hate breeds violence.
Botha is the obstacle that blocks P.K. and all the Black South Africans to happiness just like racism and ignorance was the obstacle for all of Africa. Ignorance breeds fear. Fear breeds hate. Hate breeds violence. Sadly, this describes Botha’s attitude
In the movie, The Power of One, Botha, an Afrikaner, symbolizes the racial hatred and ignorance in Africa. Botha, unknown and foreign to other cultures and races, abuses P.K. for being the only English boy in a school of Afrikaners. The only way he knows how to cope with others different to himself is to abuse and to humiliate. He blames his own faults on those who have less authority. Botha is a symbol for all those in Africa who don’t care for anyone but their own race.
Botha does not accept P.K. so he makes P.K. regret even coming to the school. He bullies P.K. for being English. He would call P.K. “Pisskop” and spit in his face, showing disrespect. Botha’s hatred makes P.K. so terrified that he would wet his bed every night in fear, while Botha is the fearful one. His ignorance breeds fear.
For P.K.’s whole school year, he had one friend, Mother Courage. Botha knows that the only way to hurt P.K. is to kill his only friend, as well as his confidence. He hangs Mother Courage and kills her by slinging a rock at her. Then he hangs P.K., but just as he is about to sling a rock at P.K., Botha gets caught and gets expelled. Botha’s fear of P.K. gets him in trouble. His fear breeds hate.
As the movies progresses, Botha’s grudge over P.K. heightens. Before, Botha would try to crush P.K.’s entire source of happiness, but once he notices it was not good enough, he goes for P.K. instead. He blames P.K. for getting him expelled and “ruining” his life. He comes back for P.K., attempts to kill him, and kills the African tribes. His hatred at P.K. leads him to hate on all the South Africans helping him. He destroys the town and kills most of the Africans just to find P.K. His hate breeds violence.
Botha is the obstacle that blocks P.K. and all the Black South Africans to happiness just like racism and ignorance was the obstacle for all of Africa. Ignorance breeds fear. Fear breeds hate. Hate breeds violence. Sadly, this describes Botha’s attitude