Phaswane Mpe’s Welcome
to Our Hillbrow is written in a very unique style compared to the other
novels we have read in the class. Mpe writes the novel using the narrative type
of second person. The speaker knows absolutely everything about every
character and the setting. The speaker
actually knows what each character thinks and knows the opinions people of
Tiragalong have towards certain situations. In addition, he talks about what
heaven is like as if he is a ghost or god-like figure with the ability to see
the dead and the living. It is interesting how Mpe uses all these different
perspectives but also includes his own point of view. For example, he explains the
motives as to why Refentse committed suicide but he then admits that he did not
agree with the decision Refentse made. The speaker gives the impression that
instead of killing himself, Refentse should have talked with Lerato and
realized that he also once betrayed his friend, Sammy. I think that the purpose
for Mpe’s use of different perspectives in addition to his own is to
demonstrate how the mentality of the people of Tiragalong contributed to their
troublesome environment of drugs, AIDS, violence, and xenophobia. Throughout
the novel, Mpe is emphasizing the difficulties that are present in the city of
Hillbrow mainly through the character, Refentse, who moves into this city to go
to the University of Witwatersrand. Mpe repeats “Welcome to our Hillbrow...”
and the paragraph with no use of commas, “… with the spinning of cars the
prostitution drug use and misuse grime and crime the numerous bottles diving…,”
as if telling his readers this is what living in Hillbrow is like.
I thought
that out of all the chapters, chapter one and two were the most captivating
because of Mpe’s description of
Hillbrow, Refentse’s life, and heaven. Chapter
one was written to create a map of the city in the reader’s mind. Mpe mentions
the many streets and places in Hillbrow and discusses how people of Tiragalong
were like. For example, Mpe writes about how some Hillbrowans blamed Makwerekwere or foreigners for the
entrance of AIDS in Hillbrow(5) . In addition, he incorporates his own opinion on how
the media glamourizes crime and influences the people of Tiragalong with the
image that robbers are like movie stars (5).
Chapter two also gave a thought-provoking perspective of heaven. Mpe
says, “Heaven, you now know, is not some far-off place where God sits in judgment,
waiting to read his endless cruel list of offenders on Earth. This Heaven that is
your present abode it is a very different thing. It carries within its own
Hell. ” (47). In this this quote, the speaker is revealing the perspective of
heaven and is going against the common idea of heaven which is that God is
waiting to judge you. Mpe believes that we bring upon ourselves our own Hell by the
actions we do on Earth.
2 comments:
I like how you clearly explained the author's point of view in the lives of Refentse and other characters. I agree that the mentality of the people of Hillbrow contributes to the various crimes they face.Lack of accepting each other's differences and becoming united led to death and the crimes in Hillbrow.
It definitely is a unique way of talking a story. View points play an important part to the story. Had the protagonist knew what really happened (and other characters), I don't think he would of committed suicide.
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