How Skilpoppe by Barrie Hough Uses Fantasy and Reality to Tell a Moving Story of Grief and Growth
Barrie Hough Skilpoppe English Summaryrar: A Review of a South African Novel
Have you ever heard of Skilpoppe, a novel by Barrie Hough? If not, you are missing out on a remarkable piece of literature that will touch your heart and mind. Skilpoppe is a novel for young adults that tells the story of Anna Meyer, a teenage girl who has to deal with the death of her brother, Sebast, who committed suicide because of his father's rejection of his homosexuality. Along the way, Anna also has to cope with her parents' absence, her sister's rebellion, her school's drama production of Romeo and Juliet, and her own feelings for Ching-kung, Sebast's boyfriend. In this article, I will provide a summary, an analysis, and an evaluation of Skilpoppe, as well as a conclusion that will highlight the main takeaway from this novel.
Barrie Hough Skilpoppe English Summaryrar
Introduction: What is Skilpoppe and why is it important?
Before we dive into the details of Skilpoppe, let us first get to know more about its author, Barrie Hough. Barrie Hough was born in 1953 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was a journalist, a critic, a teacher, and a writer. He wrote several books for children and young adults, such as Droomwa, My kat word herfs, Vlerkdans, and Skilpoppe. He also wrote essays, short stories, poems, and plays. He won several awards for his works, such as the AA Vita Prize for Arts Journalism in 1984 and the Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature in 1999. He died in 2006 from cancer.
One of his most famous and acclaimed works is Skilpoppe, which was published in 1998. Skilpoppe is a novel for young adults that deals with the issues of death, family, identity, and love in contemporary South Africa. It is written in Afrikaans, but it has been translated into English and other languages. It has also been adapted into a film in 2004, directed by Andre Odendaal and starring Anel Alexander, Elize Cawood, and Arno Greeff. Skilpoppe is a novel that has a lot to offer to its readers, especially to those who are interested in learning more about the culture, history, and society of South Africa.
My thesis statement for this article is: Skilpoppe is a powerful and moving story that explores the issues of death, family, identity, and love in contemporary South Africa.
Summary: What is the plot and the main characters of Skilpoppe?
The story of Skilpoppe is told from the perspective of Anna Meyer, a 14-year-old girl who lives in a suburban house with her sister Elise and her parents. Anna is a bright and passionate student who loves acting and reading. She has been chosen to play Juliet in her school's production of Romeo and Juliet, which she is very excited about. However, her life is not as perfect as it seems. She is still grieving over the death of her older brother, Sebast, who killed himself a year ago. Sebast was gay and had a boyfriend named Ching-kung, who was from Taiwan. Sebast's father, Mr. Meyer, was a conservative and homophobic man who could not accept his son's sexuality. He beat up Sebast and Ching-kung when he found out about their relationship, which led to Sebast's suicide. Mr. Meyer also blamed Ching-kung for his son's death and tried to deport him from the country.
Anna's parents are also absent from her life. They have decided to go on a vacation to Russia to try to heal their wounds and save their marriage. They leave Anna and Elise alone in the house, with only their maid, Maria, to look after them. Anna feels abandoned and lonely, while Elise feels angry and rebellious. Elise starts to hang out with a bad crowd of friends who smoke, drink, and do drugs. She also gets involved with a boy named Riaan, who is abusive and manipulative.
Anna finds solace in her friendship with Ching-kung, who lives nearby. Ching-kung is a kind and gentle boy who loves art and music. He also misses Sebast dearly and feels guilty for his death. He tries to help Anna cope with her loss and support her in her acting career. Anna develops feelings for Ching-kung, but she is afraid to admit them because she thinks it would be disrespectful to Sebast's memory.
Anna also finds comfort in her imagination. She starts to see visions of Juliet Capulet, the fictional character from Romeo and Juliet. Juliet becomes Anna's friend and guide, who helps her understand herself and her emotions better. Juliet also introduces Anna to Romeo Montague, her lover from the play. Romeo becomes Anna's fantasy boyfriend, who makes her feel loved and happy.
The story of Skilpoppe follows Anna's journey as she faces the challenges of growing up, dealing with grief, finding love, and discovering her identity. Along the way, she also learns more about her family's secrets, her brother's life, and her own dreams.
Analysis: What are the themes and messages of Skilpoppe?
Skilpoppe is a novel that explores several themes and messages that are relevant to its readers. Some of the major themes are:
Theme 1: Death and grief
The theme of death and grief is central to Skilpoppe. The novel shows how different people cope with the loss of a loved one in different ways. For example:
Anna tries to keep herself busy with schoolwork and acting, but she also escapes into her fantasy world with Juliet and Romeo.
Elise acts out by rebelling against authority and engaging in risky behaviors.
Mr. Meyer denies his responsibility for his son's death and blames Ching-kung instead.
Theme 2: Family and relationships
The theme of family and relationships is also important in Skilpoppe. The novel shows how different types of family and relationships can affect a person's well-being and happiness. For example:
Anna's family is broken and dysfunctional. Her parents are distant and neglectful. Her father is abusive and homophobic. Her brother is dead and her sister is rebellious. Anna feels lonely and unloved by her family.
Ching-kung's family is supportive and loving. His parents are accepting and caring. His brother is alive and his sister is friendly. Ching-kung feels grateful and loved by his family.
Anna and Ching-kung's relationship is healing and nurturing. They share a bond of grief and friendship. They help each other cope with their loss and support each other in their dreams. They feel happy and hopeful with each other.
Elise and Riaan's relationship is harmful and destructive. They have a toxic connection of addiction and violence. They hurt each other physically and emotionally. They feel miserable and hopeless with each other.
The novel suggests that family and relationships can have a significant impact on a person's mental health and quality of life. It also suggests that people can choose to create their own family and relationships based on love, respect, and trust.
Theme 3: Identity and self-discovery
The theme of identity and self-discovery is another key aspect of Skilpoppe. The novel shows how different factors can influence a person's sense of identity and self-discovery. For example:
Sebast's identity was shaped by his sexuality. He was gay and proud of it. He discovered his true self through his love for Ching-kung. He faced discrimination and rejection from his father because of his sexuality.
Anna's identity was shaped by her acting. She loved acting and was good at it. She discovered her true self through her role as Juliet. She faced challenges and opportunities from her school because of her acting.
Ching-kung's identity was shaped by his culture. He was Taiwanese and proud of it. He discovered his true self through his art and music. He faced stereotypes and prejudice from his society because of his culture.
Elise's identity was shaped by her rebellion. She hated authority and rules. She discovered her true self through her drugs and friends. She faced dangers and consequences from her choices because of her rebellion.
The novel suggests that identity and self-discovery are complex and dynamic processes that involve personal, interpersonal, and social factors. It also suggests that people can choose to express their identity in different ways.
Theme 4: Love and acceptance
The theme of love and acceptance is the final theme of Skilpoppe. The novel shows how different forms of love and acceptance can affect a person's happiness and growth. For example:
Sebast's love for Ching-kung was unconditional and pure. He accepted Ching-kung for who he was. He was happy and fulfilled with Ching-kung.
Theme 4: Love and acceptance
The theme of love and acceptance is the final theme of Skilpoppe. The novel shows how different forms of love and acceptance can affect a person's happiness and growth. For example:
Sebast's love for Ching-kung was unconditional and pure. He accepted Ching-kung for who he was. He was happy and fulfilled with Ching-kung.
Anna's love for Ching-kung was tentative and conflicted. She was afraid to accept Ching-kung for who he was. She was confused and guilty with Ching-kung.
Elise's love for Riaan was obsessive and unhealthy. She did not accept Riaan for who he was. She was miserable and hopeless with Riaan.
Juliet's love for Romeo was passionate and tragic. She defied her family to accept Romeo for who he was. She was ecstatic and suicidal with Romeo.
The novel suggests that love and acceptance are essential for a person's well-being and development. It also suggests that people can choose to love and accept themselves and others in different ways.
Evaluation: What are the strengths and weaknesses of Skilpoppe?
Skilpoppe is a novel that has many strengths and weaknesses. Here are some of them:
Strength 1: Realistic and relatable portrayal of teenage life
One of the strengths of Skilpoppe is that it portrays the life of a teenager in a realistic and relatable way. The novel does not shy away from showing the challenges, struggles, joys, and pains of growing up in a modern society. The novel covers topics such as sexuality, drugs, peer pressure, bullying, family issues, school stress, and mental health. The novel also uses authentic language, slang, and humor that reflect the voice and culture of the young generation. The novel makes the readers feel like they are part of Anna's world and can empathize with her experiences.
Strength 2: Creative and effective use of fantasy elements
Another strength of Skilpoppe is that it uses fantasy elements in a creative and effective way. The novel blends reality and fantasy by introducing the characters of Juliet Capulet and Romeo Montague as Anna's imaginary friends. The novel uses these characters to create a parallel story between Romeo and Juliet and Skilpoppe. The novel also uses these characters to show Anna's inner thoughts, feelings, conflicts, and desires. The novel makes the readers feel like they are part of Anna's imagination and can understand her better.
Strength 3: Emotional and engaging writing style
A third strength of Skilpoppe is that it has an emotional and engaging writing style. The novel uses vivid descriptions, expressive dialogues, dramatic scenes, and poetic language to capture the readers' attention and emotions. The novel also uses humor, irony, symbolism, and foreshadowing to add depth and meaning to the story. The novel makes the readers feel like they are part of Anna's journey and can share her emotions.
Weakness 1: Lack of cultural diversity and representation
One of the weaknesses of Skilpoppe is that it lacks cultural diversity and representation. The novel is set in South Africa, a country that has a rich and diverse history, culture, and population. However, the novel does not reflect this diversity in its characters or settings. The novel mostly focuses on the white Afrikaner community, while ignoring or stereotyping other racial, ethnic, or cultural groups. For example, Ching-kung is the only Asian character in the novel, but he is portrayed as a passive victim who speaks broken English. The novel also does not explore the social or political issues that affect South Africa, such as apartheid, racism, poverty, or violence. The novel makes the readers feel like they are missing out on a broader perspective of South Africa.
Weakness 2: Some plot holes and inconsistencies
Another weakness of Skilpoppe is that it has some plot holes and inconsistencies that affect the credibility and coherence of the story. For example:
How did Anna's parents manage to go on a vacation to Russia without telling their daughters or arranging for their care? How did they afford it?
How did Anna and Ching-kung get away with skipping school and traveling to Cape Town without anyone noticing or stopping them?
How did Anna survive the car crash that killed Riaan and Elise? How did she recover so quickly?
How did Anna's visions of Juliet and Romeo disappear after the car crash? What was the purpose of their presence in the first place?
The novel does not provide clear or satisfying answers to these questions, which can make the readers feel confused or frustrated.
Conclusion: What is the main takeaway from Skilpoppe?
In conclusion, Skilpoppe is a novel that has many merits and flaws. It is a powerful and moving story that explores the issues of death, family, identity, and love in contemporary South Africa. It is a realistic and relatable portrayal of teenage life that uses fantasy elements in a creative and effective way. It is an emotional and engaging writing style that captures the readers' attention and emotions. However, it is also a novel that lacks cultural diversity and representation, and has some plot holes and inconsistencies that affect the credibility and coherence of the story.
The main takeaway from Skilpoppe is that life is full of challenges, struggles, joys, and pains. It is also full of choices, opportunities, dreams, and hopes. The novel encourages its readers to face their grief, find their love, discover their identity, and live their life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about Skilpoppe:
What does skilpoppe mean?
Skilpoppe is an Afrikaans word that means marionettes or puppets. It refers to the dolls that Sebast used to make for Anna when they were children. It also symbolizes how Anna feels like she has no control over her life and how she is manipulated by others.
What is the significance of Romeo and Juliet in Skilpoppe?
Romeo and Juliet is a play by William Shakespeare that tells the story of two young lovers who die because of their families' feud. It parallels the story of Sebast and Ching-kung, who suffer because of their father's homophobia. It also parallels the story of Anna and Ching-kung, who struggle because of their guilt and fear.
What is the message of Skilpoppe?
The message of Skilpoppe is that life is what you make it. You can choose to be happy or sad, to love or hate, to accept or reject yourself and others. You can also choose to overcome your grief, find your love, discover your identity, and live your life.
Is Skilpoppe based on a true story?
No, Skilpoppe is not based on a true story. It is a fictional novel written by Barrie Hough. However, it does reflect some aspects of South African society and culture.
Is Skilpoppe suitable for young readers?
Skilpoppe is a novel for young adults that deals with mature themes such as suicide, drug addiction, homophobia, violence, and sex. It also contains some explicit language and scenes. Therefore, it may not be suitable for younger readers or sensitive readers.
71b2f0854b