The Power of One

The Power of One, by Bryce Courtenay is an uplifting novel about racism, boxing and independence. The story is about a young boy maturing in South Africa, his name is Peekay. His name was given to him by a shoe salesman, because he didn’t have a proper name. Early on in his life, Peekay met a man named Hoppie Groenewald. A boxing champion taught Peekay the words “First with your head and then with your heart,” early on in his life. He carried these words for the rest of his life, all the way to winning the boxing championships and defeating his childhood enemy.

This novel is a historical fiction; it includes non-fiction parts of the past such as World War II. This novel also includes parts of the past such as the Boer war and the hate it spawned. However, the rest of the novel is not true. However, Courtenay interlocks the non-fiction and fictional aspects of this book so well that sometimes the reader is confused into believing it is a true story.

Bryce Courtenay wrote in a way that made the reader believe that they were taking part in the story or longing to anyway. The diction used by Courtenay is appropriate for the time and place of the novel; using words like “Pisskop,” etc…These words although sometimes hard to understand contribute to the novel because without them the reader wouldn’t be ensnared in the stories setting.

I really enjoyed this novel because it motivated me to do my best and never give up. Also that being independent is very important and many things can be accomplished on your own. This I believe is the “Power of One.”