Autobiography Of Peekay Chapter Summaries

In the novel, Bryce Courtenay uses unique diction to immerse you to Peekay’s broken childhood early on in the book. The author gives Peekay’s South African peers an African diction, which is used to develop Peekay. As a boy, Peekay grows up in South Africa as a English boy, and is mistreated many times by his South African peers. His South African peers make up these nicknames for Peekay. Nicknames like, “Pisskop” which translates to piss-head, and “Rooinek” which translates to redneck. Being constantly harassed by these nicknames makes the story seem more lifelike. Peekay being labeled with the name Rooinek and Pisskop gives him more character, so you can relate him to this unwanted white alien, who doesn’t belong with the rest of his peers, because he is different through the eyes of a South African boy, “More trouble lay ahead of me for sure.

I spoke the wrong language. And now I was obviously made different. But I was still alive, and in my book, where there’s life, there’s hope.” (Ch.1 pg. 5) The diction used in the quote with the South African terms creates important symbols of Peekay, he knows he is different, and with him being labeled with these nicknames makes him easier to remember as a developing character, and a meaningful character. From the diction showed in the quote, we can tell that the South African boys are only immature, and they just don’t understand the concept of people that look differently from them, and how that difference doesn’t mean anything at all. Later in the book, Peekay travels to Barberton where he will meet Hoppie Groenewald on a train. Hoppie Groenewald is very significant because he will teach Peekay how to box, and fight for himself. Hoppie Groenewald is one of the coolest characters in the entire book so far, he understands Peekay, and he is very kind to Peekay. Hoppie continues to tell him he can be a champion boxer, and supports Peekay in every way he can. “‘No worries,