Peekay The Power Of One Theme

Amitaj Kandola

Mrs. Young

English 4

19 May 2023

Trauma into Triumph

Peekay’s education is limited to the formal schooling system, which fails him with the skills and knowledge he already knows. However, Peekay discovers boxing, which is more than a sport to him, it developed his character, self-discipline, and strength. At the novel The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. A young boy named Peekay and his passion for changing the world. Peekay learns valuable life lessons that are more educational than anything he learned in the classroom.

Boxing helps Peekay throughout his life and made him the person he is today. In the beginning of the novel. Peekay faced discrimination, prejudice, and bullying. His is an English man and his small

His experiences are difficult and painful. One example is “When the judge and his council of war had all pissed on me” (Courtenay 5). This is at the time when young Peekay did not even know what or how to use a shower. Despite this, Peekay is able to turn his trauma into triumph through his determination and persistence. At the end of the Novel the Judge and Peekay get into a fight where he ends up punching him in his solar plexus (gut). “The hurl of vomit traveled three feet before it splashed to the floor as the judge collapsed” (Courtenay 512). He learned to channel his rage and fear into his boxing training. Throughout his journey he’s made vast amounts of improvements. Within the novel he used the sport boxing, as a way to cope with his

He takes boxing more seriously than his actual education. Courtenay explained how significant it is “I placed less importance of my intelligence than on my prowess as a boxer” (Courtenay 330). In addition, Peekay’s training fuels his passion for learning. Peekay has trouble throughout the novel one is “Boxing presented a problem. It wasn’t a major sport at school and therefore was not compulsory” (Courtenay 336). He wanted to change that. Boxing motivated him, and over time he saw a future in it. He looked up to Hoppie Groenewald. Peekay was the best at his school “Nineteen fifty-one was the year I won South African schools featherweight title and prince of Wales school won the school championship for the third year running. (Courtenay 461). Peekay with the tools and mindset essential to succeed in life. He can use these skills to achieve his