Writing Of South African Female Identity In Imaginings Of Sand

André Brink is one of the most renowned contemporary writers in South Africa,who is well-acknowledged in the world literature for his courageous spirit of resistance,various narrative techniques and great literary achievements.His first post-apartheid work,Imaginings of Sand,set in the South Africa’s first democratic elections,tells the history of several generations of women in the Kristien’s family entirely from a female perspective,as well as the story of Kristien,an Afrikaner women,about her return from Britain and her final decision to remain in South Africa.In the novel,Brink reflects on the problems and progress of South African society in the period of change.Through a detailed textual analysis of the novel,this thesis attempts to analyze Brink’s exploration of South African female identity in a complex social context,based on postcolonial feminism theory.This thesis consists of five chapters.The first chapter briefly introduces Brink and his literary achievements,the novel,literature review at home and abroad,along with the feasibility and significance of the study,establishing the theoretical framework and the overall structure of the thesis.The main body is composed of three chapters.The second chapter discusses the lack of South African female identity,including the loss of South African women’s right to speak,the loss of self,as well as the detestation and negation of the female body.The third chapter interprets the reasons for the lack of South African female identity,and profoundly reveals the multiple oppression of gender,race and class suffered by South African women.The fourth chapter focuses on the reconstruction of South African female identity.In the face of oppression,only by rewriting female discourse,regaining physical consciousness and the ethics of love,and actively building a community,can South African women seek out their selves and contribute to the construction of the new South Africa.Chapter five is the conclusion.Imaginings of Sand restores the real living state of South African women.Through female imagination,the novel addresses the silent past of South African women,strives for the due discourse rights and identity of South African women,speaks for their “silence”,and pursues a clear identity for their“obscurity”.Brink’s close attention and deep reflection on the female issues of today’s South African society in Imaginings of Sand highlights his lofty ideal of establishing a harmonious South Africa and clearly demonstrates his intense sense of social responsibility and historical mission.