CONFUSION IN DEON SIMPHIWE SKADE'S DEBUT WORK

By Pule Lechesa

“A special effort is needed to perceive the different social and
religious organisation of these people...the scene setting is heavy
going...I can only say that I welcomed a Bewitched Crossroad on my
desk with expectations of new discovery and insight, but closed it
with a sense of baffled frustration.”

This was critic Barry Ronge's reaction to Bessie Head's last book, but the comments above apply to some extent to Deon Skade’s first book, A Series of Undesirable Events. There is a distinct sense of chaos and confusion.

This has nothing to do with the excellent writing skills of the author - the problem is the profusion of first person narrators in the work. How many such narrators is the reader supposed to identify with?

The overall effect comes close to being a disaster for most readers as the author, who is the only one familiar with his disparate characters, assumes that this would also work for the mainstream reader. It does not.

Look at the dramatic story for example where we learn that an incensed Kgotso has killed his woman, and her alleged lover. It is a fair bet to say that there is raising of eyebrows, confusion, even shock, at the revelation of the first person narrator here. Not our Moshe. Or is it? With some effort we find out, but it is not so easy.

Again, in the short story, Class Act it would be no surprise if the reader starts questioning his or her own sanity! The juxtaposition of two first person narrators, one female, one male, at the same time in the same story would be regarded by many as an imposition, despite the author's impressive skill.

Yet what many would dub a literary glitch could have been nipped in the bud, or alleviated, if the author had adopted a trick used in some of the old English classics - including a note along these lines at the beginning of each story: "Narrative by so and so (named),"Narrative resumed by so and so...". Too simplistic?

Literary styles of course vary, or evolve as time goes on. Writers like D.H Lawrence, even Africa’s Wole Soyinka were often dubbed unreadable, but now even more appreciated. Perhaps Deon’s experimentations with literary styles shows he's ahead of his time? Perhaps the average reader is too naive?

Admittedly, a second reading of A series of undesirable events, makes the author's achievement more rewarding. But how many bemused readers will go on to read it twice at a go?