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ENG2603 ASSIGNMENT 03 YEAR MODULE 2023 (608440)
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- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
ENG2603 ASSIGNMENT 03 YEAR MODULE 2023
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FULL NAMES:STUDENT NUMBER:
UNIQUE NUMBER: 608440
MODULE CODE: ENG2603
MODULE NAME: ENGLISH PROFICIENCY FOR
UNIVERSITY STUDIES
ASSIGNMENT: 03
DUE DATE: 05 SEPTEMBER 2023
, Question 1
1. "Welcome to Our Hillbrow" by Phaswane Mpe offers a thought-provoking
examination of cultural misconceptions in postcolonial South Africa. The novel
highlights various aspects of societal prejudices, particularly those related to culture
and ethnicity. The way female characters and foreigners are portrayed in the story
reinforces the presence of deeply ingrained cultural biases.
The novel significantly brings attention to the problem of xenophobia in South Africa.
This is accomplished by illustrating how foreigners in Hillbrow are subjected to
prejudice and discrimination. They are frequently depicted as criminals, painted in a
negative light by the local South Africans. This enduring cultural stereotype permeates
the entire narrative and reflects the broader societal attitude towards foreigners in
post-apartheid South Africa.
The theme of cultural discrimination also surfaces in the portrayal of female
characters. Women, particularly those from rural areas who migrate to the city in
pursuit of better opportunities, are often depicted stereotypically as promiscuous.
Through the narrative, Mpe paints a picture of a society that uses female sexuality as
a means to perpetuate cultural stereotypes.
Refilwe, for example, the main female character, embodies this stereotype. While she
is shown to be educated and ambitious, her death due to HIV/AIDS perpetuates the
society's stereotype of urban women being promiscuous and subsequently at high risk
of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. The stereotyping here is twofold,
pertaining to both gender and urbanization.
Therefore, the novel, "Welcome to Our Hillbrow" indeed makes a poignant critique of
the habits of cultural stereotyping in postcolonial South Africa. The strategies
employed by Mpe to analyze these stereotypes highlight their harmful effects, making
a case for society to abandon such predispositions in order to create an environment
conducive for coexistence and mutual respect. This approach asserts the importance
of intersectionality, acknowledging that multiple layers of prejudice can and often do
coexist.
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