I have another new favorite South African novel. This one blew me away. Zakes Mda’s novel Ways of Dying is set in the early 1990s–if I had to guess, it would be 1990-1991: between the time Nelson Mandela was released from prison and when he was elected president (1994) and apartheid officially became illegal. The struggle existing in the Townships, Settlements, and Villages in that stage between full-fledged apartheid and real freedom for African people is conveyed with such power I feel as if I’ve lived it.(First printing–Oxford University Press Southern Africa, 1991; Copyright 1995 would support my theory).I wish I’d found this book earlier. I could have included it as required reading in my South Africa class spring semester. I think I’ll recommend it as supplementary reading, for sure. If I get to teach the class again, it will be on the syllabus!This book feels almost too tragic to bear at the beginning. It’s so sad and keeps getting sadder that a reader can be tempted to set the book down. However, the character Toloki rivets us as and we can’t “look away.” We must keep reading to see what happens to him! Toloki has named himself a “professional mourner” because he’s lost his home and his business and needs work. He’s seen that one rich man makes his living from coffins; there is money to be made in death because there is so much of it, all around, and every day. So the homeless Toloki procures himself a Mourning Costume (the procurement itself a delightful story that I won’t spoil here) and starts attending every funeral he can for people in the Townships and Settlements (wealthier people have no need for such services).As the story unfolds, the tragedy is not lessened: we see first hand the horrific “necklacing” of a five-year-old, destruction of settlement homes, and senseless murder in other ways. Still, our characters have hope and have life. They are survivors and they find joy and satisfaction and hope in everyday happenings. This is what survival is all about. This is what the human spirit can do. This is the truest meaning of life, perhaps.The first time I took a group into a township–Khayelitsha in Cape Town–our guide said, “Do NOT feel sorry for the people who live here. Do NOT act like you are benevolent visitors. These people have pride. This is what they’re used to, and you are visiting their community. Respect them; respect their lives.” This book slams that lesson hope full-force. That’s why I want my students to read it. And that’s why it ends up not being a story of tragedy. It’s a realistic look at lives woven with a beautiful spirit of survival and love. I’ll read this book many times, I’m sure.Another interesting note: I walked into the Coffee Hag (my favorite morning hang-out in Mankato besides my own house) to meet my friend Tracy Murphy who is also on sabbatical this semester. I was carrying Ways of Dying mostly because it was what I was reading, and I rarely go anywhere without a book, just in case there will be a few minutes of reading time available. She looked up, saw the book, and said, “I just read that! Isn’t it wonderful? I love the character Toloki!” We had a great talk about the book. Small world, and yet, stories like this are what make the world smaller. The world with all of its aches and injustices truly belongs to all of us. That means all of us must do our part to make it a better place. Zakes MdaAnd stories unite us.
Don’t know what to think about this novel. I was little afraid because few weeks ago I’ve read Mda’s “The Wale Caller” which I really didn’t like. However this is much better novel.The idea of professional mourner is quite original one, few surrealistic drops were quite interesting, background scene was …. Of course very cruel almost apocalyptic however I’m not sure how convincing was it. Indeed, there are few remarks about colour of the skin but there is no clear racist hatred while brutality is part of everyday life. Death as well with numerous ways of dying just like there are numerous ways of living.Brutality can bee seen on every corner is something that was not quite convincing for me. And not only brutality of the society towards the poor but brutality between them as well. Brutality between neighbors, brutality of parents toward their children, etc.Set the man in flame just because that’s how you’re joking, or put a tire on kid’s neck, pour it with petrol and burned it or put the child into the chains, use it to beg the money and forgot to give him the food until he dies and dogs eat him was just a little to much to ask from the reader to believe.But all in all it’s interesting novel about life during transitional years in South Africa where in spite of horrifying reality the characters are profoundly optimistic.
What do You think about Ways Of Dying (2002)?
I was mildly disappointed with this Zakes's first (and most successful?) novel. I've read some of his later works and found them more 'meaty', both in characterisation and plotting.Zake's's trademark humour in portraying the hybrid rural/urban culture is strong, and his lead character is unique. However the story reads like a traditional African fairytale, with the characters and the story travelling in no clear direction; inevitably both end in a cul de sac.I'm a Zakes Mda fan and enjoyed this read as a measure of how far he has progressed as an author. He remains, for me, South Africa's greatest storyteller.
—John Mountford
It wasn't like what I expected ...It was a good book but for some reasons I didn't enjoy it that much... And I couldn't find that cruel ugly part that everybody is talking about and accusing the story for, maybe because I was already aware of most of the mentioned facts of South Africa. I felt like the author tended to rush in concluding the story in the last chapter, as if he had these limited pages that he had to fill and no more !!! However, I liked Toloki and his attitude with dealing with racial, economic and also appearance discrimination. Do I recommend it, yeah why not !!!!
—Maryam Almutawwa
I loved this book! From the first line through to the end. When I heard Mr Mda speak about two years after I read it, I was surprised to learn that this was his first novel (he was a playwright) and that he was somehow able to evoke such an amazingly crystal clear aura of the place in which he writes even though he spent so much time in exile (Apartheid).I lived in SOuth Africa for a time- in two cities and traveled along the coast a few times- and I loved it. This book right away took me to one of my favorite places and reminded me of things that I had experienced or seen. The writing is wonderful- to the point where one feels carried along on a journey. The story is riveting, and the characters are well developed. There is beauty in the loneliness of the main character- and magnificence in the unfolding of the geographical references- an unamed city and an unamed countryside should seem vague but it is not at all. I was there- both literally and figuratively:-) The Author so cleverly put this book together and I was so happy to have found it. I was pleasantly surprised on the two occasions I got to hear him speak. He is highly intelligent, very clever, witty and seems to have a robust sense of humour.Mr Mda is certainly one of the people I would be happy to sit down to dinner with. He said his wife is responsible for his foray into novel writing- she actually got him a typewriter! So I thank you Mrs. Mda! and in general I am not so effusive:-) One of my all time favorite books. I laughed and cried and was transported- the use of magical realism here was not heavy handed at all. I am afraid to read the sequel that I recently heard about. But I probably will.I have read 2 other Mda Books.
—Alex
