Willpower
As the title suggests the story is centrally about the strength of the human spirit. Through the course of his youth, Peekay endures difficulties at every stage in which he finds a way to conquer. At school he faces abuse from Judge; subsequently, he gets help from a medicine man who assists him to assume the rule of “the power of one’. Moreover, uses the magic chicken and camouflage to navigate through the hostile environment in school. Additionally, when imprisoned in Barberton prison Peekay finds a way to cope with the new territory. He emerges as a popular character within the prison while also honing on his boxing skills. All through to the conclusion of the narrative, he faces obstacles of which he overcomes eventually as he excels in every venture he undertakes. Even finally facing his childhood bully and enacts his revenge later on in his life. Hence, the essence of the story is Peekay’s willpower throughout his adventurous life.
Coming of Age
The narrative chronicles the life of Peekay, an English South African boy from early childhood into young adulthood. The novel as a bildungsroman charts Peekay growth through various adversities and experiences. From an early age, he is put under the care of a nanny following his mother’s mental breakdown. Through this period he undergoes bullying in school due to his background and also his bedwetting. Furthermore, following the move to Barberton he encounters a boxing champion and a German professor from who he gains new skills. As he nurtures his self-identity through every experience he becomes more resilient and gets a better understanding of the universe and its constructs. Thus, the novel's central theme is the coming-of-age of a young man as he transitions into adulthood.
Apartheid
While the system of racial segregation is not overtly handled in the narrative, the author shows its presence and impact through the protagonist’s encounters. Peekay attends an all Afrikaans school, a segregated school for whites, and despite him also being white he still faces discrimination for his English descent. In prison, he witnesses the injustices of the apartheid system, in how it endorsed the poor treatment of black prisoners. Peekay shows his sympathy towards them by using his privileges as a white South African to distribute contraband and writing letters for them. Set in the 1930s through to 1940s the novel illustrates the nature of the apartheid system in the background of Peekay’s narrations.
