The nature and development of the Northern Sotho detective narrative

Abstract

The aim of this research is to investigate the nature and development of the detective narrative in Northern Sotho from its beginnings in the 1960s up to its present level in the 1990s. . Due to the peculiarities of each text under study, different literary approaches, viz. Marxism, Feminism and lntertextuality have been utilized in an attempt at getting the best out of each text. The basic requirements of a detective narrative as legislated by the Detective Club in Britain and Ronald Knox have been used as a scale on which to weigh this product in Northern Sotho. The study investigates also how the detective narrative in Northern Sotho reflects the social history of the society out of which it originates. The differences in the texts of the 1970s with those of the 1990s is highlighted and the accurate way in which they are mirrors of the socio-political developments is revealed. The study finally reveals the achievements and failures of writers of this genre in Northern Sotho. Different areas which need research by future scholars are suggested. By way of conclusion the most important observation made is the need of being guided by a text under discussion whenever a literary approach is to be chosen. Also, more of vmodern literary approaches need to be experimented on in relation with African literature written in indigenous African languages so as to assist in finally deciding upon the need of a home-brewed approach.