Muhumbulo muhulwane wa ngudo iyi ndi u ṱoḓa u wanulusa, u vhambedza na u sengulusa phambano ya kualuselwe kwa vhaanewa vha vhana, u maanḓafhadziwa ha vhaanewa vha vhana nga vhaanetsheli vha ngano na vhaṅwali vha nganea dza Tshivenḓa dzo topolwaho u itela u bvisela khagala mudzi wa phambano idzo. Nganoni vhaanewa vha vhana a vha ḓilamukisi musi vha tshi ṱangana na nyimele, vha tou lwelwa kana ha itea manditi, nganeani vha tshi tou kakarika u lusa u ḓilamukisa kha nyimele dzine vha khou ṱangana nadzo.
Thyiori ya ‘Psychoanalytic na Thyiori ya Afrocentric’ dzo vha dzone mudededzi, mueletshedzi wa ngudo iyi u itela uri mawanwa a ṱhoḓisiso a tendisee na u pfesesea. Thyiori ya ‘Psychoanalytic’ yo thusa muṱoḓisisi u wanulusa na u pfesesa uri vhana a vha sokou tshenuwa vho ita zwiito, hu na zwi no vha itisa. Thyiori ya ‘Afrocentric’ yo thusa muṱoḓisisi u ombedzela ndeme ya kuitele kwa zwithu nga TshiAfrika u lulamisa zwiitwana zwo bvaho zwa vhathu vhahulwane na vhaṱuku khathihi na u ombedzela ndeme ya maṅwalwa a sialala kha u kaidza na u laya.
Nḓila ya ṱhoḓisiso yo shumiswaho u kuvhanganya na u saukanya mafhungo ndi Khwaḽithethivi. Mafhungo o kuvhanganywa u bva kha ngano dza rathi (6) na nganea dza rathi (6) dzo ṱanaho a vhaanewa vha vhana. Muṱoḓisisi o shumisa nḓila ya Neuman (1997) ya Tsenguluso yo ṱanḓavhuwaho ‘Analytic comparison’ ine ya shumisa nḓila ya thendelano ‘method of agreement’ na ya phambano ‘method of difference’ u saukanya mafhungo. Ngudo iyi yo shumisa vhunanguludzi vhu re na ndivho ‘non- probability sampling’. Ho khethwa zwinanguludzwa zwo ṱanaho vhaanewa vha vhana vha vhukale ha u bva kha miṅwaha ya zero (0) u swika kha miṅwaha ya fumi rathi (16). Mawanwa a ṱhoḓisiso iyi o sumba uri vhana vha a tambudziwa, vhana vho holefhalaho a vha ṱanganedzwi na u funiwa, vhana vha a shumiswa lwo kalulaho, vha a vhambadziwa, mihumbulo ya vhana a i thetsheleswi, vhana a vha thetshelesi ngeletshedzo dza vhathu vhahulwane, vha si na vhabebi vha a tambudzwa, vha a shavha mahayani u lusa u tinya mboni ine vha khou vhona.
The main aim of this investigation was to explore, compare and analyse reasons behind unequal upbringing, guidance, and empowerment of child characters in selected folktales and novels in Tshivenḓa to establish the root differences and similarities between the world of novels and folktales. In novels children are depicted as being in control of their future, they are determinants of their destiny, whereas in folktales children are depicted as defenseless, they depend on someone like an adult or miracles to overcome their challenges.
This research study utilised two theories, the Psychoanalytic theory and Afrocentric theory. The Psychoanalytic theory helped the researcher to understand that children’s behaviours are influenced by certain factors, they do not just behave haphazardly. The Afrocentric theory was used to emphasise the importance of folklore in children’s behaviours.
The study used the qualitative research method because the researcher wanted to explore, compare and understand the depiction of children as characters in some selected Tshivenḓa folktales and novels from the viewpoints as well as experiences of folktale narrators and novel authors. Textual analysis was used to collect data in this study. In other words, this investigation opted to use qualitative research in which the documentation ‘Document Analysis’ of six purposefully selected folktales and six novels were considered and data collected. The study used Neuman’s (1997) Analytic Comparison that applies the method of agreement and method of difference.
The findings of this study suggest that children are maltreated physically, and psychologically and neglected by their close relatives, biological parents, and mostly by step mothers. The study also found that children are treated as objects of manipulation, overworked and trafficked and their ideas are not listened to. Physically handicapped children are not taken care of and are not even loved by their parents. The maltreated children have surviving parents or are orphaned.
