The Power of One

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What aspects of Peekay’s journey from traumatized child to confident young adult felt most compelling to you? How does Courtenay’s portrayal of this transformation compare to other coming-of-age novels you’ve read, such as Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit or Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird?

2. How effectively does the novel balance the narrative Peekay’s personal growth with the broader historical and political context of pre-Apartheid South Africa?

3. In a novel about racism and social justice, the protagonist is white. What impression did this leave on you?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Peekay adopts “camouflage” as a survival strategy throughout much of his childhood and adolescence. Have you ever found yourself hiding your true abilities or personality to fit in or avoid unwanted attention?

2. The Power of One emphasizes individual determination and mental discipline. How do you interpret this philosophy, and what role has personal determination played in overcoming challenges in your own life?

3. Throughout the novel, Peekay encounters characters who challenge racist stereotypes while others perpetuate them. How have your own encounters with people from different backgrounds shaped your understanding of prejudice and tolerance?

4. Boxing transforms from a means of self-defense into an art form for Peekay. What activities or skills in your life have evolved from necessity into passion? How did that transformation change your relationship with the activity?

5. How does Peekay’s experience of being the outsider at his Afrikaans boarding school resonate with situations during which you’ve felt like an outsider?

6. Doc teaches Peekay the value of scientific observation and logical thinking. How has mentorship from teachers, family members, or other figures influenced your own development?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What parallels can you draw between the institutional racism depicted in pre-Apartheid South Africa and contemporary social justice issues?

2. How does the novel’s portrayal of the gradual buildup to Apartheid help illuminate how systematic oppression can develop and take hold in a society?

3. Courtenay presents boxing matches as venues where racial boundaries temporarily blur, as spectators from different communities gather to watch. What role do sports or other cultural activities play in bridging social divides?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. What significance does the recurring motif of size and power hold throughout the novel? How does Peekay’s physical smallness mirror the position of marginalized groups in South African society?

2. The novel is structured as a Bildungsroman told from the perspective of adult Peekay looking back on his childhood. How does this narrative technique enhance your understanding of the protagonist’s growth and the historical events surrounding him?

3. Courtenay uses the character of the Judge to represent personal trauma and broader political forces. What makes him an effective antagonist for Peekay’s individual story and the novel’s larger themes? How does his reappearance at the novel’s end provide closure?

4. Granpa Chook is an early symbol of Peekay’s connection to “the People.” How does this relationship with the rooster foreshadow Peekay’s later role as “Onoshobishobi Ingelosi”?

5. Music plays a significant role through Doc’s piano performances and the “Concerto of the Great Southland.” How does Courtenay connect musical artistry with boxing as forms of expression? What does this parallel suggest about resistance and unity?

6. Train journeys mark major transitions between different phases of Peekay’s development. Beyond physical transportation, how do these journeys function symbolically in the novel? What does each departure and arrival represent in terms of Peekay’s growth?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you’re designing a memorial for Geel Piet that would honor his role as Peekay’s mentor and his significance to “the People.” What elements would you include to capture his legacy and the impact he had on those around him?

2. Suppose you could create a museum exhibit about Peekay’s journey. Which three objects from his story would you choose as centerpieces, and how would you present them to visitors to convey the novel’s central themes?

3. Picture yourself inserted into any scene in the novel as an observer. Which moment would you choose to witness, and what questions would you want to ask the characters involved?

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