The novel poor white problem : South Africa and the American South in comparison 1850-1950

Abstract

Poor whites are not solely limited to one single country and neither was the poor-white problem. As such poor whites lend themselves to comparative study, and in this case South Africa (SA) and the American South (AS). These regions share a number of similarities with regards to their respective histories. However, it is the tenet of this thesis that historical sources can be augmented by novels to produce a nuanced understanding of the history and everyday lives of the poor whites. Novels, especially those from the Realism genre, have been proven to be a valuable source where there exists little to no information on a topic of a fringe community generated by themselves. Realism novels were used to not only give voice to the marginalised, but to also reveal the daily lives and everyday thoughts of the poor whites themselves. This study compares the histories of the poor whites in both South Africa and the American South and reveals that the Carnegie Commission was an important link between the two countries and their respective poor-white problems. Different aspects and themes in the histories of these two countries are placed side by side for comparative analysis. The different Movements the novels fall into, as well as the novelist and the period they lived in are examined and compared to create a better understanding of the period, context, genre and topic. The different definitions and types of poor whites reveal a number of differences and similarities regarding the poor whites. The causes that led to poor whitism are examined and reveal different outlooks and solutions, but also similar circumstances. Lastly the beliefs (religions and superstitions) of the poor whites, as well as the perceptions surrounding poor whites and their perceptions of “others” are considered and compared. The last chapters are instrumental in revealing the importance the novels play as primary sources with regards to the thoughts and inside story of the poor whites, by adding a “real” and “human dimension” to the existing histories.