Abstract
This article investigates how Zelda Bezuidenhout’s youth novel, Quinn se jaar van kwik (2024), engages with contemporary discourses on sexual violence and the #MeToo movement against the background of wokeness to determine if this novel contains a nuanced perspective on sexual violence within a patriarchal context. Through thematic analysis, where three main themes were identified, the article argues that the novel does indeed contain a nuanced perspective on sexual violence (that includes sexual assault and harassment) within patriarchal contexts. It also shows how social movements can be useful for victims of sexual violence and how these movements can be used to challenge problematic structures with social justice as its end goal.
Wokeness, although a contested concept, can be understood as an ideology and interpretive framework that focusses on oppression and discrimination in society. De Klerk-Luttig (2024) describes wokeness as “an ideology where everything is seen through the lens of race, gender, and sexual orientation”. Lourens (2024:96) emphasises that this awareness extends further, encompassing body size, age, chronic illness, mental health, disability, and neurodiversity. For the purposes of this article wokeness is most relevant as it relates to sexism and, specifically, the pervasive nature of sexual violence in patriarchal societies.
One of the central examples of wokeness in action is the #MeToo movement that gained global prominence in 2017, when the hashtag #MeToo went viral across social media platforms (Tuerkheimer 2019:1149; Jaffe 2018:80; Me too n.d.). The movement’s primary goal was to give survivors of sexual violence the opportunity to act in solidarity and publicly share their personal experiences (Harmon 2019; Tuerkheimer 2019:1149; Jaffe 2018:80; Me too n.d.). #MeToo demonstrates how collective storytelling can not only validate survivors’ experiences but also generate pressure for accountability and institutional reform. By bringing these experiences into the public domain, #MeToo thus challenged the culture of silence and complicity that sustains sexual violence. Tuerkheimer (2019:1146, 1152) describes these acts of public sharing as a form of non-official reporting that bypassed traditional institutional channels, which have often failed to protect or support victims.
#MeToo is also an example of feminist consciousness-raising (Louw 2024; Jaffe, Cero and DiLillo 2021:2; Tuerkheimer 2019:1153; Jaffe 2018:80, 85). This emphasis on awareness to bring about social justice is central to wokeness itself – oppressive systems must be named, exposed, and actively dismantled. #MeToo’s focus on public sharing also includes public shaming of perpetrators and thus their “cancellation”. The cancellation and shaming of perpetrators (especially men) led to the controversial #NotAllMen discourse. #NotAllMen argues that not all men are inherently “bad” and calls for society to be more aware of the fact that not all cancelled or accused perpetrators are in fact found guilty. Although #NotAllMen also has problematic aspects – especially its tendency to ignore the bigger structural and institutional inequalities – this article agrees with the fact that cancellation or cancel culture as a manifestation of wokeness must be accompanied by awareness. This means that truly woke individuals whose aims are to create a more equal and just society, will act logically and responsibly when any accusations of sexual violence are made.
For this article, patriarchy as oppressive system is relevant. Patriarchy is conceptualised along the lines of Ortner (2022:308) and Twist (2021:207) as a broad ideology privileging white, cisgender masculinity, heterosexuality, and able-bodiedness. Patriarchy is understood here as an intersecting set of hierarchies rather than a simple binary opposition between men and women. As Ortner (2022:307) argues, patriarchy is best analysed through an intersectional lens that recognises how power relations are structured not only by gender but also by race, class, sexuality, disability, and other social categories. An intersectional approach to patriarchy further implies that anyone, regardless of their gender, can be victims of patriarchy if they are deemed “deviant” against the backdrop of patriarchal norms (Rodríguez-García-de-Cortázar, González-Calo and Gómez-Bueno 2024:424–5; Ortner 2022:309).
This intersectional approach to patriarchy is visible throughout Quinn se jaar van kwik. The novel depicts Excellentia, a prestigious boarding school, as an oppressive space where patriarchal traditions and practices flourish. Through thematic analysis, three main themes were identified in the narrative: Excellentia as an oppressive space; patriarchal traditions, norms, and practices; and social movements at Excellentia. The second theme includes four subthemes: the “punteskrums”, the Sambok tradition, the “sleutelgat” tradition, and the non-consensual distribution of photos. The third main theme encompasses the emergence of two subthemes: A #MeToo-inspired movement and a #NotAllMen discourse. These themes are interconnected within the sociocultural framework of sexual violence as a form of patriarchal oppression.
The novel is careful to show that sexual violence has many facets and cannot be reduced to a single act such as rape. The harmful traditions maintained by the Brothers (an elite group of boys, the Objects, who enforce oppression) demonstrate the spectrum of sexual violence that’s mostly aimed at the female students (the Subjects): some girls are spied upon through the “sleutelgat” tradition, while others are verbally or physically harassed during the “punteskrums”. Although these incidents differ in form, they ultimately belong to the same category – sexual assault. Importantly, these practices are situated within Excellentia’s broader patriarchal system which normalises and reproduces harm.
A striking feature of the narrative is its nuanced and woke depiction of victims and perpetrators. While the focus is mainly on the victimisation of female characters, the novel clearly shows that male characters (such as Schalk) who do not conform to the Brothers’ standards can also be harmed by patriarchal systems. Moreover, the story highlights that the binary view of “good” and “bad” individuals is more complex than it may seem at first. It portrays some female characters, such as Luna at the beginning of the novel and other anonymous girls, as complicit in upholding the oppressive system. It also shows that not all male characters are inherently “bad” because of their gender. This complexity reinforces an intersectional and woke understanding that anyone, regardless of gender, can become either a victim or an enabler of patriarchal violence.
The narrative further reflects on how resistance and structural change are possible. Inspired by #MeToo, the protagonists (main character Quinn and her friends Luna and Jozi) form a collective movement to challenge their abusers and transform their environment. In this way, the novel affirms the value of solidarity, collective action, and informal strategies. Formal strategies are also followed: Quinn, after realising she’s a victim of the “sleutelgat” tradition, reports the incident to a teacher (Ms. Roux) as well as the principal of the school (Mr. Nieuwoudt). It shows that confronting sexual violence requires both informal and formal strategies to expose perpetrators, challenge harmful practices and traditions, and hold institutions accountable.
Bezuidenhout’s approach is marked by sensitivity and awareness. The novel not only portrays the trauma and alienation that victims (especially Nathalie) of sexual violence experience but also highlights the courage required to break the silence. It indirectly encourages readers to be brave and stand together against injustice. In doing so, it aligns with #MeToo’s goals of breaking cultural taboos and challenging the structural conditions that enable abuse.
We conclude that Quinn se jaar van kwik can be described as a woke text that contains feminist consciousness-raising that is relevant to young readers. Not only does the narrative show that sexual violence includes more than just the single act of rape, but it further shows that challenging and transforming systems and institutions, such as a school, which perpetuate forms of oppression such as sexual violence within a patriarchal context is possible. Oppressive systems, as shown in the novel, can be challenged by combining both informal and formal procedures. The novel thus exemplifies how youth literature can contribute meaningfully to the struggle against patriarchy by indirectly providing young readers with tools to combat patriarchal forms of oppression with formal practices (such as reporting instances of sexual violence to a teacher) and informal and collective practices that could result in impactful social movements such as #MeToo.
The story’s nuanced engagement with #MeToo, the portrayal of victims and perpetrators, and the insistence that any person can be subject to patriarchal harm all contribute to the expansive, intersectional, and woke understanding of sexual violence. By thematising these issues within a recognisably South African context where patriarchal norms have been transmitted across generations (Noge 2014:3–5), the novel resonates with local as well as global debates on gender, power, and justice.
Keywords: #MeToo; #NotAllMen; awareness; cancel culture; patriarchy; sexual violence; traditions; wokeness; youth literature
- This article’s featured image was created by Mart Production and obtained from Pexels.
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