Peekay

Peekay is the name of the main character in the Bryce Courtenay's novels The Power of One [Courtenay, Bryce: "The Power of One". Penguin Books. ISBN 0-7343-0550-8] and its sequel Tandia.

Overview

Peekay was born in South Africa in the 1930s. He was sent to an Afrikaans Boarding School, where he was tormented by his elder peers and teachers because he was English (the English fought against the Boers during the War). The Afrikaner students constantly tortured and mocked Peekay, going as far as to urinate on him and kill his pet chicken. They gave him the nickname "Pisskop," ("Piss" or "pee" head) which would later turn into Peekay (a friendlier nickname that stood for Pisskop, given to him by a salesman from a shoe store).Peekay was met while on the train from his boarding school to the town of Barberton where his grandfather had moved to, Hoppie Groenewald. Hoppie Groenewald was a train conductor and a boxer and took Peekay under his wing and taught him that small could beat big through the idea of the "Power of One". Hoppie inspires Peekay to take up boxing and to become the Welterweight champion of the world.

When Peekay arrives in Barberton, where his Mother and Grandfather have moved to, he is 6 years old, traumatised by his boarding school experience and determined to become the Welterweight Champion of the World. He soon after arriving, meets Professor Karl Von Vollensteen who, inspired by Peekays obvious intelligence, takes him under his wing to teach him. Over the next several years he teaches him (among other things) classical piano, chess, botany, geology and the importance of truth.

Peekay eventually, through 'The Power of One', manages to find closure on a few events of his young life, including his relationship with his mother, his friends he made, his schoolyard tormenters, and the professor.

References

Courtenay, Bryce: "The Power of One". Penguin Books. ISBN 0-7343-0550-8