n Literator : Journal of Literary Criticism, Comparative Linguistics and Literary Studies - 'n Netwerkontleding van karakterverhoudinge in Etienne van Heerden se Toorberg : original research

Abstract

Etienne van Heerden se Toorberg kan as 'n moderne, postkoloniale plaasroman benader word, deels omdat dit die erfopvolgingsgegewe van die tradisionele plaasroman uitdaag. Erfopvolging impliseer 'n sterk familieband, en daarom is dit insiggewend om ondersoek in te stel na hoe familiebande binne hierdie roman funksioneer. Die artikel stel ondersoek in na die familiebande binne Toorberg met behulp van Sosiale-netwerk-analise (SNA), 'n grotendeels onbekende teoretiese raamwerk wat ook toegepas kan word binne die literatuurstudie. Daar word aangetoon hoe karakters se posisies binne hierdie netwerk bereken kan word ten opsigte van graadsentraliteit, nabyheidsentraliteit, Eigenvektorsentraliteit en tussenliggingsentraliteit, en hoe die aanduiders in staat is om die roman se ondermyning van die erfopvolgingsgegewe uit te lig.

A network analysis of character relations in Etienne van Heerden's Toorberg

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Etienne van Heerden's Toorberg can be approached as a modern, postcolonial farm novel, partly because it challenges the concept of lineage of inheritance, which is characteristic of the traditional farm novel. Lineage of inheritance implies a strong family bond, and it is therefore instructive to investigate how family ties function within this novel. The article views family ties within Toorberg using Social Network Analysis (SNA), a largely unknown theoretical framework that can also be applied within the study of literature. It is shown how characters' positions in this network can be calculated in terms of degree centrality, closeness centrality, Eigenvector centrality and betweenness centrality, and how these measures expose the way in which this novel undermines the traditional concept of inheritance.