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1-Page Summary of The Power of One
A novel follows the life of a five-year-old boy who is brought up by his Zulu nanny and grandfather in South Africa. He then goes to boarding school, where he is constantly bullied for his English accent. The bullies also make fun of him because he’s circumcised and calls him derogatory names like “pisskop” (piss head) and “rooinek” (redneck), which they call Englishmen during the Boer War. They believe that Hitler wants to eliminate all Englishmen from the world, but Peekay doesn’t understand this because he doesn’t know about Hitler or World War II yet. His only solace comes from Mevrou, who wields her cane stick instead of offering comfort when she walks around the house where all the boys live.
Peekay returns home after his first year of school and is taken to see the famous black chief, Inkosi-Inkosikazi. The chief helps Peekay overcome his bedwetting problem and also inspires him to be independent. He also gives Peekay a special place where he can go when he feels scared or alone—a place with three waterfalls and ten stones that represents dreaming.
Peekay’s nanny takes him back to school for another year, but this time she lets him live in the kitchen so that he can keep Granpa Chook (one of her magic chickens) company. At school, Peekay does all the Judge’s homework for fun because it makes him smarter; however, this only makes things worse between them since the Judge sees it as an insult toward himself. This causes even more problems when at the end of term, Mevrou tells Peekay that there has been a change in plans: instead of going home like he thought they would do together, Mevrou says that they will have to travel separately because she has business in Barberton and cannot take care of him anymore until she comes back again later on. She then explains how a friend named Harry Crown came up with “Pisskop” which isn’t a very nice name for someone growing up into manhood so instead Harry Crown called him PK instead which stands for PeeKaaapie (which means small rock).
Mevrou goes on saying how much she hates being away from her little boy but unfortunately there are some things in life you just have to accept without question especially if you want your children or loved ones happy! Mevrou leaves first thing next morning while PK walks out behind her crying softly… On arriving at Barberton Town Square where people are waiting by buses ready to leave town…he looks around sadly not knowing what part of town his granpa lives in….Then suddenly somebody calls out ‘Hey Pisskop’..and who should appear but Mr Grimmett one of his teachers from Nongoma High School!!! They both smile broadly recognizing each other immediately…PK asks Mr Grimmett if he knows where Grampas house is….Mr Grimmett smiles widely…..”Follow me my old mate……I am staying with Grampa till I get myself sorted out….you too?’.’
Peekay is on a train to Barberton when he meets Hoppie Groenewald, a young man who’s very good at boxing. He invites Peekay to watch him box in Gravelotte. On the way there, Peekay learns that Hoppie’s advice is “First with the head then with the heart.” When they arrive in Barberton, Peekay discovers his mother has returned from an asylum and become Christian. She dismissed her nanny because she didn’t want to be saved by Jesus Christ. His mother tries to convince him about Jesus but he says it would be better if God were dead instead of just being a shithead (saying this can get you killed). In the hills behind his new house, he meets Doc von Vollensteen who introduces himself as Doc and explains that he collects cacti. Doc becomes one of his best friends along with Mrs. Boxall, the town librarian and Geel Piet helps him out too sometimes when things are hard for him. One day while training in jail after school hours,he finds out that Geel Piet was murdered by Borman,a white prison warden who suspects something fishy going on between them all. After graduating from high school,Peekay wins a scholarship to Prince Of Wales School in Johannesburg where he continues winning fights until becoming welterweight champion of South Africa under Mr Hullekrat Hofmeyr’s guidance.
