Altering the sequence of time: Narrative technique in O.K. Matsepe's Letšofalela

Abstract

O.K. Matsepe's narrative art displays various unique features. Perhaps one of the most notable is his skilful manipulation of time order which he employs as a technique to destroy chronology and with it the importance of time. His rearrangement of events in achronological sequence makes his works difficult to read, demanding active participation from the reader who wishes to make sense of his texts: the reader has to reconstruct the story, i.e. the events in their chronological sequence, from the text, i.e. the events rearranged in achronological order. In this article an aspect of Matsepe's narrative technique is examined with reference to Letšofalela.