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INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY
GENRES I(2022S22FHENG614)

(THE PLOT MHUDI-CHAPTER 19 “

War against the Matebele ” )

Name: K.B Manaka

THE PLOT IN PLAATJE’S MHUDI

Explain the significance of ( the war against the Matabele , in Chapter 19 ) to the
development of the plot of Plaatje’s Mhudi.

A PLOT is the series of events that make up a story in narrative or creative writing,
whether the story is told, written, filmed, or sung. The plot's development, course,
and chronological progression are all part of the narrative. Five main components
make up most plots, and they are as follows: Exposition: Character, place, and the
primary conflict are often introduced at the start of a story. Rising Action As the
main character faces a crisis, the circumstances leading up to the confrontation of
the conflict start to take shape. The narrative gets complicated.
Climax: A significant event that pits the protagonist against a significant foe, dread,
challenge, or other source of conflict takes place at the story's climax. Here is where
there is the most excitement, drama, change, and action. Falling Action: As the
story nears its conclusion, it slows pace and begins to tie up loose ends.
Denouement: Also referred to as the resolution, the denouement settles all
outstanding concerns and brings the story to a close.Plots, usually referred to as
storylines, detail the crucial moments of the narrative as well as how the characters'
issues evolve through time.

The exposition takes place at Thaba Ncho, where Potgieter held his final council of
war. He informed the Barolongs that the Boers had assembled all of their troops and
supplies and that, with the addition of the Native, they were prepared to march on
the Matebele. Rising Action occurs when Hendrik Potgieter, the army's supreme
commander, assigns Sarel Siljay to lead the Boers, Motshegare, Chief Tauana's son,
to lead the Barolong, and Dout, a gallant horseman, to lead the Griquas. Large
numbers of the Bakwena, Bakhatla, and Bahurutshe who resided in the area through
which they marched joined the Allies as they continued north day by day. Climax: A
major occurrence The expedition swooped down on the distant Matebele outposts a
month after leaving Thaba Ncho and captured numerous livestock along with their
shepherds and cowherds. Some of the young herds were captured and kept as
slaves by the Boers indefinitely. Those who struggled or made an attempt to flee
were shot. Falling Action: As the story nears its conclusion, it slows pace and
begins to tie up loose ends. The Matebele soon discovered, however, that their
assegais were useless against mounted men carrying firearms. The resolution
indicates that helplessly outnumbered, horrified by the loud sound of the guns, and
outpaced by the agility of their enemy's horses, they quickly turned and fled, leaving
the field strewn with their dead and injured.
Plaatje and land : Plaatjie looks a period when the "Native" thrived solely off the land;
a time when a man's strength and stature were determined by the number of cattle
he owned.He looks at when different tribes went to war using shield and spear, and
then how these weapons proved useless against the barrel of the gun.
PLAGIARISM DECLARATION FORM

Declaration:

Name: _____ K.B MANAKA______________________________

Student number: ____202230060____________________________

I declare that this is my own original work. Where secondary material has been used
(either from a printed source or from the internet), this has been carefully
acknowledged and referenced in accordance with university requirements. I
understand what plagiarism is and I am aware of the university’s policy in this regard.
I have not allowed anyone else to copy my work.

_______M.K.B_________________________

Signature

_________03 NOVEMBER 2022_______________________

Date
Reference :

 Plaatje, S (2011) MHUDI -An Epic of Native in South Africa a Hundred Years
Ago. Jonathan Balls Publishers
 ‘Article Title - WHAT IS PLOT? ’ , Available at:
https://literaryterms.net/plot/ (Accessed: 01 Nov 2022 ).