The Theory of Flight Notes
Themes
Selfhood, Love, Loss
- Selfhood = the quality that constitutes one's individuality. It is constantly
being negotiated through the different relations that we have in our lives.
LOVE: Genie and Vida
• Met during a time of reduction and erosion
• Seen as unvalued members of society (HIV positive + street dweller)
◦ Were able to accept each other in their entireties and therefore could
live lives that mattered because they loved one another.
• Vida = artist that presents threat to The Man Himself
◦ Art and creativity is uncontrollable because intangible
• Genie is “someone who had lived a life that mattered”
◦ Has a strong sense of self ∴ can find love in a time of devastation
• Their love suggests that they can fight against being reduced to just a body or
a statistic
• Share histories - hide nothing (honesty frees them)
◦ “They had no choice but to accept each other as they were … It was a
liberation”
LOVE: Marcus:
• Most transformed by Genie’s death
◦ Epiphany: cannot live in the perfect past that he had.
◦ Lets go of fantasy and can now embrace his life + marriage with Esme +
let go of the past with Genie
◦ “It is in that moment that Marcus realises that he has been holding on
to something that Genie let go of a long time ago”
• Her death makes him confront the violent past that Masuku’s have been
denying
◦ “My letting go of you in my way of loving you”
◦ “he had loved the sunflowers only because Genie loved them”
Feminist/ Feminine
*Woman-centred
Strong women:
, • Genie
◦ Manages to live full life with happiness despite HIV and potential rape
• Prudence (Genie’s grandmother)
◦ Raises 2 children without help from her husband
◦ Teaches children to have character
◦ Lots of determination and strong willed (husband is a charmer)
• Eunice
◦ Reports her husband to Emil Coetzee so she can save herself and
Dingani
◦ “They are planning to overthrow the government”
• Thandi
◦ Makes a living for herself (before being drowned in pit latrine)
◦ Marries Dingani
• Jestina
◦ Saves Genie’s from Beauford Farm and Estate
• Minenhle
◦ Never gives up her brother’s name, even through heavy abuse
◦ Marries her abuser (unknowingly)
Creativity and Imagination
ART:
Successful works of art transport us and gives a sense of belonging - feel that we are
collaborating with the artist to create something beautiful and wonderful. Art allows
us to fly, transport and inspire people.
• Golide Gumede
◦ Builds giant pair of wings
◦ Inspires awe in supporters (jealousy in The Man Himself)
◦ Builds it for wife to go to Nashville to pursue singing talents
◦ Wants to show that Africans can be successful, inspiring, innovative
and radical people
• Elizabeth Nyoni
◦ Musician who believes her talents deserve to find their way to Nashville
Tennessee
• Vida de Villiers
◦ Sculptor who creates art out of scraps metal and becomes world
famous
◦ Famous sculptures: ‘Golden’, ‘Lady in Waiting’, ‘The Firebird’ (Genie)
*The Man Himself treats them as threats to him even though he has state power
Themes
Selfhood, Love, Loss
- Selfhood = the quality that constitutes one's individuality. It is constantly
being negotiated through the different relations that we have in our lives.
LOVE: Genie and Vida
• Met during a time of reduction and erosion
• Seen as unvalued members of society (HIV positive + street dweller)
◦ Were able to accept each other in their entireties and therefore could
live lives that mattered because they loved one another.
• Vida = artist that presents threat to The Man Himself
◦ Art and creativity is uncontrollable because intangible
• Genie is “someone who had lived a life that mattered”
◦ Has a strong sense of self ∴ can find love in a time of devastation
• Their love suggests that they can fight against being reduced to just a body or
a statistic
• Share histories - hide nothing (honesty frees them)
◦ “They had no choice but to accept each other as they were … It was a
liberation”
LOVE: Marcus:
• Most transformed by Genie’s death
◦ Epiphany: cannot live in the perfect past that he had.
◦ Lets go of fantasy and can now embrace his life + marriage with Esme +
let go of the past with Genie
◦ “It is in that moment that Marcus realises that he has been holding on
to something that Genie let go of a long time ago”
• Her death makes him confront the violent past that Masuku’s have been
denying
◦ “My letting go of you in my way of loving you”
◦ “he had loved the sunflowers only because Genie loved them”
Feminist/ Feminine
*Woman-centred
Strong women:
, • Genie
◦ Manages to live full life with happiness despite HIV and potential rape
• Prudence (Genie’s grandmother)
◦ Raises 2 children without help from her husband
◦ Teaches children to have character
◦ Lots of determination and strong willed (husband is a charmer)
• Eunice
◦ Reports her husband to Emil Coetzee so she can save herself and
Dingani
◦ “They are planning to overthrow the government”
• Thandi
◦ Makes a living for herself (before being drowned in pit latrine)
◦ Marries Dingani
• Jestina
◦ Saves Genie’s from Beauford Farm and Estate
• Minenhle
◦ Never gives up her brother’s name, even through heavy abuse
◦ Marries her abuser (unknowingly)
Creativity and Imagination
ART:
Successful works of art transport us and gives a sense of belonging - feel that we are
collaborating with the artist to create something beautiful and wonderful. Art allows
us to fly, transport and inspire people.
• Golide Gumede
◦ Builds giant pair of wings
◦ Inspires awe in supporters (jealousy in The Man Himself)
◦ Builds it for wife to go to Nashville to pursue singing talents
◦ Wants to show that Africans can be successful, inspiring, innovative
and radical people
• Elizabeth Nyoni
◦ Musician who believes her talents deserve to find their way to Nashville
Tennessee
• Vida de Villiers
◦ Sculptor who creates art out of scraps metal and becomes world
famous
◦ Famous sculptures: ‘Golden’, ‘Lady in Waiting’, ‘The Firebird’ (Genie)
*The Man Himself treats them as threats to him even though he has state power
