“The Power of One” by Bryce Courtney is a novel that revolves around the differences between the English language and the Afrikaans language. Peekay is the protagonist who is tormented because he is the only student who speaks English in his boarding school. His inability to speak the Afrikaans language makes him a target among the kids at school. He is often mistreated and tormented because they don't see him as acceptable in their eyes. The kids call him names like "pisskop" and "Rooineck" and make him do horrible things like eat human feces (Bryce Courtney). This abuse and torment continued throughout his childhood. Spending a lot of time at boarding school, Peekay learns to write and speak Afrikaans, Zulu and Shangaan. These three languages ​​were the most spoken in South Africa. The Afrikaans language is the common language spoken in South Africa. It is estimated that over 6 million speak this language. It was originated by Dutch settlers in the 17th century (the Afrikaner language). It is considered one of the Indo-European languages. This language was an important part in the novel as it symbolized power. Peekay didn't speak the language, so he was tormented and mistreated because he wasn't like everyone else. Growing up in South Africa and not knowing the most commonly spoken language creates a barrier between Peekay and everyone else. He feels like he doesn't belong with the rest of the children. Language was a very important aspect linked to the character as it differentiated him from all the others. The story is set in the 1930s and 1940s in South Africa. Peekay...... middle of paper...... with humans so they believed they had to connect with spirits to cross Nkulunkulu. Peekay learned a lot from the Zulu people in South Africa as he was raised by his Zulu nanny from birth. Works Cited "South Africa". Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Network. 03 June 2010. "African tribes - Zulu people." African Safaris, African Tours, Africa Holidays and Africa Tour Guide. Network. June 1, 2010. .Courtenay, Bryce. The power of one. New York: Delacorte, 2005. Print."The Afrikaans Language." Easy Afrikaans. Learn Afrikaans online. Network. June 3, 2010. .Spark Notes: Today's Most Popular Study Guides. Network. 03 June 2010. .