80 likes | 235 Views
Analysis of the character of. Pieter Muller. - thickset man, ginger beard , ginger hair , bullish neck - always talks in short sentences , from time to time speaks afrikaans - living on a farm , often talks to his animals , has a hedgery of bantams
E N D
Analysis ofthecharacterof Pieter Muller
- thickset man, gingerbeard, gingerhair, bullish neck - alwaystalks in shortsentences, from time to time speaks afrikaans - living on a farm, oftentalkstohisanimals, has a hedgeryofbantams - married, has well-traineddogs - formerheadofpolice in Smitsrivier (duringtheeraof Apartheid) - interrogator, torturer, murdererof Steve Sizela - hiswifesays he is a good man, verycaring General Information
- surroundedby an auraofmight - fears „theghostsofthepast“ - fearsthat Dirk Hendricks might talk abouthispastandincriminate Pieter - showsnoregretforhavingkilled Steve Sizela - worriedabout Mary - even in hisdeath he wantstosupporthiswife - provokes James Sizelatoshoothimandhavehiswifepaid-out hislife-assurance - he does not wanttoappear in front ofthe TRC, ratherwouldcommitsuicide Characterization
Wouldyoucallhim a cold-bloodedsadist? - Pieter Muller is a coldmanipulator. He triedtogethimself out ofaffairby corrupting Hendricks - doesn‘tbelieve he hasdonesomethingbad, doesn`tshowregret - racistwhohasnorespectfor human dignity - he stickstohisideals, wouldrather die thanadmittthat he was wrongandbegformercy -> Itisdifficulttodecide on whether he iscold-bloodedor not, because he hasideals, that aren‘tcomparablewithours. He didhisjob. But still fromany modern pointofview he definetlyis a cold-bloodedsadist. WhatSortof man is he?
- dislikesthe TRC because he doesn‘twantthetruthtoberevealed - does not wanttoreconcilewithhisvictims - is not ashamedofwhat he hasdone - he will neverbegformercy Muller is not interested in applyingforamnesty He definetlyknows, that he won‘tbe send toprison. Youcanalreadyguess, that he israthergoingto die. WHAT IS HIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE TRC?
- When Pieter Muller comes after some hearings of Hendricks to his working place he sees a notice written by somebody saying: “WHY PAY A MURDERER TO KEEP YOU SAFE” - Three of his workers didn’t want to renew their contract with his security company - “…white community had decided to ditch him rather than be tarred by his brush. He was now the target. Without allies. …” (169) - Pieter Muller is worried that the friends of him and his wife are going to leave Marie alone. What signs are there that the white community is turning against him?
- Pieter Muller has a live insurance and wants his wife Marie to have the money. If he committed suicide the insurance would not be paid-out, so he provokes James Sizela to kill him. - He doesn’t want to appear in front of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This is why his dead is the last possibility for him to escape. - Provokes Sizela by saying that his son was worthless and that he is going to talk about the torture in public, also in front of Steve’s mother - (page 238- 240) “…such a worthless son…”, “I´ll tell them everything just as I have told you but with more detail. I´ll describe your son and the pain he underwent. I´ll tell them what he told me about you as well. I´ll make you listen, not only you, but his mother as well…” How and why DID he provoke Sizela at the end?