The skills of boxing and music are one of the most physically demanding activities a person can learn in their life. High levels of strenuous concentrations are required for these activities. Bryce Courtesan has used imagery and stressed the importance and commonalities between boxing and music. In the novel, the Power of One, many examples of imagery exist in the book, often contrasting music to boxing. The quote ‘like a Mozart concerto’ shows that Doc is trying to elevate boxing from a sport, to an art.
When sports, like Boxing, are elevated to a status of an art form, it gives it acceptability. This is a reflection of how society can use sport as a uniting force. In the novel, Doc mentions mostly, European composers such as Chopin, Mozart, Brahms and Beethoven suggesting a cultural gulf between Europe and South Africa. Bryce Courtesan presents South Africa as an “uncultured” in comparison to European societies. Perhaps Courtesan is trying to position the reader to understand that before South Africa can be “cultured”, the basic fundamental rights of the people need to be acknowledged .
Courtesan presents South Africa as a country where people must be prepared to eight and die for their safety and survival. This is common to the idea of boxing in the novel where it is a sport where survival skills and instincts are crucial much like the lifestyle of the marginalia population of South Africa “It’s a medicine ball and it weighs fifteen pounds. When you can throw one of these over my head you’ll be strong enough to begin to box. ” Page 422 This quote shows the physically demanding nature of boxing. Courtesan presents music to be Just as demanding as boxing.
Doc mentions to Peaky that he must first learn to love music ND then only would Doc teach him to play the piano. This quote implies the learning curve of music and how it is needed for Peaky to produce music of a high caliber. This learning symbolizes the idea of the “Power of One” and how it is also needed for South Africa to survive its problems and play its ‘music’. The Power of One stresses these contrasts and commonalities between music and boxing because it wants the readers to accept the vast cultural difference between the culture and lifestyle of Europe and the culture and lifestyle of South Africa.
Bryce Courtesan is trying to also emphasize that no matter how tough, rigorous and head breaking they may be; they can be used to unite a nation and a race together. This ‘unity is depicted in the movie, Peaky is depicted teaching all the tribes a song in Zulu, in Beaverton Prison a song that unites them as one. Courtesan once again brings the idea of ‘The Power Of One’ and its requirement for Africa to survive the problems that it faces and one to survive in the sport of boxing. The Power of One- Music and Boxing By Cumbersomeness
