In “The Power of One”, written by Bryce Courtenay, Geel Piet is a Cape Colored man who was born in District Six and worked in the Barberton prison. He was a dangerous criminal, a rascal, who has been in and out of jail for forty-five years just because of his race. In the novel, Geel Piet is one of Peekay’s best friends who were described as "the grand master in the art of camouflage" and “a conniver, a generous friend, and a stellar boxing coach”(SparkNotes). Throughout the novel, actually, there are several examples of racism as apartheid takes root in South Africa. Geel Piet is one of the characters who take the brunt of much of this racism. As a prisoner, he was often discriminated, abused, and disregarded by the guards at the Barberton
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He was thrown in prison for almost 40 years, only because he was African. Also he has been unfairly judged because he was beaten almost every day for doing absolutely nothing. Geel Piet handles the discrimination very well and he is really cheerful. He never complains about his living conditions or how he’s treated. He kept “a smile on his face” and talked with passion and excitement when he smoke with Peekay because he knew that one day Peekay was going to change the way some people treated the Afrikaners. The only reason Geel Piet takes the beating from the guards is because he wants to keep his tribe safe. That is why think Geel Piet has acted heroically. As a long-time prisoner in the Barberton prison, Geel Piet is also stubborn because he refuses to tell the officer what the other prisoners are singing until was beaten to death. Geel Piet is courageous because if he was caught he would most likely be killed or beaten badly he still cleaned out Peekay’s pail. And he took the responsibility of collecting the tobacco leaves from Doc and Peekay. “Geel Piet leaves my bucket on the side of the piano when I practice; see it is cleaned out every day.” He also refused to tell Bormann what the other prisoners were saying. “I do not know Boss”. Geel Piet is wise because he always knew what to do at the right time when people were in danger or when someone was lost and needed help, such as he told Peekay “Little beat big when little smart” and “first with the head, then with the heart, you’ll be ahead from the
He was thrown in prison for almost 40 years, only because he was African. Also he has been unfairly judged because he was beaten almost every day for doing absolutely nothing. Geel Piet handles the discrimination very well and he is really cheerful. He never complains about his living conditions or how he’s treated. He kept “a smile on his face” and talked with passion and excitement when he smoke with Peekay because he knew that one day Peekay was going to change the way some people treated the Afrikaners. The only reason Geel Piet takes the beating from the guards is because he wants to keep his tribe safe. That is why think Geel Piet has acted heroically. As a long-time prisoner in the Barberton prison, Geel Piet is also stubborn because he refuses to tell the officer what the other prisoners are singing until was beaten to death. Geel Piet is courageous because if he was caught he would most likely be killed or beaten badly he still cleaned out Peekay’s pail. And he took the responsibility of collecting the tobacco leaves from Doc and Peekay. “Geel Piet leaves my bucket on the side of the piano when I practice; see it is cleaned out every day.” He also refused to tell Bormann what the other prisoners were saying. “I do not know Boss”. Geel Piet is wise because he always knew what to do at the right time when people were in danger or when someone was lost and needed help, such as he told Peekay “Little beat big when little smart” and “first with the head, then with the heart, you’ll be ahead from the