Who killed Kesentseng? Cultural knowledge and narratological analysis in the interpretation of the Setswana short story 'Ga le a ka la tswa' ('Doomed to die before dawn') by B.D. Magoleng

Abstract

In this article the argument is put forward that although the criterial force in narrative texts is the fact that these texts are intrinsically narrative, there is a range of extra-narrative components which should also be taken into consideration in processes of interpretation. The article explores the cultural dimension of a short story in Setswana and illustrates how cultural knowledge is essential to reach a more comprehensive understanding of the text.