The Power Of One Summary

The story follows the journey of an English-speaking South African lad, Peekay, from age five to seventeen during the years 1939 to 1951. After his mother suffers a mental breakdown, he is raised by his Zulu nanny and grandfather on a farm before being sent to an Afrikaans boarding school. Here, he endures extreme hardship and bullying, particularly from a senior boy known as 'The Judge' and his group. Peekay is persecuted for being different, yet he remains resilient and becomes increasingly intelligent, even though he hides his brilliance to survive in the harsh school environment. Upon his return home, he develops an independent spirit and is given the name 'PK' by a Jewish man, marking a significant shift in his life.

Peekay then relocates to Barberton, where he meets a railway-boxing champion, Hoppie Groenewald, on the train ride. Inspired by Hoppie's passion and skill, Peekay dreams of becoming a welterweight champion of the world. In Barberton, his mother, a born-again Christian, attempts to convert him, but he resists. He forms a close bond with an elderly German music professor, Karl von Vollensteen (Doc), and together they navigate the complexities of life, including Doc's detainment in prison for failing to register as a foreign alien and Peekay's emergent boxing career. Peekay not only becomes a boxing champion with the help of Geel Piet, an inmate, but also earns the respect and admiration of the black South African community.

The concluding part of the story follows Peekay's experiences at the prestigious Prince of Wales school in Johannesburg, where he thrives in academics, sports, and even sets up a profitable gambling business. However, he also faces the pain of Doc's death and the disappointment of not receiving an Oxford University scholarship. He then works in the mines of Northern Rhodesia, where he encounters his old nemesis from boarding school, Jaapie Botha. After a brutal fight, Peekay emerges victorious, symbolically chiseling a Union Jack and his initials over Botha's swastika tattoo, thus reaffirming his identity and resilience.