The Power of One Chapter 21 Summary

  • The Nationalist party wins the elections in South Africa, which will eventually lead to the creation of Apartheid, the legal separation of white people and non-white people in the country. This also means that many black political prisoners will be killed in police stations.
  • At this time, Peekay decides to spend Easter break at school so he can keep training (after checking to make sure Doc's in good shape first). He stays at Morrie's place, and one day Solly asks to see both of them in his office.
  • He tells them that Peekay's got an offer to fight in Sophiatown, a black township, on Saturday night, against a new pro.
  • Because of the political situation, it isn't allowed for a white fighter to fight a black man in a black township, which is one danger, and the fact that Peekay is an amateur and his would-be opponent a pro is another reason for concern.
  • They press Solly to tell what's in it for him, and he explains that it's Mr. Nguni, a black fight promoter, who wants the fight. It turns out that Mr. Nguni is the one who brings in the black fighters to train at Solly's gym, and they split the proceeds on their winnings, so he owes him one.
  • Peekay knows that it has something to do with the People and Tadpole Angel, and it turns out he's right. When they get out to the car a tall African man, the one who had always led the people in the chant at Peekay's fights, is waiting for them.
  • He talks with Peekay in Zulu, and explains that he is Onoshobishobi Ingelosi and that he is powerful, but that he only fights against the Boers. He says that the People need to see the Tadpole Angel fight against another chief of the people.
  • Peekay says that he will lose so that he can lose the Tadpole Angel legend, and agrees to fight.
  • It's really impossible for Peekay to imagine losing the fight, because he has conditioned himself to be a winner over all these years. So he works on trying to win. He doesn't know much about his opponent, but on Saturday night they go to Sophiatown to see what's up.
  • There are hundreds of people lining the streets waiting to see Onoshobishobi Ingelosi, and it turns out that the fight will be on a soccer field with thousands of Africans watching. No pressure or anything.
  • The boxers weigh in, and also meet each other. Gideon Mandoma, the Zulu fighter, has the same last name as Peekay's old Nanny, the one his mom sent away for being a heathen. It turns out that she was Gideon's mother, and that she has been dead for five years. She left her infant son to come give her milk to Peekay when he was born, and now Gideon has a really good reason to beat the jerk who stole his mom from him. We'd be upset, too.
  • Peekay knows this and for the first time is afraid that he might lose a boxing match.
  • When Gideon is introduced to the crowd all of the spectators sing the African national anthem, "Nkosi Sikelel' i Afrika." When Peekay is introduced they all chant "Onoshobishobi Ingelosi," and they make Peekay cry.
  • Gideon fights hard, and he's a faster boxer than Peekay is used to. Peekay just can't get a punch in that will hurt Gideon enough to slow him down. He's going to have to fight six rounds, the most he's ever fought.
  • The fight is very hard, and once Mandoma knocks Peekay to the ground, ringing his bell a little bit. Luckily Mandoma seems to be dehydrating and slows down, but he knocks Peekay onto his bum one more time in the fourth round.
  • Morrie notices that Gideon is drinking before the fifth round, which means that he's going to have a sensitive stomach if Peekay hits him there. Sure enough, Peekay goes for the gut and leaves Mandoma hurting. In the last round Peekay uses Solly Goldman's thirteen-punch combo on Gideon, and just takes him down.
  • The crowd goes wild singing Onoshobishobi Ingelosi, and Mandoma recognizes Peekay as the great chief. Peekay knows that since Gideon's spirit hasn't broken he's a chief, too, and they call each other brothers.
  • Peekay is more hurt than he's ever been after a fight, and when he gets to the showers he sits down and cries. He has a vision and sees the crystal cave of Africa, and Doc, and suddenly says "Doc's dead!"
  • When he gets back to Morrie's place he gets the news that Doc has been missing for two days, lost on one of his hikes, and Peekay knows that he has gone to the crystal cave of Africa to lie on the platform and die, to become crystal over thousands of years, and he goes home to help look for Doc.