Nervous Conditions
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| Nervous Conditions | |
| Author | Tsitsi Dangarembga |
|---|---|
| Country | Zimbabwe |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Bildungsroman |
| Followed by | The Book of Not |
Nervous Conditions is a novel by Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga. The novel is semi-autobiographical, set in post-colonial Rhodesia of the '60s. The title is taken from an introduction to Frantz Fanon's Wretched of the Earth written by Jean-Paul Sartre.
[edit] Plot summary
The story is told from the perspective of Tambudzai, a young black girl living in a small village in Rhodesia, whose own story begins with the death of her brother, Nhamo.
Nhamo was sent to live with his uncle Babamukuru, a strict disciplinarian, and aunt Maiguru so he could be educated in a mission school in the local city and later provide his family with economic support. However, he falls ill with a severe case of mumps, and dies, leaving his parents without a son to support them as they grow older. Tambudzai, who goes by "Tambu," is also keen to go to school, to the extent that she works to raise her own mealie crop (maize) to pay her school fees.
Tambu's uncle argues for Tambu to go to mission school after the death of her brother (as there are no other sons following her brother's death). From there, the novel shifts to Tambu's observations of the conflicts between her cousin, Nyasha, who was raised primarily in England and has no foundation of Zimbabwean culture, and her uncle, who is steeped in tradition. Nyasha and her father spar more and more frequently over her behavior and the way she talks to him. Nyasha eventually develops an eating disorder linked to her struggle to deal with the conflict between English and Shona society.
Tambu never felt sorry for her brother's death because he did not support her when she tried to go to school (he even stole the maize that she was growing to pay her school fees), and he generally treated his sisters like servants. Nhamo was standing in her way, and that is one reason why she did not care when he died.
[edit] Major themes
- The clash of cultures: The novel's primary theme is the clash between traditional African cultures and the cultures of the Western colonial powers. The clash covers social traditions, religious beliefs, the roles of women and children, racial distinctions, and the view that Western culture might be more "sophisticated."
- The role of women: Tambu herself struggles against the societal proscription on a role for women beyond housewife, as she wants to be educated and to move beyond the small world of her own village. She sees the results of similar struggles as her mother, cousin, and aunt all face consequences for their attempts to break out of the narrow roles society has given them.
- Retaining "traditional" culture: Tambu sees the void in Nyasha's life as she tries to re-integrate into Zimbabwean society without the knowledge of or respect for her country's traditions. Retaining culture and tradition as a part of one's identity even as a society evolves is a major conflict within the novel.
