Abstract This paper analyzes the book "Nervous Conditions" by Tsitsi Dangarembga and shows how the main characters Tambu and her brother Nhamo manage to overcome their poverty and inferior living conditions to rise to the challenges they set for themselves - to receive an education and to not be psychologically damaged by their surroundings.
From the Paper "Set in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Nervous Conditions, by Tsitsi Dangarembga, is a novel about the life of a young girl named Tambu and her dream of being educated. A squalid life and environment had nothing to offer the persistent Tambu other than starvation and the preparation to be a housewife in the future. Nevertheless, she looked up to Maiguru, the wife of her well-educated uncle, Babamukuru. Maiguru surpassed the society's definitions of women being just housewives with no need of education. Likewise, Nhamo, Tambu's brother, looked up to Babamukuru, whom he wanted to be as intellect as by alienating himself from his family, his culture, and his early childhood promises and dreams."
Abstract This paper explains that Dangarembga's novel "Nervous Conditions" shows the inequities created by a colonial government and by the perpetuation of colonialism through class division and gender dominance. The author points out that this novel is unique in terms of its character development and its relation to the personal experience of the author, an affluent native woman of Zimbabwe. The paper relates that the women of this book represent the internal societal struggles of gender inequality and patriarchal domination. The author underscores that the novel analyzes the impact of this gender inequality on the physical attributes of women by emphasizing that the road to acceptance in a strict, patriarchal society is through physical ailments.
Table of Contents:
"Nervous Conditions"- A Brief
"Nervous Conditions" - Theoretical Implications
"Nervous Conditions" - Analysis and Conclusions
From the Paper "Nyasha's sage advice also portrays the hardships of recognizing the atrocities of colonial inequality. The author argues that the issue of colonialism is not observable cosmetically. Rather, internal examination of the family unit and gender interaction is necessary in noticing the elements left behind by colonial rule. Class segregation is obvious in Tambu's mistreatment during her educational career, but specific residual impacts of patriarchal colonialism is much more obvious through the role of the uncle, Babamukuru."
Abstract In this review of Tsitsi Dangarembga's "Nervous Conditions", the author of the paper shows how the theme of African identity and culture is woven through the storyline. The paper investigates the importance of the narrators and women in the book, themes and the relevance of the story.
From the Paper "With any story, the meaning within the story does not have impact unless we care about the character. Tambu is the main character that we care about in the novel. She engages the reader into the story because we want to know about her, we want to know about her struggle and we want to know why that struggle has occurred. The only way to learn of that struggle, is to learn about the culture and so the reader, while reading the novel, attempts to understand the culture. "
Offers an analysis of characters and the issue of identity in literature by African writers including "Houseboy" (F. Oyono), "Mission to Kala" (Mongo Beti), "Song of Lawino" (Okot p?Bitek) and "Nervous Conditions" (Tsitsi Dangarembga).
Abstract The paper shows that in Tsitsi Dangarembga's "Nervous Conditions", both Nyasha and Tambu experience confusion about their own identity after enduring substantial influence from the English. Unlike Tambu's veiled self-delusions, Nyasha's confusion about her identity is painfully obvious. The paper shows that Toundi, in the novel "Houseboy" by Ferdinand Oyono, asks questions which reveal that his feelings mirror those confused feelings of Nyasha. The character Medza, from Mongo Beti's "Mission to Kala", can be seen as a binding example of identity-confusion for all of the previously mentioned characters. The paper looks at the opposite side of the spectrum, with the character Lawino from Okot p'Bitek's "Song of Lawino". In each of the stories discussed in the paper, a sense of identity plays a substantial role in the characterization of those affected by the European colonization.
From the Paper "The character Medza, from Mission to Kala, can be seen as a binding example of identity-confusion for all of the previously mentioned characters. His struggle is not so much between being African and being a Frenchman, as they are between what his family wants him to become and what he wants to accomplish. When his uncle asks him the definition of blood, Medza replies with a literal definition. His uncle laughs at him stating, "I was thinking of it in a different way, a way that comes naturally to folk like our selves, who haven"t been to school? (Beti 88). In this passage, Medza's uncle clearly draws a line between those who are educated and those who are not. His uncle meant blood as a term for kinship but Medza's education has changed his outlook on his relationship with his family, so his natural instinct provided a scientific response."
Abstract The writer of this paper focuses on the significance of the first paragraph in Dangarembga's novel. The writer contends and explains why the opening paragraph sets the tone for what is to come, while also giving the reader a somewhat solid footing for understanding the remainder of the novel. This paper analyzes the main character and narrator of the novel, Tambu, in this coming of age novel, geared towards women. This paper examines life in Africa as seen through the eyes of Tambu, as well as her struggle to break free from colonial rule and the bonds that tie her to poverty and ignorance.
From the Paper "This is a coming of age novel for women, and some of that foundation is laid in the first paragraph of the book, where the narrator, Tambu, makes it quite clear that she did not like her brother, and that his death made a difference in her life. The first paragraph does set the pace of the story, and let the reader know that something uncommon will happen to the narrator/heroine of the novel, but it does not prepare the reader for the many experiences the narrator has, or how they affect her life. In addition, the novel shows how imperialistic rule by another country affects all the residents, and creates many kinds of havoc in their lives, from having to move their traditional bathing place in the river when a new District Council House is built, to the eating disorders and illnesses that affect some of the characters, which seem to be one of the only ways they can rebel against colonialist rule."
An examination of the racial and gender issues in works by Alice Walker ("The Color Purple"), Tsitsi Dangarembga ("Nervous Conditions"), Avey Johnson ("Praisesong for the Widow"), Gayl Jones ("Corregidora") and Michelle Cliff ("Abeng").
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 14 sources, 2000, $ 135.95
From the Paper " More than any other category of authors, black women writers have a mission: to describe the double challenges of race and gender for general audiences. The mission is critical because, even in today's inclusionary nonfiction environment, the full story of racism and sexism is rarely told. On most levels, all that is offered is a sanitized version. The reader learns that blacks and women struggled, but is often left to conclude that the struggle was little different from the challenges that face members of mainstream society.
Racism and sexism are pervasive, oppressive, and dehumanizing. In the following works of fiction, black women authors bear witness of their struggle for emancipation. The evidence they give is uncensored; it will not be found in any history books because it shames those elements of society who..."
Abstract This paper introduces and analyzes the novel "Nervous Conditions" by writer Tsitsi Danarembga which tells of Tambu and her struggle with her true identity after she is pressured to take on the values of the English who colonized her country. This paper discusses the major theme of the book - that being true to ones own culture is the only possibility for all people, with anything else resulting in failure. The paper explores the issue of "being English" in relation to the events of the novel.
From the Paper "As well as telling her own story, Tambu also tells the story of her sister Nyasha. Nyasha's story is equally important at showing the problems that occur in attempting to become English. Nyasha can be seen as the opposite of Tambu. Tambu deals with the situation by not letting go of her African culture. In contrast, Nyasha seems to willingly accept the English culture and reject her own African culture. The danger of this is shown by the fact that Nyasha develops anorexia. This becomes an important symbol in the novel, illustrating the major theme. Firstly, Nyasha becoming anorexic can be seen as a symbol of the dangers of ignoring our real identity. It is not only that Nyasha has the disease that shows the dangers, it is also relevant what the disease represents.
Anorexia is a disease associated with body image where the individual attempts to improve their looks on the surface. The reality is though, that this disease has a negative impact on the human body, actually worsening the individual's appearance. This is similar to Nyasha's rejection of her identity. On the surface she chooses to act according to the English culture, but underneath she remains African, simply denying the reality of her culture. Just as anorexia does harm, so does this rejection by Nyasha."
A detailed look at society's vision of madness in women, focusing on African-American women. Discusses madness as a stereotypical temporary or long-term substitution for identity.
Abstract The analysis compares and contrasts different forms of so- called "madness" in female characters from the following novels: "Praisesong for the Widow," "Nervous Conditions," and "Juletane." It focuses on the battle for personal identity to overcome madness.
From the Paper "What if mad people weren"t mad? What if certain types of behaviour which simple ordinary people call madness, were just wisdom, a reflection of the clear sighted hypersensitivity of a pure, upright soul plunged into a real or imaginary affective void?? (Juletane, 2) Madness: a term so frequently used to describe nearly every socially deviant thing one might do or attribute to. If I were to spontaneously up-root myself and move to entirely new place (be it across the state, country, or sea) for no logical reason (in the mind of the one pushing labels), I might be considered mad. Someone in the grocery store cursing the tomatoes in aisle five, for being so ripe, may be considered mad. If one were to commit a homicide, they would surely be titled ?mad.? If you like green eggs and ham, Dr. Seuss fans might just label you mad. If you have metal all over your face and tattoos on your arms and legs, certainly you are mad. But then, what is this madness? If someone can be labeled as "mad" for all of the aforementioned, can we assume that "mad" is just a stereotype for one who deviates from the so-called norm? In this essay, I aim to prove that madness is indeed a stereotype aimed at differentiating between the socially "normal" and socially deviant individuals; represented by loss of identity and tradition, by guidance of the novels Praisesong for the Widow, Nervous Conditions, and Juletane."
Abstract The paper considers the ethics of globalization as reflected in certain literary works. The paper defines globalization and explains how this phenomena has always been prevalent. The paper looks at literary works written about the Third World, such as "Anil's Ghost" by Michael Ondaatje, and those written by Third World authors, such as "Nervous Conditions" by Tsitsi Dangarembga. The paper also considers the influence of American popular culture in works from Brazil, such as those by Manuel Puig, including "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Betrayed by Rita Hayworth".
From the Paper "The process of globalization is mysterious to some people, clear to others, and a threat to many. Globalization is a process of breaking down borders for economic processes so that presumably Wall Street would now have closer ties to the farmer in Brazil, as if both were in the same economic system for the first time. In truth, ties between the industrialized West and what used to be called the Third World of developing countries has always been closer than it might seem because what the farmer produces, for example, served as the basis for much trading in New York and because large companies in the West exploited resources around the world. The process has simply accelerated and become more diverse, with more multinational enterprises (MNEs) and with various work processes now taking place across borders in a more direct way."
Abstract This paper explains that postcolonial literature, such as Salman Rushdie's "Midnight's Children", deals with transculturation and the incredible and complicated processes, which lead to hybridity of the colonizing and the colonized cultures. The author points out that Arundhati Roy's "The God of Small Things" and Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Books" both represent the deeply rooted differences between the cultures of the West and the East. The paper also looks at Brian Friel's "Translations", Tsitsi Dangarembga's "Nervous Conditions" and Achmat Dangor's "Bitter Fruit" to illustrate that cultural translation is a potent metaphor for the way in which one civilization may try to interpret another through its own terms.
Table of Contents:
Transculturation and Hybridity: Salman Rushdie's "Midnight's Children"
Orientalism: Arundhati Roy's "The God of Small Things" and Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Books"
Cultural Translation
From the Paper "Not accidentally, in "Midnight's Children", Saleem revises his own ancestry along with the historical past. The stories of his grandfather Aziz, a young doctor who is educated in Britain and thus already a hybrid himself, are very relevant at this point. Thus, his love story with Naseem is very interesting because it tokens the conflicting cultural attitudes between the Indian and the British cultures. While the Western civilization requires and allows a thorough physical examination of the body before establishing a diagnosis in case of an illness, the Oriental culture denies the propriety of this direct contact between a young man and a young woman outside marriage."
