Nervous Conditions and Upsetting Illnesses
Tsitsi Dangarembga’s novel Nervous Conditions focuses on many difficulties the indigenous people of Rhodesia faced in the 1960s. English colonization resulted in a radical shift within the local education systems. Rather than learn about their own history, local children were taught about the greatness of Western culture. Due to this educational shift, Rhodesian children struggled to understand their identity amongst the old traditional ways of their parents as well as the new “enlightened” ways brought by their colonizers. This struggle for dual identity was extremely taxing on the native people and can be clearly seen within the novel. Nhamo, Ma’Shingayi, Nyasha, and Tambu, are all examples of …show more content…
The elders’ decision to remain separated from the English way of life therefore alienates their children from their native culture. This separation can be clearly seen in Ma’Shingayi’s judgmental statement, “It’s the Englishness… It’ll kill them all if they aren’t careful,” (Dangarembga, 207). Although this statement is a reflection directed at Nyasha, it still easily applies to Ma’Shingayi’s own son, Nhamo. Nhamo’s afflictive illness of“Englishness” first kills his identity as an African and then later, his physical body. Through this character’s inability to survive in his own culture, it becomes abundantly clear that children with dual identities are doomed within the Shona …show more content…
For instance, Nhamo loses not only his life, but his cultural understanding while living amongst the English missionaries which causes a familial disconnect at home. Additionally, Nyasha struggles with an eating disorder throughout the novel in order to cope with her dual identity. Finally, even Tambu, a character respected by her native culture, fights to understand which educational mindset she should believe. This confusion makes her physically ill and hardens her heart towards Western traditions. Through these characters, Dangarembga suggests that it is impossible to integrate the ideals of both cultures. Instead, it is up to each individual to choose for themselves which culture they will most closely identify
Tsitsi Dangarembga’s novel Nervous Conditions focuses on many difficulties the indigenous people of Rhodesia faced in the 1960s. English colonization resulted in a radical shift within the local education systems. Rather than learn about their own history, local children were taught about the greatness of Western culture. Due to this educational shift, Rhodesian children struggled to understand their identity amongst the old traditional ways of their parents as well as the new “enlightened” ways brought by their colonizers. This struggle for dual identity was extremely taxing on the native people and can be clearly seen within the novel. Nhamo, Ma’Shingayi, Nyasha, and Tambu, are all examples of …show more content…
The elders’ decision to remain separated from the English way of life therefore alienates their children from their native culture. This separation can be clearly seen in Ma’Shingayi’s judgmental statement, “It’s the Englishness… It’ll kill them all if they aren’t careful,” (Dangarembga, 207). Although this statement is a reflection directed at Nyasha, it still easily applies to Ma’Shingayi’s own son, Nhamo. Nhamo’s afflictive illness of“Englishness” first kills his identity as an African and then later, his physical body. Through this character’s inability to survive in his own culture, it becomes abundantly clear that children with dual identities are doomed within the Shona …show more content…
For instance, Nhamo loses not only his life, but his cultural understanding while living amongst the English missionaries which causes a familial disconnect at home. Additionally, Nyasha struggles with an eating disorder throughout the novel in order to cope with her dual identity. Finally, even Tambu, a character respected by her native culture, fights to understand which educational mindset she should believe. This confusion makes her physically ill and hardens her heart towards Western traditions. Through these characters, Dangarembga suggests that it is impossible to integrate the ideals of both cultures. Instead, it is up to each individual to choose for themselves which culture they will most closely identify