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| Plot Summary of Nervous Conditions |
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"Tambudza felt no sadness when hearing of her brother's death after years of being oppressed by him. She is a young girl struggling to escape the perimeters of her patriarchal society but she wouldn't be able to express her feelings in that manner. She is 13. The action takes place in Rhodesia in the 1960's. Her brother Nhamo, the only boy, had been given preferential treatment by their uncle Mukamo in that he is being educated at the Mission where the Uncle is employed as headmaster.
Mukamo is the achiever in a family whose other members remain uneducated and poor. Tambudza begged to be allowed to go to school but her father refused. She managed to find a way to obtain money for her fees. Then, when Nhamo became ill suddenly and died, she was given his place at the school. Where formerly Nhamo had the bright future, one that would take him away from his family homestead, now Tambudza is the favored one. She couldn't have been happier. Her father, Jeremiah, is a lazy worthless fellow and her mother beaten down by poverty and despair.
Mokamo, her uncle, and his wife go to London to work on their further degrees with their children Nyasha and Chido who are introduced to new ideas about how people should live. Conflict and rebellion follow them home. Tambudza is witness to this by virtue of her sharing a room with Nyasha while attending the mission school. Tambudza wins a scholarship to the more prestigious Sacred Heart school and sees a bright future while watching Nyasha become ill as she is torn between rebellion and guilt."
Coletta Ollerer, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Nervous Conditions |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- thoughtful
Time/era of story
- 1960's-1970's
Inside culture (main char)
- Black
Other aspects:
- story of the poor
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Outside culture (society)
- African Black
Ethnic/regional/gender life
Yes
Woman's story?
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- scholar
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Black
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- society
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an above average amount
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 8 (a significant amount)
Africa
Yes
Kind of Africa:
- Black Africa
Small town?
Yes
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Click here for more information about this book
Tsitsi Dangarembga Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Coletta Ollerer
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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