Nyasha
Tambu
Babamukuru / Maiguru
Young Vs. Old Generations
Clashing Cultures
100
What book is Nyasha reading that her parents take away from her?
Lady Chatterly's Lover by D. H. Lawrence
100
When does Tambu truly realize that Nyasha has an eating disorder?
Tambu notices that Nyasha doesn't always finish her food and is concerned with her weight, but she doesn't know for sure until Chapter 9 the night before she went to Sacred Heart. Babamukuru insists that Nyasha eat all her food. she does, but then she purposely throws it up and tells Tambu.
100
DOUBLE JEOPARDY: In the conflict between Nyasha and Babamukuru, with whom do you side?
We sided with Nyasha because we believe that Babamukuru has too high standards for his daughter. We feel more sympathy for Nyasha as well with this ongoing conflict that she has with bulimia.
100
Why does Babamukuru disapprove of Nyasha's behavior at the Christmas party?
Babamukuru is upset by Nyasha's attire and how she was talking to a boy at the party. He doesn't think that she is behaving like a lady, and that she is projecting a bad image of the family.
100
What language does Nyasha and her brother forget how to speak?
Shona
200
Why do the other school girls dislike Nyasha?
The other school girls disliked Nyasha because she appeared to be snobbish and better than the other girls. The way she dressed differently also made the other school girls dislike Nyasha.
200
What does Tambu sell to get money for her education?
Tambu cultivates a small plot of land and grow cobs of maize, called mealies, to sell in order to raise money for school fees.
200
What level of education does Maiguru have and how has it changed her?
Maiguru is strong, educated, has her MA, and is a successful professional woman. England has changed her and she wants her children to act more Western. She accepts her passive role in her marriage to keep Babamukuru happy. Even though she rebels and leaves him, she returns out of her sense of duty and her love for her family.
200
DOUBLE JEOPARDY: Do you consider Nyasha's behavior normal for a teenager?
Nyasha is rebelling from her parents, their expectations, and societal expectations like many teenagers. However, Nyasha is a very passionate and head-strong individual, so her rebellion may be a bit more extreme than other's.
200
Why doesn't Tambu want to leave the mission to go back home for the holidays?
She doesn’t want to go back to her home life because she is now used to the luxuries of the mission. For example, the out house disgusts her when she goes back to the homestead.
300
Why does Nyasha refuse to dance with Tambu when she first comes back from England?
Nyasha refuses to dance with Tambu when she first comes back from England because she was not only jet legged, but also because her mother, Maiguru, viewed the dancing as "dirty." Nyasha also has the attitude in this scene that she is above Tambu.
300
DOUBLE JEOPARDY: Looking back on the events that Tambu is writing about, how does she perceive Nyasha?
Tambu perceives Nyasha as head-strong and willful, but she also realizes that Nyasha was not as strong as she thought at the beginning. She cares for Nyasha, but she starts to understand her weaknesses as well.
300
What is Babamukuru and Maiguru's son's name and what else do we learn about him?
Chido – tall and athletic, as well as intelligent and highly educated. He has little interest in his family or in visiting the mission. He is educated mostly by white colonists and later gets used to living with materialistic items. Eventually, Chido starts dating a woman who is white.
300
What is Babamukuru's punishment for Tambu not attending her parent's wedding?
Babamukuru punishes Tambu with fifteen lashes and two weeks of maid's work.
300
Why does Tambu disapprove of Nyasha's clothes when she first comes back from England and what reasons does she have?
She felt that it was too revealing and short, and that Nyasha and Chido both looked snobby.
400
What reasons does Nyasha have to dislike her father, Babamukuru?
Nyasha dislikes her father because he tries to control her. She is able to be educated, but Babamukuru still wants her to stay in the traditional role of an African woman, which is like a double standard. His expectations are too high, which is part of the reason why Nyasha has her eating disorder.
400
Why does Tambu refuse to go to her parent's wedding?
Tambu is offended by the frenzy, feeling that it reduces her parents "to the level of the stars of a comic show, the entertainers." The wedding is just a show. It doesn't mean or change anything.
400
Why does Maiguru leave Babamukuru?
Maiguru argues with Babamukuru that he does not respect her and that he does not recognize her contribution to the family. She leaves the next day and stays with Chido.
400
Why does the young generation push against the old generation's values?
The younger generation doesn't always necessarily accept tradition as "right". They are becoming educated and starting to think for themselves, rather than taking everything that their elders tell them for "truth".
400
DOUBLE JEOPARDY: What do you make of Nyasha's outcome at the end of the novel?
Nyasha's outcome at the end of the novel could be considered representative of being a culture hybrid and the difficulty of trying to integrate two cultures. It is common to feel like you don't belong to either culture, giving you a "nervous condition" and the loss of identity.
500
DOUBLE JEOPARDY: What is Nyasha's Role in the story?
Nyasha's role in the story represents the main cultural-hybrid between African culture and Western culture. She shows the effects of a person who loses their identity in both cultures.
500
What was the poem Tambu recited for the nuns?
'Hamelintown'sin BrunswickbyfamousHanoverCity'
500
Why does Babamukuru insist on Tambu's parents getting married?
Babamukuru believes it is sinful that Tambu’s parents are living together and are not married. He believes that the reason why his family has so many problems is because Tambu’s parents are not legally married.
500
What are the differences between Nyasha and Tambu as compared to their mothers, especially in society's expectations?
Nyasha and Tambu value their education and question their role as females more than their mothers do. Tambu's mother is resigned to her fate as a housewife and doesn't seem to always actively support Tambu's education. Nyasha's mother is well-educated, but it does not benefit her.
500
Where does Tambu and Nyasha's loyalty lie? In what culture? African or Western culture?
Both girls find value in being a culture hybrid. They question tradition and are somewhat disgusted by their family’s ways and lifestyles, especially Tambu with her family. However, Tambu seems to place more loyalty in their African culture more than Nyasha. Tambu still wants to respect her elders and maintain her identity as an African (pg. 208). Nyasha seems to place more emphasis on the Western culture with her dress, reading, language, and the standards she follows for beauty.
M
e
n
u