Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions
Tambu holds a lot of bitterness towards her brother Nhamo. Her resentment is so high to the extent that when he died in 1968, she did not feel sorry. Moreover, her anger can be attributed to not only the family she was born in but also the Shona social traditions. She has grown jealous of her brother due to the way his father treats him. When an opportunity came by for either of them to go and study in a mission school, her father chose Nhamo instead of her (Moyana 28). Besides, her father not setting aside money to take her to school makes her even bitterer about not only her brother but also the father.
Her family, just like the Shona social traditions has a role to play. First, when her mother heard that she got a scholarship to be educated in a mission school, she was very bitter about it to the extent that she could not eat or work. As well, when her father heard that she had received a handout from a white couple to pay for her education, he bitterly protested with attempts to get the cash for his upkeep. Shona’s traditional belief is that women should not be educated, as that will empower them. That contributed to her resentment.
Based on the information on pages 16, 17, and 18, it is apparent that Tambu’s bad feelings have emanated from there. Her father recommends that girls should stay at home to learn the art of cooking and cleaning from their mothers instead of going to school (Moyana 28). Besides, her mother claims that women should be ready to make substantial sacrifices like being at home and doing heavy duties, while men went to school.
Work Cited
Moyana, Rosemary. “Tsitsi Dangarembga’s “nervous Conditions”: An Attempt in the Feminist Tradition.” Zambezia: The Journal of the University of Zimbabwe. (1994). Print. pdfproc.lib.msu.edu/?file=/DMC/African%20Journals/pdfs/Journal%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Zimbabwe/vol21n1/juz021001003.pdf. Accessed on 7 March
