Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

1.     Describe Tambu’s experience getting to the mission.

2.     Compare Tambu’s emotional progression in this chapter with Nyasha’s.

3.     Why does the first psychiatrist say that Nyasha is just making a scene?

4.     What does Tambu’s mother mean by “It’s the Englishness” (207)?

5.     How do you think Tambu has changed in the years between where she leaves the story and the time she is writing from?

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

1.     Why does Tambu say the test is unfair?  What is her advantage?

2.     Why do Nyasha, Babamukuru, and Tambu’s mother each oppose her going to Sacred Heart?

3.     How does Tambu feel about marriage?

4.     What is Tambu’s mother’s illness, and why is it “kept quiet and secret”?

5.     How has Nyasha changed during Tambu’s absence?

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

1.     How does Tambu change as a result of her friendship with Nyasha?

2.     Why doesn’t Tambu want to go to the wedding?

3.     Why is her refusal to go significant?

4.     Why isn’t Nyasha angry with her mother for leaving?

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

1.     How has Tambu’s perspective on the homestead changed when she goes home in December 1969?

2.     How do the women in the family react to the dare and discussion of Lucia’s problems as a private matter without her?

3.     Why won’t Maiguru give an opinion?

4.     Describe Mainini Ma’Shingayi’s (Tambu’s mother) treatment of Maiguru during this visit.

5.      What does Nyasha mean when she says, “It’s bad enough…when a country gets colonized, but when the people do as well!  That’s the end, really, that’s the end”?

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

1.     How does Tambu feel about the missionaries as a teenager in the story?  How does she imply that those feelings change as she gets older? (pay careful attention to her tone here)  Why do you think she shifts into the present tense to talk about the difference between missionaries and expatriates?

2.     Interpret Tambu’s statement: “Not surprisingly, since Whites were indulgent towards promising young black boys in those days, provided that the promise was a peaceful promise, a grateful promise to accept whatever was handed out to them and not to expect more, Chido was offered a place at the school and a scholarship to go with it” (108).

3.     Read the fight between Nyasha and Babamukuru, focusing on Tambu’s commentary.  What does Tambu’s perspective add to our understanding of the fight?

4.     What does Tambu realize about victimization as a result of this fight?  Quote from the text.

5.     Why do you think Dangarembga has Nyasha, on p. 121, repeat Nhamo’s statement from p. 21: “It’s the same everywhere”?