Literary Devices In Nervous Condition

The novel “Nervous Conditions” written by Tsitsi Dangaremba, is a semi autobiographical story that is written in first person point of view. The story revolves around the two cousins Tambu and Nyasha and how the two come from different worlds, one coming from a poor family and the other coming from a well off family. The author brings out the perspective of characters and gives the readers a deeper understanding of the character mostly using the technique contrast and also other narrative techniques such as point of view and the use of different literary devices such as imagery.

Although the two main characters are cousins, they share contrasting behaviors. As a headmaster in Mission School, Babamukuru’s family was well off financially. When Babamukuru was sent for higher studies to England, his two children Nyasha and Chido had exposure to the western society. They were no longer accustomed to their native culture and forgot how to speak their native language. They were accustomed with western lifestyle thus doing things that Africans didn’t approve of. Nyasha wore clothes that were considered indecent, she smoked, read

His relationship with Nyasha is affected since her attitude and academics reflect on how he is as a father and a headmaster. Their relationship is affected because Nyasha isn’t what Babamukur considers a “decent girl” she wears clothes that reveal too much skin and she goes and does things that are considered indecent. The difference in character of Babamukuru and Nyasha starts to be brought up here. Babamukuru is conscious of what other people thought of him and his family, “what will people say when they see Sigauke’s daughter carrying on like that?”. While Nyasha was the exact opposite, she says “I don’t worry about what people think so there’s no need for you to.” Unlike Babamukuru, Nyasha doesn’t care what people thought of her, she just behaved how her parents thought her to