, THE THEORY OF FLIGHT
INTRODUCTION
The Theory of Flight by Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu is a beautiful novel that may present as
challenging when you first read it. It is heavily layered and interconnected- making it
easy to get confused. To enjoy the beauty of the novel, accept the confusion and
unanswered questions as a way to push your thinking forward. The novel is
purposefully written to inspire imagination and when it comes to writing essays, it is
ultimately about how you can express your own interpretation of the book. To better
understand and connect with the book, read the novel multiple times and discuss your
thoughts with friends or classmates as they may help you develop your own thinking.
Additionally, allow yourself the freedom to interpret the story in your own way.
Interviews with the author Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu are also useful to listen to in helping
you grasp some of the ideas in the book. These notes are intended to be a springboard
in helping you develop your own thinking and I hope you find them helpful in
developing your own thoughts.
INTRODUCTION TO THE NOVEL
• The novel is about possibility and the ability of belief and imagination to transport
us into alternate realities
• The characters, stories and lives in the novel are deliberately interconnected to
create an intertwined texture. This breeds possibility and is a reminder that every
event is a consequence of another
• Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu challenges the reader to consider the nature of truth:
o There is ultimately no truth in a given scenario
o Truth is dependent on who witnesses the events and their perspective
o Truth has layers to it
• The novel is about characters who within themselves find the ability to do the
seemingly impossible. This speaks to us as the readers in different ways and
allows us to introspect
• Our society right now is all about definitions but as Genie chooses herself and is
not defined by her horrors, we too learn to not let our experiences define who we
are
• The author is not the last word- Her ending releases the novel into its own flight
which enables us as the readers to engage with the text and to further consider
what can be possible if we allow ourselves the freedom to imagine
, BOOK SUMMARY
PROLOGUE PG9
• Reveals the end of the story where Genie flies away on a giant pair of silver wings
• As the readers, we have been chosen to “witness this event” however some may
not believe it as “most of us have eyes that are not for beauty to see”
• “This story is choosing to be told”
• Although this story will focus on Genie, what happened to Genie “did not happen in
a vacuum.” Many other characters and their stories are all interconnected into
creating the novel
• The story is about “ways of living, remembering, seeing, knowing and dying”
BOOK ONE
PART I: GENEALOGY
GENESIS PG15
• This part of the book considers Genie’s beginning by learning about her ancestry
• Looks at how Genie came to be through 2 generations
• Introduced to Genie’s grandparents, Baines and Prudence and her parents, Golide
and Elizabeth
• The theme and love for travel is introduced
• We are introduced to Golide’s sister, Minenhle
• Golide’s character and knowledge in flight is introduced. He plans to shoot down
the Vickers Viscount to teach and inspire his “race of angels”
• Genie is born from a golden egg
• Golide shoots down the Vickers Viscount which “burst into glorious light.” From
doing this, we understand that he is just a “speck” and this knowledge gives him
comfort
PART II: HISTORY
BEAUFORD PG29
• We are introduced to a place where a lot of history occurs, Beauford Farm and
Estate. Beauford is a place where many people belong
• The farm was owned by Bennington Beauford but inherited by Beatrice Beit-
Beauford
• The farm becomes a microcosm for the unnamed country
, • When Golide shot down the Vickers Viscount, Beatrice and her twin boys were on
the plane. Beatrice survived but her twins did not
• Beatrice’s “belief in an equal society also survived”
• In hopes of finding Golide, Emil Coetzee hires Mordechai to interrogate Minenhle
who does not break despite being tortured
• Introduced to Thandi Hadebe who is described as having external beauty- “she
never had to struggle. She made friends easily. Teachers tended to favour her. She
got special attention and eventually she stopped trying to prove herself: She
stopped trying to be anything more than what people saw”
• Minenhle, as a teacher, calls out Thandi as the most beautiful girl in the school to
the sojas. After being called out, the sojas throw her into a pit latrine- a traumatic
event that makes her obsessed with feeling clean.
• Elizabeth Nyoni saves Thandi’s life on Beauford by telling her about modelling
• Thandi moves to America to model, returning to drop off Marcus who is raised by
his grandparents
• Marcus and Genie become friends on Beauford Farm and Estate
• Genie is described as a “precious and beautiful something”- too precious and
beautiful to know and define
MARCUS & GENIE PG44
• Marcus and Genie discover the golden sunflower field where they spend most of
their days playing. Marcus loves the sunflowers only because Genie loves them
• After the sunflowers disappear in the off season, Marcus and Genie discover brown
car
• Marcus and Genie borrow Marcus’s grandfather’s world atlas which teaches them
that the world is full of opportunities after finding an unnamed country
• Golide Gumede returns to Beauford Farm and Estate after being elusive for many
years
• Marcus and Genie are separated after Marcus’s parents pick him up as Beauford
Farm and Estate is not safe anymore
BHEKITHEMBA PG61
• Bhekithemba is a journalist for The Chronicle. He writes stories that give voice to
people and their stories
• Bhekithemba is inspired by his hero, Bob Marley, who inspires him to start write
• Bhekithemba writes an article about politicians reselling cars given for free which
results in The Man Himself silencing him and only allowing him to write stories he
is asked to write about
INTRODUCTION
The Theory of Flight by Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu is a beautiful novel that may present as
challenging when you first read it. It is heavily layered and interconnected- making it
easy to get confused. To enjoy the beauty of the novel, accept the confusion and
unanswered questions as a way to push your thinking forward. The novel is
purposefully written to inspire imagination and when it comes to writing essays, it is
ultimately about how you can express your own interpretation of the book. To better
understand and connect with the book, read the novel multiple times and discuss your
thoughts with friends or classmates as they may help you develop your own thinking.
Additionally, allow yourself the freedom to interpret the story in your own way.
Interviews with the author Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu are also useful to listen to in helping
you grasp some of the ideas in the book. These notes are intended to be a springboard
in helping you develop your own thinking and I hope you find them helpful in
developing your own thoughts.
INTRODUCTION TO THE NOVEL
• The novel is about possibility and the ability of belief and imagination to transport
us into alternate realities
• The characters, stories and lives in the novel are deliberately interconnected to
create an intertwined texture. This breeds possibility and is a reminder that every
event is a consequence of another
• Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu challenges the reader to consider the nature of truth:
o There is ultimately no truth in a given scenario
o Truth is dependent on who witnesses the events and their perspective
o Truth has layers to it
• The novel is about characters who within themselves find the ability to do the
seemingly impossible. This speaks to us as the readers in different ways and
allows us to introspect
• Our society right now is all about definitions but as Genie chooses herself and is
not defined by her horrors, we too learn to not let our experiences define who we
are
• The author is not the last word- Her ending releases the novel into its own flight
which enables us as the readers to engage with the text and to further consider
what can be possible if we allow ourselves the freedom to imagine
, BOOK SUMMARY
PROLOGUE PG9
• Reveals the end of the story where Genie flies away on a giant pair of silver wings
• As the readers, we have been chosen to “witness this event” however some may
not believe it as “most of us have eyes that are not for beauty to see”
• “This story is choosing to be told”
• Although this story will focus on Genie, what happened to Genie “did not happen in
a vacuum.” Many other characters and their stories are all interconnected into
creating the novel
• The story is about “ways of living, remembering, seeing, knowing and dying”
BOOK ONE
PART I: GENEALOGY
GENESIS PG15
• This part of the book considers Genie’s beginning by learning about her ancestry
• Looks at how Genie came to be through 2 generations
• Introduced to Genie’s grandparents, Baines and Prudence and her parents, Golide
and Elizabeth
• The theme and love for travel is introduced
• We are introduced to Golide’s sister, Minenhle
• Golide’s character and knowledge in flight is introduced. He plans to shoot down
the Vickers Viscount to teach and inspire his “race of angels”
• Genie is born from a golden egg
• Golide shoots down the Vickers Viscount which “burst into glorious light.” From
doing this, we understand that he is just a “speck” and this knowledge gives him
comfort
PART II: HISTORY
BEAUFORD PG29
• We are introduced to a place where a lot of history occurs, Beauford Farm and
Estate. Beauford is a place where many people belong
• The farm was owned by Bennington Beauford but inherited by Beatrice Beit-
Beauford
• The farm becomes a microcosm for the unnamed country
, • When Golide shot down the Vickers Viscount, Beatrice and her twin boys were on
the plane. Beatrice survived but her twins did not
• Beatrice’s “belief in an equal society also survived”
• In hopes of finding Golide, Emil Coetzee hires Mordechai to interrogate Minenhle
who does not break despite being tortured
• Introduced to Thandi Hadebe who is described as having external beauty- “she
never had to struggle. She made friends easily. Teachers tended to favour her. She
got special attention and eventually she stopped trying to prove herself: She
stopped trying to be anything more than what people saw”
• Minenhle, as a teacher, calls out Thandi as the most beautiful girl in the school to
the sojas. After being called out, the sojas throw her into a pit latrine- a traumatic
event that makes her obsessed with feeling clean.
• Elizabeth Nyoni saves Thandi’s life on Beauford by telling her about modelling
• Thandi moves to America to model, returning to drop off Marcus who is raised by
his grandparents
• Marcus and Genie become friends on Beauford Farm and Estate
• Genie is described as a “precious and beautiful something”- too precious and
beautiful to know and define
MARCUS & GENIE PG44
• Marcus and Genie discover the golden sunflower field where they spend most of
their days playing. Marcus loves the sunflowers only because Genie loves them
• After the sunflowers disappear in the off season, Marcus and Genie discover brown
car
• Marcus and Genie borrow Marcus’s grandfather’s world atlas which teaches them
that the world is full of opportunities after finding an unnamed country
• Golide Gumede returns to Beauford Farm and Estate after being elusive for many
years
• Marcus and Genie are separated after Marcus’s parents pick him up as Beauford
Farm and Estate is not safe anymore
BHEKITHEMBA PG61
• Bhekithemba is a journalist for The Chronicle. He writes stories that give voice to
people and their stories
• Bhekithemba is inspired by his hero, Bob Marley, who inspires him to start write
• Bhekithemba writes an article about politicians reselling cars given for free which
results in The Man Himself silencing him and only allowing him to write stories he
is asked to write about
