ENG2603
Assignment 01
Due date: 10 May 2024
Compulsory: Yes
N.B PARAPHRASE YOUR WORK TO AVOID PLAGARISM (CHANGE WORDS)
N.B THIS ASSIGNMENT INCLUDES QUESTION 1 ESSAY
Instructions:
• Before you attempt this assignment, you must make sure that you have engaged the
prescribed book and poetry: Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga and poems from A
Century of South African Poetry by Michael J. F. Chapman.
, • It is your responsibility to access the prescribed books, and you will not be able to answer the
questions if you have not familiarised yourself with the texts and poem.
• Please choose one question, and not both. This means you are expected to answer one
question from the following.
Question 1: Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga
1. Write an essay in which you compare and contrast the upbringing of Tambudzai and
Nyasha in Nervous Conditions. Your discussion must include how their different
experiences inform their attitudes towards Western and Shona cultures.
Tambudzai and Nyasha, two major characters in Tsitsi Dangarembga's book "Nervous
Conditions," are greatly influenced by their upbringings in terms of how they view Western
and Shona cultures. The book explores the nuances of cultural identity in postcolonial
Zimbabwe through their varied backgrounds. Raised in a traditional Shona community,
Tambudzai personifies the conflict between modernity and tradition as she strikes a balance
between her loyalty to cultural standards and her quest for education. In contrast, Nyasha
experiences a deep conflict between her Shona background and her Western upbringing
after returning to Zimbabwe after spending her formative years in England. Their differing
experiences provide a lens through which to explore the broader themes of colonialism,
gender, and cultural identity in the novel. This essay will compare and contrast the upbringing
of Tambudzai and Nyasha, examining how their distinct experiences inform their attitudes
towards Western and Shona cultures.
Tambudzai (Tambu) and Nyasha in Tsitsi Dangarembga's "Nervous Conditions" have
different backgrounds, which have a big impact on how they identify and how they view
Western and Shona cultures. The main character, Tambu, is raised in a traditional Shona
hamlet in Rhodesia, which is now Zimbabwe. Her upbringing was marked by adherence to
traditional gender norms and expectations, which are strongly ingrained in Shona society.
Tambu encounters obstacles because of her gender, even though her family values
education as a path to success. Tambu is keen to further her education and break free from
the constraints of her rural upbringing in spite of these obstacles. She has struggled to strike
a balance between conventional beliefs and contemporary goals.
Tambudzai (Tambu) and Nyasha in Tsitsi Dangarembga's "Nervous Conditions" have
different backgrounds, which have a big impact on how they identify and how they view
Western and Shona cultures. The main character, Tambu, is raised in a traditional Shona
hamlet in Rhodesia, which is now Zimbabwe. Her upbringing was marked by adherence to
traditional gender norms and expectations, which are strongly ingrained in Shona society.
Tambu encounters obstacles because of her gender, even though her family values
education as a path to success. Tambu is keen to further her education and break free from
the constraints of her rural upbringing in spite of these obstacles. She has struggled to strike
a balance between conventional beliefs and contemporary goals.
Tambu grows up surrounded by Shona culture, but Nyasha, who was raised in England
before returning to Rhodesia, encounters a fusion of Western and Shona cultures. While
2
Assignment 01
Due date: 10 May 2024
Compulsory: Yes
N.B PARAPHRASE YOUR WORK TO AVOID PLAGARISM (CHANGE WORDS)
N.B THIS ASSIGNMENT INCLUDES QUESTION 1 ESSAY
Instructions:
• Before you attempt this assignment, you must make sure that you have engaged the
prescribed book and poetry: Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga and poems from A
Century of South African Poetry by Michael J. F. Chapman.
, • It is your responsibility to access the prescribed books, and you will not be able to answer the
questions if you have not familiarised yourself with the texts and poem.
• Please choose one question, and not both. This means you are expected to answer one
question from the following.
Question 1: Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga
1. Write an essay in which you compare and contrast the upbringing of Tambudzai and
Nyasha in Nervous Conditions. Your discussion must include how their different
experiences inform their attitudes towards Western and Shona cultures.
Tambudzai and Nyasha, two major characters in Tsitsi Dangarembga's book "Nervous
Conditions," are greatly influenced by their upbringings in terms of how they view Western
and Shona cultures. The book explores the nuances of cultural identity in postcolonial
Zimbabwe through their varied backgrounds. Raised in a traditional Shona community,
Tambudzai personifies the conflict between modernity and tradition as she strikes a balance
between her loyalty to cultural standards and her quest for education. In contrast, Nyasha
experiences a deep conflict between her Shona background and her Western upbringing
after returning to Zimbabwe after spending her formative years in England. Their differing
experiences provide a lens through which to explore the broader themes of colonialism,
gender, and cultural identity in the novel. This essay will compare and contrast the upbringing
of Tambudzai and Nyasha, examining how their distinct experiences inform their attitudes
towards Western and Shona cultures.
Tambudzai (Tambu) and Nyasha in Tsitsi Dangarembga's "Nervous Conditions" have
different backgrounds, which have a big impact on how they identify and how they view
Western and Shona cultures. The main character, Tambu, is raised in a traditional Shona
hamlet in Rhodesia, which is now Zimbabwe. Her upbringing was marked by adherence to
traditional gender norms and expectations, which are strongly ingrained in Shona society.
Tambu encounters obstacles because of her gender, even though her family values
education as a path to success. Tambu is keen to further her education and break free from
the constraints of her rural upbringing in spite of these obstacles. She has struggled to strike
a balance between conventional beliefs and contemporary goals.
Tambudzai (Tambu) and Nyasha in Tsitsi Dangarembga's "Nervous Conditions" have
different backgrounds, which have a big impact on how they identify and how they view
Western and Shona cultures. The main character, Tambu, is raised in a traditional Shona
hamlet in Rhodesia, which is now Zimbabwe. Her upbringing was marked by adherence to
traditional gender norms and expectations, which are strongly ingrained in Shona society.
Tambu encounters obstacles because of her gender, even though her family values
education as a path to success. Tambu is keen to further her education and break free from
the constraints of her rural upbringing in spite of these obstacles. She has struggled to strike
a balance between conventional beliefs and contemporary goals.
Tambu grows up surrounded by Shona culture, but Nyasha, who was raised in England
before returning to Rhodesia, encounters a fusion of Western and Shona cultures. While
2
