THE THEORY OF
FLIGHT
A NOVEL BY SIPHIWE GLORIA NDLOVU
A N IN- D EP T H
ANA L YSI S , SU M MA RY
A N D G UID E
ACCORDING TO THE GRADE 12 IEB SYLLABUS
by Daniel Kapeluschnik. All Rights Reserved.
, The Theory of Flight | Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu
Document 1 | Setting and Map
The History of Zimbabwe/Rhodesia (pages 2-5)
The Blurb:
‘On the third of September, not so long ago, something truly wondrous happened on the
Beauford Farm and Estate. At the moment of her death, Imogen Zula Nyoni – Genie – was
seen to fly away on a giant pair of wings…’
Said to have hatched from a golden egg, Genie spends her childhood playing in a field of
sunflowers as her country re-awakens after a fierce civil war.
But Genie’s story stretches back much further: it tells of her grandfather, who quenched
his wanderlust by walking into the Indian Ocean, and of her father, who spent countless
hours building model aeroplanes to catch up with him. It is the tale of her mother, a
singer self-styled after Dolly Parton with a dream of travelling to Nashville, and of her
grandmother, who did everything in her power to raise her children to have character.
With the lightest of touches, a cast of unforgettable characters, and moments of surreal
beauty, The Theory of Flight sketches decades of history in this unnamed Southern
African country. It does not dwell on what has been lost in its war, but on the daily
triumphs of its people, the necessity of art, and the power of its visionaries to take flight.’
Is this blurb accurate/fair/superficial/shallow/trite/thin? Does this blurb reflect Ndlovu’s
agenda as an author?
Some of the characters mentioned – Genie’s grandfather (Baines – committed suicide by
‘walking into the ocean’). Baines disapproved of Golide’s albinism – Ndlovu is therefore
looking at victims of bigotry (extreme prejudice)/the marginalised. Sexual orientation is
mentioned with Vida. AIDS victims are also a central theme.
Kindness and Humanity: The homeless people are treated warmly and hospitably.
Masculinity: Emil Coetzee is the leader of the colonial government. He racist white man. He
has a rigid, inflexible concept/idea about masculinity. The essential character trait of
manhood is heterosexuality. He hence feels embarrassed that his son is a bisexual. Everleigh
is gentle, kind, and hates war and killing. Everleigh deliberately stands on a landmine. The
debate of what is a real man comes to light!
Nuanced writing:
NB: Ndlovu is a superlative writer: Ndlovu doesn’t work in binaries. There isn’t a full
rejection of colonialism and there isn’t an exaggerated love for independence. Ndlovu offers
a nuanced analysis of the political climate/context of Rhodesia and Zimbabwe. Nuanced
Daniel Kapeluschnik Notes 2024 1
,writing offers a view of the complexities surrounding the political climate of Rhodesia and
Zimbabwe at the time.
Nuanced Writing in terms of colonialism:
• Ndlovu feels that colonialism is unethical. White settlers cannot take indigenous land
which has been occupied and farmed by the Black Indigenous People → Negative.
• She is also optimistic in the sense that colonialism brought education, resources,
modern health, employment, and technology to Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.
• Ndlovu’s depiction of the White Settler (colonists): Bennington Beauford is the
portrait. Her portrayal of Bennington is nuanced and there is no definite stance.
Antagonistic attitude because he settled the land. However, Beauford doesn’t force
the indigenous people off the land. He keeps the indigenous people as his workforce.
He also provides employment and food security. He introduces products such as
leather for boots for war etc. A was high school created by Beauford – Minenhle is a
consumer’s teacher there and Thandi is her student (evidence from novel).
• Bennington is not portrayed as a villain – hence the absence of binaries. Rather, he is
portrayed as a complex, nuanced character
• The colonial village: people are very happy there, so much so that Golide tells Elizabeth
when she is pregnant to settle at Beauford as it is best place for daughter.
Examples of Nuanced Writing Throughout the Novel | Cosmos Nyathi
The entrepreneurial Cosmos (Black-African man). He flourishes in a colonial Rhodesia
(positive). Cosmos used to be an example of a ‘Good African.’ (Pejorative). This is an
offensive term based on a racist stereotype. He is ‘good’ because he was not an example of
the ‘archetypal African’. This colonial stereotype was that Black people had low standards of
personal hygiene. Additionally, they were seen as very lazy. Africans were often stereotyped
as alcoholics. It was also believed that Black indigenous faith and religious beliefs were
uncivilised and pagan. Cosmos did not fit this stereotype – he was hygienic and hard-
working (he developed a business empire). He also never touched alcohol. He was a
Christian and followed the ‘White man’s religion’ – which was seen as superior to
indigenous faiths. Cosmos is used as a character to portray the assimilation of the African
peoples during colonisation.
Daniel Kapeluschnik Notes 2024 2
, The Setting | Rhodesia/Zimbabwe
Tonga Land
Beauford
Farm and
Estate
Places of importance:
• The Beauford Farm and Estate.
• Bulawayo→ Known as the ‘City of kings’ – much of the story occurs here. From the
time Genie is 9 she lives in Bulawayo. This is where Vida lives on the street.
• Harare → The capital of Zimbabwe. This is where ‘The Man Himself’ (Robert Mugabe)
lives. He rules from here. It is not mentioned in the novel however it is the place of
control and power.
• The Victoria Falls → Where the shooting down of the civilian airplane where Beatrice
Beauford happens to be (Daughter of Bennington – the white settler farmer). Her twin
sons die in this event. The Victoria Falls are also where the elephants swim across the
edge of the waterfall. This is magic realism. This illuminates that the seemingly
Daniel Kapeluschnik Notes 2024 3
FLIGHT
A NOVEL BY SIPHIWE GLORIA NDLOVU
A N IN- D EP T H
ANA L YSI S , SU M MA RY
A N D G UID E
ACCORDING TO THE GRADE 12 IEB SYLLABUS
by Daniel Kapeluschnik. All Rights Reserved.
, The Theory of Flight | Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu
Document 1 | Setting and Map
The History of Zimbabwe/Rhodesia (pages 2-5)
The Blurb:
‘On the third of September, not so long ago, something truly wondrous happened on the
Beauford Farm and Estate. At the moment of her death, Imogen Zula Nyoni – Genie – was
seen to fly away on a giant pair of wings…’
Said to have hatched from a golden egg, Genie spends her childhood playing in a field of
sunflowers as her country re-awakens after a fierce civil war.
But Genie’s story stretches back much further: it tells of her grandfather, who quenched
his wanderlust by walking into the Indian Ocean, and of her father, who spent countless
hours building model aeroplanes to catch up with him. It is the tale of her mother, a
singer self-styled after Dolly Parton with a dream of travelling to Nashville, and of her
grandmother, who did everything in her power to raise her children to have character.
With the lightest of touches, a cast of unforgettable characters, and moments of surreal
beauty, The Theory of Flight sketches decades of history in this unnamed Southern
African country. It does not dwell on what has been lost in its war, but on the daily
triumphs of its people, the necessity of art, and the power of its visionaries to take flight.’
Is this blurb accurate/fair/superficial/shallow/trite/thin? Does this blurb reflect Ndlovu’s
agenda as an author?
Some of the characters mentioned – Genie’s grandfather (Baines – committed suicide by
‘walking into the ocean’). Baines disapproved of Golide’s albinism – Ndlovu is therefore
looking at victims of bigotry (extreme prejudice)/the marginalised. Sexual orientation is
mentioned with Vida. AIDS victims are also a central theme.
Kindness and Humanity: The homeless people are treated warmly and hospitably.
Masculinity: Emil Coetzee is the leader of the colonial government. He racist white man. He
has a rigid, inflexible concept/idea about masculinity. The essential character trait of
manhood is heterosexuality. He hence feels embarrassed that his son is a bisexual. Everleigh
is gentle, kind, and hates war and killing. Everleigh deliberately stands on a landmine. The
debate of what is a real man comes to light!
Nuanced writing:
NB: Ndlovu is a superlative writer: Ndlovu doesn’t work in binaries. There isn’t a full
rejection of colonialism and there isn’t an exaggerated love for independence. Ndlovu offers
a nuanced analysis of the political climate/context of Rhodesia and Zimbabwe. Nuanced
Daniel Kapeluschnik Notes 2024 1
,writing offers a view of the complexities surrounding the political climate of Rhodesia and
Zimbabwe at the time.
Nuanced Writing in terms of colonialism:
• Ndlovu feels that colonialism is unethical. White settlers cannot take indigenous land
which has been occupied and farmed by the Black Indigenous People → Negative.
• She is also optimistic in the sense that colonialism brought education, resources,
modern health, employment, and technology to Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.
• Ndlovu’s depiction of the White Settler (colonists): Bennington Beauford is the
portrait. Her portrayal of Bennington is nuanced and there is no definite stance.
Antagonistic attitude because he settled the land. However, Beauford doesn’t force
the indigenous people off the land. He keeps the indigenous people as his workforce.
He also provides employment and food security. He introduces products such as
leather for boots for war etc. A was high school created by Beauford – Minenhle is a
consumer’s teacher there and Thandi is her student (evidence from novel).
• Bennington is not portrayed as a villain – hence the absence of binaries. Rather, he is
portrayed as a complex, nuanced character
• The colonial village: people are very happy there, so much so that Golide tells Elizabeth
when she is pregnant to settle at Beauford as it is best place for daughter.
Examples of Nuanced Writing Throughout the Novel | Cosmos Nyathi
The entrepreneurial Cosmos (Black-African man). He flourishes in a colonial Rhodesia
(positive). Cosmos used to be an example of a ‘Good African.’ (Pejorative). This is an
offensive term based on a racist stereotype. He is ‘good’ because he was not an example of
the ‘archetypal African’. This colonial stereotype was that Black people had low standards of
personal hygiene. Additionally, they were seen as very lazy. Africans were often stereotyped
as alcoholics. It was also believed that Black indigenous faith and religious beliefs were
uncivilised and pagan. Cosmos did not fit this stereotype – he was hygienic and hard-
working (he developed a business empire). He also never touched alcohol. He was a
Christian and followed the ‘White man’s religion’ – which was seen as superior to
indigenous faiths. Cosmos is used as a character to portray the assimilation of the African
peoples during colonisation.
Daniel Kapeluschnik Notes 2024 2
, The Setting | Rhodesia/Zimbabwe
Tonga Land
Beauford
Farm and
Estate
Places of importance:
• The Beauford Farm and Estate.
• Bulawayo→ Known as the ‘City of kings’ – much of the story occurs here. From the
time Genie is 9 she lives in Bulawayo. This is where Vida lives on the street.
• Harare → The capital of Zimbabwe. This is where ‘The Man Himself’ (Robert Mugabe)
lives. He rules from here. It is not mentioned in the novel however it is the place of
control and power.
• The Victoria Falls → Where the shooting down of the civilian airplane where Beatrice
Beauford happens to be (Daughter of Bennington – the white settler farmer). Her twin
sons die in this event. The Victoria Falls are also where the elephants swim across the
edge of the waterfall. This is magic realism. This illuminates that the seemingly
Daniel Kapeluschnik Notes 2024 3
