Nyasha’s Struggle Essay, Research Paper

The significance of Nyasha in “Nervous Conditions” involves her apparent rebellious nature and her reluctance to accept the norm. Her unwillingness to conform to the ideals of a sexist society perpetuates her into a constant struggle against the patriarchal system. She may have lost the fight in the end but it’s not to no avail because her example goes on to encourage Tambu to carry on in her wake. Nyasha is important because she is a shinning example of the effects of colonialism on the African population, she influences Tambu’s own rebellious nature, and she’s one of the few that rebel against the patriarchal system.

Nyasha‘s situation also illustrates the effects of colonialism on people. Nyasha falls victim to the adverse effects of colonialism as she tries to gain a European education while trying to keep her Shona roots. This leaves her a hybrid of the two cultures where she remains separate from both: “I am not one of them but I’m not one of you.” (p. 201). She is not allowed to foster the values she acquired in England, and she is unwilling to submit to the established patterns and traditions of subjugation that are apparent in the Shona society, so she becomes alienated from both social groups. Nyasha then reacts to her isolation by trying to control every aspect of her life possible. She becomes anorexic to control her figure and studies constantly trying to attain perfection in academics: “Nyasha grew weaker by the day. She weaved when she walked and every night was the same. Although we were on vacation she studied fourteen hours a day to make sure that she passed her “O” levels.”(200) This “nervous condition” has been brought upon by the English who have changed Rhodesia into a hybrid land where blacks can neither belong to the English culture nor remain a part of their own Shona culture. Nyasha’s suffering is to be an example of the complications that colonialism can cause to a country.

Nyasha is a model for Tambu as she tries to assert herself growing up. Nyasha’s rebellious character is a model showing that women do not have to accept their position in a patriarchy. Tambu observes Nyasha with interest and subsequently tries to absorb all her good traits, independency, forthright behavior, and determination, in an effort to empower herself. Nyasha opens Tambu’s eyes to the injustices of the Shona society, which consist not only of women’s inferiority, but also to the patriarchy that is the external force that perpetuates the oppression of females. Although Tambu never becomes as extreme as Nyasha in opposing Babamukuru and the patriarchy he represents, she eventually does take a stand at her parent’s wedding by refusing to attend and participate regardless of the consequences: “Babamukuru talked to me calmly…told me how disappointed he was that I had grown so rebellious.”(168) This incident reflects her changing ideals and her willingness to fight for what she stands for: “to me that punishment was the price of my newly acquired identity.”(169) Tambu’s newly found identity is really nothing more then a softened replica of the ideals of Nyasha. Nyasha therefore serves as a catalyst for Tambu’s personal development.

Nyasha’s entire rebellion against the patriarchy brings up an interesting point regarding the nature of women. Nyasha was brought to Britain at an early age where she received a European education. She was consequently exposed to an alternative view of reality than that in Rhodesia and sees that there are other possibilities for women other then the stereotypical role set forth by the Shona society where the women live their lives serving men. Nyasha refuses to conform to the Shona society’s image of womanhood and fights Babamukuru’s every attempt to change her. In studying Tambu’s attitude, we see that the upbringing of an individual has drastic effects on ones willingness to accept the status quo. Tambu was never exposed to European society prior to meeting Nyasha and thus had never known anything different from the Shona society. Tambu therefore was appalled by Nyasha’s flagrant rebellion against Babamukuru’s attempts to make her a proper girl: “You had to admit that Nyasha had no tact. You had to admit she was altogether too volatile and strong-willed. You couldn’t ignore the fact that she had no respect for Babamukuru” (116) This contrast shows that the women’s roles and their limitations are socially constructed. Nyasha is therefore significant because she shows that women’s subservient attitudes are not natural and the idea that they are inferior only materialized because it has been ingrained into the Shona culture.

Nyasha is significance in “Nervous Conditions” is to offer an alternate view of the Shona society. Her values are a hybrid taken from both the English and Shona cultures and subsequently she is isolated from both cultures that will not accept her. This isolation leaves her vulnerable and she falls victim to anorexia as she tries to control her life. Her struggle against Babamukuru also serves to show that women are not submissive naturally but that this attitude only comes about because women are brainwashed into believing they are inferior. She never gives in and her resilience influences Tambu to become more assertive, and although Nyasha rebellion may not have been entirely successful, her struggle does live on through Tambu who now refuses to be brainwashed and will fight for social equality.

Dangarembga, Tsitsi. _Nervous Conditions_. Seattle: Seal Press, 1988.