Writing September 23

I am starting to dislike Tambu. I think that she is becoming exactly like her brother, who I could not stand. It's weird to me how a prevalent idea in the book is that even though family is inexorably tied to education of the children, it seems to be that as soon as Tambu or Nhamo gets to Babmukuru's house, they suddenly realize the "squalor" they used to live in and are ashamed. It bothers because they are being educated for the benefit of their family, and as soon as they reach the mission, it is all about them. I dislike how the family is immediately discarded. I don't know if it's naivety or just shame, but it really inhibits the good feelings that I have for the book. I don't find Tambu a character that makes it easy to sympathize/empathize, for the simple reason that her feelings are very alien to me. When she was angry at her brother, I understood because her brother was obviously in the wrong, but the fact that she would miss her river more than her family really put me off.

There is an interesting contrast between Babamukuru and Nhamo/Tambu. Nhamo and Tambu are being educated because it is good for the family. Babamukuru managed to build himself a life with his own two hands and look out for his family. Maybe when Tambu is older, she will understand that her position is important because then she can look after her family, but in the interim it is annoying how she thinks she will learn and be educated and leave her family behind.

I think the tone is slightly off too, because all she ever seems to do is condescend people. She dislikes her cousin because she is rude and "hoped that she would not carry on like that..." She also had a whole paragraph explaining what was wrong in their kitchen. On page 71 she talks about the dirt in the house, and on the next page she ridicules the use of a tea-strainer. The tone is so disparaging and so un-likeable. She is being placed in a position to better her and her family's circumstances, and all she can do is criticize her new home. It is very bothersome to read, and it makes her seem ungrateful. I know that moving is a hard task, especially away from your family, but she did not seem to even like her family and all she could hope for was to not sleep in the same room as her cousin, who is rude and unhelpful. I just don't understand why the other would write this if she wanted to make her character likable.