A Girl Named Disaster

“Nhamo watched her cousin in the shade of the hozi. She was beautiful, no question about it. Nhamo had seen her own face reflected in a pool. She thought she didn’t look too bad. Masvita was sweet-tempered, though, and Nhamo had to admit her own manners left a lot to be desired. But who wouldn’t be sweet-tempered if she could sit in the shade all day?”

Masvita’s character is a foil to Nhamo’s character. Unlike Nhamo, Masvita is gentle and reserved. Her family and village see her as a model of the obedient, good-natured, and honorable young woman. Nhamo frequently compares herself to her cousin because she has a more wild, independent spirit that her family and village don’t approve of. At the same time, the way the community treats Masvita underscores their cultural values and perspective on gender roles, introducing the theme of The Impact of Social and Environmental Challenges.

“The room behind the woman was full of wonderful things, but what interested Nhamo most was the little girl. She was wearing a blue dress, and her hair was tattered into two fat puffs over her ears. The woman smiled at her in the kindest way, and Nhamo knew the white bread and yellow margarine were meant for the little girl. She thought the woman looked like Mother.”

Nhamo’s magazine cover is symbolic of comfort and belonging (See: Symbols & Motifs). She cherishes the cover, because she sees the woman in the image as her late mother and the little girl as herself. Nhamo has grown up with a maternal absence, and thus craves maternal love and care. The magazine cover offers her the illusion of these comforts, becoming her talisman throughout her wilderness adventures.