Postcolonial Identity · English Literature

In Tsitsi Dangarembga’s 'Nervous Conditions', the protagonist Tambu’s identity struggle is primarily framed by:

  1. A sincere desire to convert her family to Christianity
  2. The tension between her indigenous roots and her Western education
  3. A desire to become a respected colonial administrator in Rhodesia
  4. Her secret participation in an underground Marxist guerrilla movement
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Correct answer: The tension between her indigenous roots and her Western education

The title, taken from Fanon, refers to the psychological state of the colonized. Tambu's quest for education brings her into direct conflict with her traditional Shona upbringing, illustrating the 'nervous condition' of the postcolonial subject.

Difficulty: Medium Question 18 of 20

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