Nervous Conditions: Chapters Six and Seven

After putting it all off, I *finally* completed chapters six and seven, and got a great understanding of all that's happened with Tambu's conjoined, yet messed-up family matters that should be resolved sooner or later. All I know is that I'm going to spread out reading times from now on so it will be less apprehensive for me, especially with annotating, with takes the most of my time in reading. I feel like chapter six was the easiest one to keep up with, because chapter seven experienced a lot of family feuds from different points of view, and it didn't help to think that the family was separated into two or three groups during the meeting and discussion. I learned first that - after catching up with the end of chapter five and beginning of six - Tambu has been introduced to white missionaries, or expatriates. Dealing with them would surely bring out a challenge of race, but she seemed to adapt quickly, although she did sometimes feel like an outsider when she knew of Chido going to a Government school away from home, which would bring out even more cultural differences in him, because I can see that he's become different.

With the cultural points of view from characters in different regions - whether in the mission or at home - they all see or believe some things based on what their education taught them. I kept attention to Nyasha as she fought with Babamukuru and saw how much courage she had to speak out to him like that. She's had an attitude since she was embarrassed with Maiguru being so concerned and she is always annoyed with her parents taking so much care to her. All I can really draw from the introduction at this point is that she has truly rebelled, but I am still thinking about the escape or entrapment and what they mean by culture influencing those issues. I have definitely gotten a deep understanding of Tambu's point of view and how characters around her influence her cultural standpoint, and right now she's used to living in calm conditions, but after so much feuding I'm not sure where she stands. I can tell that there are still issues needed to be fixed, and right now it looks like plot is moving to something new - and it still needs to be discussed between everyone in the family. I hope I can continue to understand what the message of this book is and what it means, because it is all tying together now.