In a review of Zenzele published in 1996, Nehanda Imara states that "the title [of Maraire's book] deliberately emphasizes the importance of the personal relationship between mother and daughter, yet the text of the novel also emphasizes the importance of history for the sake of searching for one's self, of searching for one's identity, [and of] searching for one's origin in order to better understand oneself."
Discuss the following issues:
- How history lends clarity to the mother's (Amai Zenzele's) search for her identity.
- To what extent the daughter is a mirror for the mother.
To answer the first part of the question, examine how, through the story of her people's war of liberation from the British, the mother, Amai Zenzele, is able to better understand herself. Decide what historical perspectives and which episodes in the novel best throw light on the mother's search for her identity. Consider, too, how examples of the disparity between the current culture and that of the past lend clarity to the mother's search for identity.
To answer the second part of the question, be sure to discuss the similarities and differences between mother and daughter.
Formulate your response in your own words. When it is appropriate to use quotations or paraphrase from your text materials or other sources, be sure to cite your sources properly by giving page numbers in parentheses or using footnotes or endnotes.
The assignment should be a total of three to four typed, double-spaced pages. When you have completed the assignment, proofread it for correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.