Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Character Analysis
Choose one key character from the text and write an in-depth analysis of him or her: What are their core qualities (positive and negative)? What experiences gave them these qualities? What do you ultimately admire and not the character? Why? Two quotes to support your response. 2-4 paragraphs.
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The character from Nervous Conditions that I decided to write about is Nhamo. I found that Nhamo had positive core qualities before he went to school. Nhamo realized that he had to help with the crops, and take care of his younger sisters, but there was a change in his character as he went to school. Nhamo became self- centered and his views of where he lived, and hard work changed.
ReplyDeleteHis core qualities had turned from positive, to negative. Nhamo became self- centered when he realized that there is a higher status of living. I don't admire this character because because of his laziness when it comes to chores that pay for his educataion, and beacause of how he treats his sisters. Two quotes that support my response are "Helping in the fields or with the livestock or the firewood, any of the tasks he used to do willing before he went to the mission, became a bad joke." and "you may wonder why I did not stand up for my sister, tell my brother to carry his own luggage.I did on the first occasion that he made Netsai run the errand. He agreed to go himself, then, when I had gone back into the kitchen, took Netsai out of earshot and gave her a sound whipping anout the legs with a slender peach branch. Poor Netsai!"
I agree with your perspective on Nhamo. I like that you chose him because his attitude to his new lifestyle was the complete opposite of the protagonist, Tambu's, attitude. Nhamo became brainwashed in his new lifestyle while Tambu remained humble and aware of her surroundings.
DeleteThe character that I chose to write an analysis on is Babamukuru. Babamukuru had obvious positive qualities. Because of his advanced educational background, he had the opportunity to give so much to his immediate and extended family. He enjoyed using his resources to help his family by giving them both gifts and opportunities. He served as an example and a mentor to his family.
ReplyDeleteHowever, some of his qualities were not so positive. Babamukuru expected the people around him to treat him certain ways because of their identities. "Baba says I do not need to be educated...I must learn to be a good wife( 16)," said by Tambu, is an example of how Babamukuru treated Tambu as a victim of her identity, being a girl. He expected the woman in the family and the less-educated to praise him and treat him as a higher being. He also was not very good at listening to the people around him. He decided that Tambu's parents would have a wedding without even asking for their opinions, and he barely listened to the people in his own house.
Certain experiences caused Babamukuru to posses certain qualities. Unlike the majority of the people from his home, he had the opportunity to get a very good education, as an African man, which earned him a lot of respect. He also grew up in a world where the educated, the rich, and the men were superior. His experiences caused him to think of himself as a higher power than the people around him and to think that it was okay to decide his family's life for them.
I admire that Babamukuru beat the odds and became an educated African man. I also admire how he was not selfish when it came to working hard so that the people in his family could have some of the same opportunities that he had. "We need to ensure that at least one member from each family is educated...because after that he will be in a position to take course (44)," said by Babamukuru, is a good example of how he is always thinking about his family and their future. I feel that if Babamukuru was not like this, the people in his family would not have anybody to look up to or set goals for them to reach. I think that it is very important to have someone, who is already where you want to go, to remind yourself that if you work hard, you can be there too. Tambu's statement, "Nhamo was very impressed by the sheer amount of education that was possible. He told me that the kind of education Babamukuru had gone to get must have been of a very important sort to make him go all the way for it(14)," is a good example of the effect that Babamukuru's achievements had on his family.
Babamukuru is a very fascinating character in Nervous Conditions. His positive qualities are that he is a highly educated African man in a time when that was a rarity. It also is good because of his education he was able to get a well paying job that allowed for him to be generous enough and give him a sense of entitlement to help provide for the rest of his struggling family.
ReplyDeleteHis negative qualities are easy to over look because of his success and gracious fullness. One of the most significant is that because of his successfulness he expects everyone lesser than him to do anything he wants and to treat him as a god. When he tells Tambu’s father that he would take Nhamo to the mission, Tete Gladys tells him, “Would we, could we survive without you! Truly we could not! (47)” When Nyasha rebels against him throughout the book he does not know how to respond because everyone treats with such high regard, doing whatever he says then praising him. Tambu points out that, “the victimization, I saw was universal. It didn’t depend on poverty, on, lack of education, or on tradition. Men took it everywhere with them. Even heroes like Babamukuru did it (118).” She says this after Babamukuru condemns Nyasha to whoredom then beats her, victimizing her of her femaleness.
His whole life has given him these qualities. He was generous because he came from nothing and now wants to help people be successful. He also does this because it reflects well on him. He wants to be a god. Most of his other faults are because of the culture he grew up in of women being inferior.
The only reason I admire Babamukuru is because he is generous enough to help out his struggling family and try to boost their status. I do not admire him because he lets his family treat him like a god. I think he would be better if he wouldn’t let them treat him as a god. When he comes over he makes them feel self conscious because of thee status making them treat him even better.
I like how you added that his positive qualities caused others to overlook the negative qualities. I never thought of it like that (good wording).
DeleteI also like when you said that the reason he did not know what to do with Nyasha's rebellion was not just because he was angry, but Babamukuru never had to deal with rebellion of that type.
I also agree with the reason Babamukuru acted like he did was because he grew up in a world where women were inferior.
Awesome
Deletewhat are you a C grader this is the worst character analysis i have ever seen , good luck through life
ReplyDeleteLMAOOOOO "He wanted to be a God" WTF im deaddddd thats hilarious. this man roasting his ass im geeking
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