Nervous Conditions

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains depictions of sexism, domestic violence, child abuse, and eating disorders.

Tambudzai, or Tambu, is the daughter of Ma’Shingayi and Jeremiah. She is the second oldest child in the family, with an older brother, Nhamo, and three younger siblings, Netsai, Rambanai, and Dambudzo. Babamukuru is her uncle and becomes her benefactor when he takes her in and sends her to the mission school. Along with being the primary protagonist, Tambu is also the narrator. She narrates from an unspecified future time, and she interrupts her narration of the story with reflections on how she has changed since the events of the novel took place. The distinction between Tambu as protagonist and as narrator enhances the incomplete nature of her character arc; however, the reflections within the narration serve to indicate that Tambu eventually reached enlightenment.

Tambu is ambitious, and she is strongly driven to attend school. She holds a deep belief that she will find freedom through education. She assumes that she will find autonomy because Babamukuru and Maiguru, who are both highly educated, are rich and appear free. However, she learns that both her uncle and aunt are restricted by their expected societal and gender roles, and Maiguru is further impacted by cultural sexism.