Object of the Study Approach of the Study
The author of the novel depicts Nyasha s physical appearance through the way she is seen from another s character mostly Tambudzai who is the major
character. In the description of Tambudzai, Nyasha is described as a bright young girl, my cousin Nyasha, pretty bright Nyasha Dangarembga, 1989: 37. She
mostly wears clothes that cannot cover her thighs: There was no other explanation for the tiny little dress she wore, hardly
enough of it to cover her thighs. She was self-conscious though, constantly clasping her hands behind her buttocks to prevent her dress from riding up,
and observing everybody through veiled vigilant eyes to see what we were thinking. Dangarembga, 1989: 37.
When Nyasha and her family back from England, she starts to receive the rejection because of the clothes she wears. It deemed inappropriate for her to wear
such tiny clothes. Her friends at school sneer at her and criticize her clothes, The way she dresses for the Saturday night dances And the way she was acting with
George [or Johnson or Mathias or Chengetai] Dangarembga, 1989: 94. Her parents and others disapprove of her way of clothing because it is considered as
too short, as stated in Tambu s narration, Nyasha liked to avoid her parents and their parent at these times because they were too bound to say something
offensive, like complaining that her gym-slip was too short... Dangarembga, 1989: 99.
Nyasha choice of clothing is her own decision and she chose to wear the clothes that seem inappropriate for other people. The moment when the school
holds the dances event, Nyasha chooses to wear the dress that for Tambudzai is too short and inappropriate. Nyasha stuffed the pantie-hose she had just removed
down the foot of the bed and straightened her dress, which was so short it did not
need much straightening, Dangarembga, 1989: 112. Nyasha continues to receive the criticism for her choice of clothing throughout the story.
Nyasha is also considered skinny for Zimbabwean. She shows concerns for her body and she considers that skinny is beautiful. As she comments that
Tambudzai s bottom is too fat and she needs diet Dangarembga, 1989: 92. Nyasha also stated that she is on a diet to make her body svelte and sensuous
Dangarembga, 1989: 197. Whilst, for Zimbabwean, Nyasha s body goal is not healthy at all. Tambudzai describes her body as:
Nyasha was indeed looking svelte when she dashed out to hug me, flinging her arms round me almost before I had stepped out of the car. In fact to
svelte. By my standards she had grown definitely thin, but I knew that she preferred bones to bounce and so I said nothing Dangarembga, 1989:
197. Her choice of looking good making her look very thin and she prefers it
rather than the beauty standard for the woman in Zimbabwean which is bubbly and bouncy. For Tambudzai, Nyasha is grotesquely unhealthy Dangarembga,
1989: 199. Later, she is recognized with anorexia as the result of her suffering that is coming out in the form of resistance to eating the food.