Discussion: We Need New Names

[Janet]

But I really loved the novel. Bulawayo is a genius at similes.

[Michael]

Janet wrote: "I have mixed feelings about the way the 2 parts (by which I mean the events set in Zimbabwe vs. the ones in Detroit) work together. I do see what folks are saying about how different they seem from..."

I just finished the book last night and I've been thinking more about this. I found the stories in the first half to be more emotionally affecting, and so I think I agree with your idea that the second half is intentionally more distant. I was most moved by the chapter on snow, and how it represented for Darling the utter alienness of this new place. After that, I found myself being moved mainly by little snippets here and there, about how she missed her friends but felt they were strangers, how the contraband guava was ambrosia but heartbreaking when she had finished eating it, how despairing the idea that she had achieved the dream of America but still couldn't own a Lamborghini, how the problem with English is that you can never say what you really want to say.

So to some extent the second half was emotionally unfulfilling, but because it parallels Darling's disillusionment with the American dream and the loss of her country of origin, it may all be part of Ms. Bulawayo's brilliant plan. I thought "Hitting Budapest" and "Hitting Crossroads", for example, did a nice job of contrasting "youthful shenanigans" in Zimbabwe and America. What did other people think of the two stories? On the surface they have many similarities; is there a feeling that the first one is more vivid or vibrant somehow?

I had a different experience of the ending and actually found the last three chapters restored much of the poignancy for me, as they did a good job of showing what Darling had lost. I thought "This is How They Lived" set up expectations by showing what it was like to gradually lose your country and your traditions to assimilation and lack of papers, to finally face the utter despair of losing everything that is "home", even in the afterlife. That is Darling's path. And then that ending, wow. The conversation with Chipo came out of nowhere, but it had the effect of bringing those emotions to the foreground. It turned Darling's denials and justifications and gradual grief into an immediate defiance and anger and shock. I thought it gave an extra texture to those emotions of loss, and it reminded me that the despair is not located in some hypothetical nursing home future, it is a part of her always. This was a profound book for me.

[Sarah]

I thought the "This is How They Lived" chapter was a powerful statement about the loss of heritage. And then poor Tshaka Zulu in the nursing home. Was he supposed to represent the real Shaka Zulu and the loss of all African heritage, both on the African continent and across the Diaspora?

[Janet]

agree and share Janet and MIchael's views. am just now reading Americanah (as so many of you liked it so much) and am glad for the contrast in the two writers' styles and sensibilities, and also in some of the abiding themes of loss and racism, of home and family.

[William]

I recently read somewhere that you retain less when you read an ebook vs print. I read this title on my nook about 6 weeks ago. I think it must be true because I had completely forgotten about Tshaka. He was one of my most powerfully realized characters. I felt his pain and dislocation. I seem to now remember much more of Darlings exploits in Zim. than in the U.S. I had even forgotten the comic fueled porn episodes. Its such a short book I may give it another go.

[Michael]

Sarah wrote: "I thought the "This is How They Lived" chapter was a powerful statement about the loss of heritage. And then poor Tshaka Zulu in the nursing home. Was he supposed to represent the real Shaka Zulu..."

Thanks for the reference, Sarah. Your idea seems right to me, certainly his final scenes with the spear evoked the warrior aspects of resistance, although I can't speak for Ms. Bulawayo's intentions. At the very least you have encouraged me to educate myself on Shaka Zulu's life (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaka).

William, what an interesting assertion. I wonder if it might be because there is no physically distinguishing book "presence" to attach the memories to. I am often dismayed that all of my ebooks just look like my Nook, no cover or different weight or anything. Also wonder if my taking notes in the reader improves those statistics at all...

[Sarah]

The only way I retain anything these days is to take notes. Since I've been reading mostly library books for this group, I use an app called Evernote.

[George]

Well, the only thing I can get out of Shaka Zulu was a claim to past glory and the warrior tradition, Shaka himself never fought it out with the Brits or any other Europeans. the Zulu War with the Brits was fought much later, in the 1870s. Too bad Shaka didn't take on the Brits earlier, he might well have won earlier in the century. God knows they gave the more modern Brits fits. There's a very good South African mini-series on Shaka Zulu, called oddly enough,Shaka Zulu. a bit too Eurocentric in parts but the actor playing Shaka is riveting.

[William]

Sarah wrote: "The only way I retain anything these days is to take notes. Since I've been reading mostly library books for this group, I use an app called Evernote."

I'm going to get that app! I suppose that you can keep your notes after the library book has expired/disappeared?

[Sarah]

William wrote: "I'm going to get that app! I suppose that you can keep your notes after the library book has expired/disappeared?"


Yes you can. I have the free version on my smartphone as well as my PC and I can synch them.

[Michael]

Here are some final quotes that I highlighted as we reach the end of the month. Really, I thought Ms. Bulawayo's writing was so beautiful without ever seeming contrived or distracting.

"When you look into their faces it's like something that was in there got up and gathered its things and walked away."

"When things fall apart, the children of the land scurry and scatter like birds escaping a burning sky."

"In America we saw more food than we had seen in all our lives and we were so happy we rummaged through the dustbins of our souls to retrieve the stained, broken pieces of God."

"... she's nothing but green eyes and a tanned plank walking on black heels."

"I know that in front of that mirror, Aunt Fostalina will be articulate, that English will come alive on her tongue and she will spit it like it's burning her mouth, like it's poison, like it's the only language she has ever known."

"They stay silent for a while, as if they have no more words, as if both our language and English are not enough for them."

"And when these words tumbled from their lips like crushed bricks, we exchanged glances again and the water in our eyes broke. Our smiles melted like dying shadows and we wept; wept for our blessed, wretched country."

"I sit on the sofa and watch the soldier in the rain just standing there like his mother forgot him, like he is Syria and has been counted out of country-game."

[Sarah]

Michael wrote: "Here are some final quotes that I highlighted as we reach the end of the month. Really, I thought Ms. Bulawayo's writing was so beautiful without ever seeming contrived or distracting.

"When you ..."

I agree Michael. And thank you for highlighting these.

[ColumbusReads]

Great discussion everyone! NoViolet Bulawayo is definitely among a long list of important authors from the african diaspora to watch for in the future.

This discussion ends for now but you can still add comments and questions if you like because the LFPC book discussions never really closes.

Thanks again all, now slide on over to September and join in this months book discussion!

[George]

she certainly will be if she keeps writing. I look forward to seeing her future work.

[Judy]

Really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone. An eye-opener on the state of things in Zimbabwe. The ending was harsh, maybe because I'm a dog lover although I'm sure it was metaphor...

[Tiffany]

I love Bulawayo's use of language. I didn't read it as a series of short stories either. She made it easy to pick up the kids' moods and see their world from their eyes.

The most shocking part for me was the near abortion scene. Not only for the act these girls were about to perform, but because they needed new names to "become" doctors. I didn't see them wanting to become successful, but skilled & knowledgeable in being able to perform a surgery to help Chipo. My hands were in my head right with Mother of Bones at the end of this chapter.

But before reading the book, I tied the title to the author's name: NoViolet. Her own name gives insight to the fantastic/outrageous names of her characters. It made me think she doesn't want anyone to think of her as a shrinking violet, or an African violet. Darling is not delicate.

By the end of the novel, I felt very little hope for Darling in America and - maybe reading this during the government shutdown didn't help - but I'm not feeling very hopeful for any of us here. A very different tone than from "Ghana Must Go".

I can't wait to read "Americanah" after reading everyone's posts. I just hope I get to the top of the waiting list before year's end.

[George]

I can't say I felt We Need New Names to be particularly optimistic either.