A Girl Named Disaster

Nhamo grows up as an orphan and struggles with the nature of family. How do her parents’ absences influence how she understands herself? How do her relationships with her other family members complicate her role in her family and village?

Nhamo is attached to a magazine cover featuring a margarine ad. What role does the cover play in Nhamo’s conceptions of love and acceptance? What is its wider significance in the novel?

Compare and contrast Masvita’s and Nhamo’s characters. In what ways are they foils to one another? How does Masvita’s character provide perspective on Nhamo’s character?

Analyze the role of the spirit world in the novel. How are the dynamics between everyday life and the spiritual realm depicted? How does the spirit world affect the lives of Nhamo and the other characters?

Nhamo decides to take Grandmother’s advice and flee the village despite her fears. How does Nhamo’s decision propel her from childhood into adulthood? In what ways does her physical journey mirror her emotional journey?

Analyze the roles of Nhamo’s most important female mentors, Grandmother and Dr. Everjoice Masuku. In what ways are these two mentors similar or different? How do they influence Nhamo’s development and changing conceptions of her life and fate?

Nhamo is both a round and dynamic character. How does she change over the course of the novel? What experiences and events contribute to her change?

Consider the depiction of Mtoroshanga as a setting. In what ways does Nhamo’s time in Mtoroshanga help her to complete her journey into adulthood? How does her time in Mtoroshanga compare with her life in her original village?