Introduction of the book Harare North

Harare North is a novel that explores the experiences of a nameless Zimbabwean immigrant who flees
to London after being involved in political violence in his home country. He hopes to make enough
money to return and clear his name, but he soon realizes that life in London is not easy for an illegal
immigrant with no papers, no skills and no connections. He lives in a squat with other Zimbabweans,
including his cousin Sekai and her husband Shingi, who are both asylum seekers. He also befriends a
former militia member named Tsitsi, who helps him find odd jobs and schemes to make money.

The narrator struggles to survive in the harsh and hostile environment of London, where he faces
racism, exploitation, poverty and loneliness. He also suffers from guilt, trauma and paranoia, as he is
haunted by the memories of his past crimes and the ngozi (avenging spirit) of his victim. He tries to
maintain a facade of success and prosperity to his family and friends back home, but he also envies and
resents those who seem to have a better life than him. He becomes increasingly manipulative, dishonest
and violent, as he exploits Shingi's identity, blackmails Sekai over her affair, betrays Tsitsi's trust and
attacks a white woman who insults him.

The novel is narrated in a distinctive voice that mixes English with Shona words and expressions,
creating a vivid and authentic representation of the narrator's perspective and culture. The novel also
uses various literary techniques, such as flashbacks, stream of consciousness, symbolism and irony, to
convey the narrator's psychological state and the themes of the story. The novel explores issues such as
immigration, identity, belonging, violence, trauma, memory, culture and politics.

The novel ends with a twist that reveals that the narrator and Shingi are actually the same person,
suffering from dissociative identity disorder due to the trauma of killing an innocent man in Zimbabwe.
The narrator is the ngozi that possesses Shingi's body and mind, and their conflict represents Shingi's
inner struggle to cope with his guilt and shame. The novel suggests that Shingi's condition is a metaphor
for the collective trauma of Zimbabweans who have been affected by the political turmoil and violence
in their country.

THE THEMATIC PREOCCUPATION

1.Displacement and alienation: The novel explores the experiences of Zimbabwean immigrants in
London, who are often illegal, undocumented, and exploited. They face racism, discrimination, and
hostility from the host society, as well as from other immigrants. They also struggle to maintain their
sense of identity and belonging in a foreign and hostile environment. The narrator, who remains
nameless throughout the novel, is a former militia member who fled Zimbabwe after being accused of
murder. He seeks asylum in the UK, but he is also haunted by his past and his guilt. He lives in a squat
with his friend Shingi and other immigrants, and works in low-paid and demeaning jobs. He is constantly
paranoid and distrustful of others, and he often lies and manipulates to get what he wants. He also
suffers from a dissociative identity disorder, as he believes that he is possessed by an avenging spirit
(ngozi) of one of his victims. He has no real connection or attachment to anyone or anything in London,
and he longs to return to Zimbabwe to perform a ritual for his deceased mother.

- Examples of displacement and alienation:

- The narrator's arrival in London and his encounter with the immigration officer (pp. 1-4).

- The narrator's description of the squat and its inhabitants (pp. 5-10).

- The narrator's encounter with the Nigerian woman who tries to sell him a fake passport (pp. 11-14).

- The narrator's experience of working as a cleaner at a hospital (pp. 15-19).

- The narrator's confrontation with the white man who insults him on the bus (pp. 20-22).

- The narrator's conversation with Shingi about their homeland and their situation (pp. 23-26).

- The narrator's reflection on his mother's death and his need to perform a ritual for her (pp. 27-30).

- The narrator's encounter with the Somali man who offers him a job at a car wash (pp. 31-34).

- The narrator's discovery of his cousin's wife's affair and his blackmail scheme (pp. 35-40).

- The narrator's visit to the Zimbabwean embassy and his disappointment with the officials (pp. 41-
45).

- The narrator's experience of working at a car wash and his conflict with the Somali boss (pp. 46-51).

- The narrator's encounter with the white woman who tries to seduce him (pp. 52-56).

- The narrator's involvement in a robbery with Shingi and other immigrants (pp. 57-62).

- The narrator's hallucination of seeing his victim's face in a fish pond (pp. 63-66).

- The narrator's attempt to get money from his cousin's wife and his confrontation with her lover (pp.
67-72).

- The narrator's experience of working as a gardener for a rich white couple (pp. 73-78).

- The narrator's encounter with the police and his escape (pp. 79-83).
 - The narrator's visit to a church and his rejection by the pastor (pp. 84-88).

- The narrator's experience of working as a waiter at a wedding reception (pp. 89-94).

- The narrator's encounter with the bridegroom who turns out to be his former victim's brother (pp.
95-100).

- The narrator's breakdown and his fusion with Shingi (pp. 101-105).

2. Politics and violence: The novel also reflects on the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe,
which has driven many people to seek refuge elsewhere. The narrator was a member of the Green
Bombers, a notorious militia that supported the ruling party and committed atrocities against the
opposition and civilians. He was involved in the violent land seizures that targeted white farmers and
their workers. He also witnessed the corruption and brutality of the police and the government officials.
He has a cynical and disillusioned view of politics and power, and he does not trust anyone who claims
to represent the people or the nation. He also has a deep resentment and anger towards the former
colonial masters and their allies, whom he blames for the problems in Zimbabwe. He sees London as a
place where he can exploit the system and get revenge for what was done to his country.

- Examples of politics and violence:

- The narrator's flashback of his involvement in the land seizures and his killing of a white farmer (pp.
106-110).

- The narrator's flashback of his arrest and torture by the police and his escape (pp. 111-115).

- The narrator's flashback of his participation in the election violence and his betrayal by his comrades
(pp. 116-120).

- The narrator's flashback of his encounter with a journalist who exposes his crimes (pp. 121-125).

- The narrator's flashback of his flight from Zimbabwe and his encounter with a smuggler (pp. 126-
130).

- The narrator's reflection on the state of Zimbabwe and its history (pp. 131-135).

- The narrator's reflection on the role of the former colonial powers and their interests in Zimbabwe
(pp. 136-140).

- The narrator's reflection on the role of the media and the NGOs in portraying Zimbabwe (pp. 141-
145).
 - The narrator's reflection on the role of the diaspora and their contribution to Zimbabwe (pp. 146-
150).

- The narrator's reflection on the role of the opposition and their chances of change in Zimbabwe (pp.
151-155).

3. Culture and identity: The novel also examines the cultural and identity issues that arise from living in a
diaspora. The narrator tries to preserve his Zimbabwean culture and values, but he also faces challenges
and conflicts with other cultures. He speaks in a mixture of English and Shona, but he often
misunderstands or misinterprets what others say or mean. He also has difficulty adapting to the norms
and expectations of the British society, such as the bureaucracy, the law, the weather, and the food. He
feels superior to other immigrants, especially those from other African countries, whom he considers
inferior or ignorant. He also has a patriarchal and sexist attitude towards women, especially his cousin's
wife whom he blackmails for having an affair. He is proud of his heritage and ancestry, but he also feels
ashamed of his current situation and his actions. He is torn between his loyalty to his homeland and his
desire for a better life elsewhere.

- Examples of culture and identity:

- The narrator's use of language and its effects on communication and understanding (pp. 156-160).

- The narrator's encounter with different cultures and their customs and beliefs (pp. 161-165).

- The narrator's encounter with different religions and their practices and rituals (pp. 166-170).

- The narrator's encounter with different cuisines and their tastes and preferences (pp. 171-175).

- The narrator's encounter with different laws and their implications and consequences (pp. 176-180).

- The narrator's encounter with different genders and their roles and expectations (pp. 181-185).

- The narrator's encounter with different classes and their statuses and privileges (pp. 186-190).

- The narrator's encounter with different races and their stereotypes and prejudices (pp. 191-195).

- The narrator's encounter with different nationalities and their identities and loyalties (pp. 196-200).

- The narrator's encounter with himself and his sense of self-worth and self-esteem (pp. 201-205).

4. Identity and belonging: The narrator struggles to find his place and purpose in London, which he calls
Harare North, a reference to the large number of Zimbabwean immigrants in the city. He also has to
hide his true identity and history from others, especially the authorities. He uses Shingi's ID to get jobs,
but he also feels threatened by Shingi's presence and influence. He tries to create a new identity for
himself, but he also longs for his home and family in Zimbabwe. He is caught between two worlds and
cultures, and he does not fully belong to either. This theme is evident throughout the novel, but
especially in chapters 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19.

5. Survival and exploitation: The narrator faces many difficulties and dangers as an illegal immigrant in
London. He lives in a squat with other migrants, where he has to deal with poor living conditions,
violence, racism, and police raids. He works in low-paid and precarious jobs, such as gardening, cleaning,
and construction, where he is often exploited and cheated by his employers. He also resorts to
exploiting others, such as blackmailing his cousin's wife Sekai when he discovers her affair, or taking
advantage of Shingi's generosity and trust. He is driven by a desperate need to survive and escape his
situation, but he also loses his moral compass and dignity along the way. This theme is evident
throughout the novel, but especially in chapters 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18.

6. Trauma and madness: The narrator suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of
his involvement in the Green Bombers and the murder he committed. He has flashbacks and nightmares
of his past, and he also hallucinates and hears voices in his head. He becomes increasingly paranoid and
delusional, especially towards Shingi, whom he sees as a rival and a threat. He also believes that he is
possessed by an ngozi, an avenging spirit in Shona culture that punishes those who have killed an
innocent person. He loses touch with reality and his sense of self, and he eventually merges with Shingi
in a bizarre twist of fate. This theme is evident throughout the novel, but especially in chapters 9-20.

REFERENCES

(1) Harare North by Brian Chikwava | Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6066132-

harare-north.

(2) Harare North by Brian Chikwava - Penguin Books Australia.

https://www.penguin.com.au/books/harare-n orth-9781409076452.

(3) Harare North - Brian Chikwava - Google Books.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Harare_North.html?id=n38MLgAACAAJ.

(4) Harare North by Brian Chikwava | Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6066132-

harare-north.

(5) Harare North - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harare_North.

(6) Harare North Novel Summary - 2030 - Internet Public Library. https://www.ipl.org/essay/Harare-
North-Novel-Summary-P3M9UH4ACPR.

- ¹ Harare North by Brian Chikwava | Goodreads

- ² Harare North - Wikipedia

- ³ Survival instincts | Fiction | The Guardian

(7) Harare North by Brian Chikwava | Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6066132-

harare-north.

(8) Harare North - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harare_North.

(9) Survival instincts | Fiction | The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/apr/25/brian-

chikwava-petina-gappah.