The issues depicted in Sandisile Tsuma's 'Arrested Development' are a manifestation of challenges facing many African countries. Discuss.

      

The issues depicted in Sandisile Tsuma's 'Arrested Development' are a manifestation of challenges facing many African countries. Discuss.

  

Answers


Martin
Moral decadence

The moral fibre that held Zimbabweans together has been broken.Selfishness has taken root in the society and everybody is like a vulture,waiting for others to fall into misfortune.There is no sense of responsibility to one's duty.The narrator has to spend two whole hours before being served at the bank.The people are forced to wait for transport and electricity.They are used to constant power cuts.

There is no order at the bus stop,especially after people have been frustrated by hours of waiting."You must be a go getter for,it is brutish,dangerous,undignified must- have skill...The conversation between the driver and Gloria shows lack of morality in the society.Both are proud to be corrupt since they are involved in contraband business.The narrator makes reference to the word 'vigoroni' which implies that for one to access any available opportunity in Zimbabwe,one has to be brutal,dangerous,undignified and posses must have skill.

Tribalism

The Zimbabweans have retreated to their tribal cocoons and are tribally prejudiced.Gloria says of the con men who conned a fellow passenger,I'll bet they were Shona.
These are the only crooks in Beit bridge unlike the Ndebele who are too lazy and us vendas who make an honest hustle.

Corruption

Corruption is also rampant in Zimbabwe.Development in Zimbabwe is hampered by high level corruption and lack of integrity at personal level by Zimbabweans.According to the narrator ,teens, fresh out of high school in rural areas are lured by unscrupulous individual into slavery in the promise of being secured better life styles outside the country.Black market trade is widespread.
The driver of the car the narrator is travelling in and the woman passenger both smuggle contraband between Zimbabwe and south Africa.The fact that the woman has amassed a lot of wealth yet she is a school drop out makes the narrator feel an inadequate non-achiever.The policemen are also corrupt.The narrator poses the question in her mind ,'How much to pay off the cops?'

Dissulusionment

Disillusionment is a feeling that has taken root among the Zimbabweans.The passengers wait for transport desperately.'There is no public transport ,hence we are extremely,so we wince and bear it'In order to escape from the strife stricken country,some people apply for scholarships to an obscure foreign university or try to apply for jobs in cities like Dubai.Unscrupulous individuals try to take advantage of clueless teens fresh out of school in the country.The narrator's feelings of being inadequate non achiever stems from the lady passengers's reference to the wealth which she acquitted through smuggling.It is evident that the Zimbabwean society does not recognize achievement based on ones's academic achievement.
The disillusionment of the Zimbabweans is evident in the docility and acceptance of their situations.The writer observes "........it is not in the nature of a Zimbabwean to question or complain."
marto answered the question on January 7, 2018 at 18:20


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