Genre
Fiction
Setting and Context
Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe
Narrator and Point of View
The narrator is Vimbai, who is also the protagonist of the novel. She tells the story from her own perspective
Tone and Mood
The tone is at first combative, then copacetic. The mood is one of suspicion and bigotry, and also of love.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Vimbai is the protagonist. Dumisani is sometimes the antagonist, as she has fallen in love with him, but later learns that he is gay.
Major Conflict
There is conflict between Dumisani and his family because of his sexuality
Climax
Vimbai finds a way to co-exist as best friends with Dumisani and their relationship is able to endure.
Foreshadowing
Dumisami comes out to his family which foreshadows their resentment of him and their belief that there is something wrong with him.
Understatement
The society is described as bigoted which is an understatement because even Dumisani's friends and family do not take it well when he comes out to them.
Allusions
The book alludes to the traditional society in Harare and its discriminatory nature when it comes to homosexuality.
Imagery
N/A
Paradox
Vimbai does not want a relationship with a man but falls in love with Dumisani who turns out to be gay.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between Vimbai's growing love for and attraction to Dumisani and her anger with him when she finds out he is not interested in women.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The salon is the way in which the individual stylists are described.
Personification
N/A
