Assessment Report for “A Disappointing Truth: The Tragic Story of Sarah Witt”
Author: Sarudzai Mubvakure
Assessor: Tsitsi Gwatiringa
a) The Story
Sarah Witt is a young coloured girl who, after the death of her parents, moves to New York to study music. Before completing her studies, she is raped by her music college mentor. Years later, she discovers a shocking connection between her dead parents and the rapist – the connection is too close for comfort and forces her to find out more. The revelation of who her rapist is leads to the disappointing truth concerning who her real father is and the source of all the wealth that surrounds her. This book is about how the lies and dreaded family secrets finally come out in the open.
b) Genre
Prose – the novel is fiction in English
c) Title
The title is compatible with what is in the text. Sarah experiences one tragedy after another – her parents die; she is raped; her husband is murdered – but the tragedies lead her closer and closer to the disappointing truth of who she really is.
d) Plot
The storyline was excellently done, It has a linear plot punctuated by flashbacks. Sarudzai takes the reader back and forth as she narrates what happened in the past, leaving it for a while to talk about the present before giving another flashback and vice versa. The events of the story are arranged in a way that the reader is kept in suspense right from the very first page to the last – a very excellent piece of art! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
e) Setting
a modern setting based in England and New York as well as a pre-independence setting in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia).
f) Themes
The author entwined a number of themes, which include love, rape, the history of Zimbabwe, federal corruption, friendships, the demise of lies, deceit and family secrets, religion, entrepreneurship. Readers are encouraged to follow their dreams and advised that money cannot buy everything. But the greatest theme is that of truth …it always has a way of coming out!
g) Language
A very good command of English is evident throughout the text. Where Shona words have been used, an explanation comes forthwith. The language is generally simple and easy to follow but there are instances with wrong punctuations and spellings, for example “could’nt” instead of “couldn’t”; “breaks” instead of “brakes”. There is one incident where the assessor feels there was a mix up of names – page 314 should read Connie and not Charity.
h) Atmosphere
The atmosphere is mostly tense but varies with the situation being presented.
i) Tropes
Generally tropes have been used and they are evident throughout the text.
j) Diction
Sarudzai’s choice of words is easy to follow and understand.
k) Characterisation
Generally, characters are adequately developed to strike some meaningful identity. One can actually visualize characters such as Sarah, Uncle Peter and Tindo as the story progresses.
l) Target Audience
This novel is suitable for all levels of adult readership. As a set book, it is suitable for ‘O’ and ‘A’ level students as well as college level students.
m) Dialogue
There are very good exchanges evident in the text with descriptive expositions that allow readers to see the actions of the characters.
n) Ending
The ending is somewhat conclusive but still leaves the reader in suspense. As much as Sarah Witt has found out about her true identity and the past, one cant help but wonder if any dirty secret is still hidden somewhere…in Africa perhaps!
o) Recommendation
There is need for some copy editing to clean up the few punctuation errors. It is a thick volume but undoubtedly an excellent piece of art. The text can be streamlined by reducing the font size as well as reducing some information on certain chapters that do not necessarily affect the plot and themes under discussion, foe example, the details of Sarah’s lectures can be removed, what is important is to know what she was studying at the college. This novel was well thought out and would be of great relevance to Zimbabwean girls and boys. Literature lovers will fall in love with this text. I recommend it be considered for licensing to be published in Zimbabwe.
