Book Review: The Wish

What is someone supposed to do when their heart is leading them in one direction, while the rest of the world is leading them in another? The Wish, written by Mwamgwirani Mwakimatu is a beautifully written story that exposes the adverse effects of societal stigmas and gender roles within a culture. Mria, the protagonist of the novel, is an intelligent, loyal, and brave young girl who is fighting for her dream of becoming an engineer in a culture that believes such a career is unsuitable for a woman. The book also delves into the daily experience of Mria as a young teenage girl and attempts to outline what this perspective looks like—what pressures there are, the dynamic of relationships and friendships, and how one reacts to the cultural norms of peers and family among other things. These themes culminate in victorious fashion, as we see Mria fully embrace her true passion. Her decision is affirmed by the entire body of people bearing witness to it, but it also enables character growth in the form of her strict father’s reconsidered attitudes and values. Ultimately, this book serves as a unique commentary on the cultural expectations one might encounter within Tanzanian society while also providing hope and encouragement for the pursuit of any dream and the possibility of success through hard work and perseverance.

Throughout this semester we have examined studies regarding children’s literature and how it can serve a significant role in providing a voice for underrepresented communities. A lack of such novels contributes to cross-cultural discontinuity—or in other words, a disconnect and lack of empathy between certain subgroups of people. Even more troubling is the fact that this discontinuity could also lead to a lack of personal identity for particular subgroups of people. The Wish is an excellent illustration of children’s literature that provides a voice for and recognition to underrepresented communities of people. As we travel along through the story with Mria, we get a sneak peek into her life and culture. We listen to her teacher’s lectures in the classroom; we observe how her family operates; we engage in the gossip and drama of adolescence. All of these occurrences are subtle screenshots of what growing up in such a community might look like. For an outside observer, this might be something overlooked as “just a part of the plot”. But for readers who share such experiences, these anecdotal descriptions carry a significant amount of weight, potentially even having the authority to illicit or promote change in the reader’s life. It is when the reader can see herself in Mria’s image that she can actually begin considering what the novel is trying to tell her.

Mwakimatu uses this platform to make calls on the lives of her young readers. She addresses issues that arise in children’s lives as they begin to grow up—things such as puberty and the maturity of the body, relationships and sexual activity, education and the importance of dedication to one’s studies. Much of the book involves advice or admonition passed from the adult perspective to the youth in the story. For example, when Mria and Sipe confide in Subi about Sipe’s pregnancy scare, Subi takes advantage of the situation to warn the girls of the dangers of their actions saying,

“Feeling sorry won’t help, girls. It won’t help at all. Are you ready to be a mother? What if you have more to deal with than just pregnancy?” [Mwakimatu, 774].

This warning seems to be not just for the characters of the story, but almost a direct caution from Mwamgwirani to her readers. Since Mwamgwirani knows about what life growing up in such a community is like, she uses her experience to offer advice to the young population that might be going through similar circumstances.

The most compelling aspect of this book was Mria’s triumph over the societal limitations placed upon her according to her father’s understanding and perseverance in accomplishing her dreams. Mria’s father was extremely against her desire to become an engineer. His fear came mostly from understanding, but it was rooted in the preconception of what work was acceptable for a woman and what work wasn’t. Thankfully, Mria’s father, Baba, was able to reconsider his previous viewpoints after seeing his daughter masterfully describe the theory of relativity at a school presentation. Several things were important about this scene. Firstly, it illustrated that even though some might hold inappropriate beliefs, there are many out there who differ from these antiquated views. For instance, although her father still held the demeaning view that his daughter was not suited for such a field of work, Mria’s presentation on math and science received the utmost respect from the entire community in attendance including the Minister of Education. This goes to show that not all viewed her decision dream as an inappropriate one and could serve to encourage her to continue pursuing her passion. Secondly, it promotes the idea of change and communication. We are often subliminally influenced by the circumstances around us during our development. Undoubtedly, Baba experienced a similar phenomenon in holding firm on his stance about his daughter’s dreams. However, after some investigation and hearing his daughter speak, Baba’s view was revolutionized. He acknowledged the error in his judgement and did everything he could to support his daughter in her pursuit of becoming an engineer. This in itself is a valuable lesson on perseverance and dedication to a dream. Mria never gave up, even through tough circumstances. It is important to remember that a dream worth having is worth fighting for.

 

Bibliography

Mwakimatu, Mwamgwirani J. (2014). The Wish. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Mkuki na Nyota Ltd.