Importance of Phephelaphi and Fumbatha’s Room

The room that Phephelaphi and Fumbatha share in Makokobo Township is a symbol of perceived freedom and of withdrawal from the world. Initially, Phephelaphi believes that this space is a source of personal freedom, as she and Fumbatha are free to be themselves. However, over the course of the novel, they discover that they--and their relationship--remain subject to the larger social tensions of living as Africans in a racist Rhodesian society.