[Nnu Ego’s] whole body felt the hazy mist in the air, and part of her felt herself brushing against the white master’s washing on the line. This made her whirl round with a jerk, like a puppet reaching the end of its string. She now faced the road, having decided to use her eyes, her front instead of her back.
-- Narration (1 )

Importance: This quote, taken from the novel's frantic first chapter, contains several key images, glimpsed almost in passing but still powerful. The reference to the washing of "the white master" clearly and vividly places Nnu Ego in a position of racially-defined servitude. The reference to the puppet on its string metaphorically evokes Nnu Ego's state of being in this moment. The reference to Nnu Ego facing the road in front of her foreshadows important elements of her journey of transformation over the remainder of the narrative - always looking...