Shiri Shungu

The narrator of this epistolary novel, and therefore its letter-writer, is nicknamed Shiri. Her full name is not known. Shiri is the eldest of five children. At the time in which she is writing, Shiri is married with two daughters named Joy and Zenzele. She is also, as it is revealed in the final chapters, sick, and therefore sees her letter to Zenzele as an opportunity to pass on her stories and life’s wisdom. The letter is also Shiri’s attempt to say goodbye to her daughter, Zenzele, as she heads off to college.

Shiri’s physical appearance is not often described as she is more associated with verbal expressions than physical acts. She notes that she has the same eyes as her daughter, though she notes that her own eyes are “detached” (4) and distant; she and her daughter also share “long, dark, and graceful” fingers...