Zambezia (2001), XXVIII (ii).THE FLASH-BACK AND THE FLASH-FORWARDTECHNIQUES IN NDEBELE NOVELST. MATSHAKAYILE-NDLOVUDepartment of African Languages and Literature, University of ZimbabweAbstractThis article examines how Ndebele fiction employs the flash-back and flash-forward techniques. It observes that use of letters, old pictures and unplannedmeeting of old friends are the common tools of flash-back while dreams,omens and superstitions are used for flash-forward. It also evaluates theeffectiveness of these techniques by examining a number of Ndebele novelsand concludes by stating that it is important for the reader to have knowledgeof Ndebele culture in order to gain access to the meaning of the variousincidents communicated through those techniques.It is generally accepted that the effectiveness of a novel in communicatingits author's subject matter and theme depends on the literary techniquesthat the author uses. Writers select their literary techniques with thehope that the techniques will help to give life to their subject matter andcommunicate their theme to their readers effectively. This article examinesthe literary techniques of flash-back and flash-forward as they manifestthemselves in selected siNdebele novels. It discusses the various formsthese techniques take in siNdebele literature and evaluates theireffectiveness in communicating their author's subject matter and themes.The flash-back and flash-forward techniques have been discussedextensively by many critics and it will suffice here to refer to two definitionsof these techniques in order to place the subsequent discussion in itsproper perspective. The intention is not to elaborate on these techniquesand make new discoveries, but rather it is to focus on how these techniquesare used by siNdebele writers. The article will also evaluate the extent ofthe effectiveness of these techniques in their application in siNdebeleliterature.We can define flash-back as "an interruption in the continuity of astory by presentation of some earlier episode". Outside literature, "flash-back" may refer to a vivid memory of some past incident. The flash-backtechnique in novels is based on this idea of a vivid memory. The techniquefurther enables the writer to provide the reader or audience withbackground information that appears not to be part of the story that isbeing told, but is considered essential by the writer for the understandingof the meaning of the story.189190 FLASH-BACK AND FLASH-FORWARD TECHNIQUES IN NDEBELE NOVELSAccording to Richard Taylor,ff an episode from a distant and seemingly unrelated past is introducedas though it were happening in a present time (a time machine or flash-back so called), it is to give some relevant information as to characterformation or motive on the one hand or to focus attention towards aresulting pattern of ideas on the other hand.1Thus, the flash-back technique is used for specific purposes innarratives, one of which is to help readers appreciate events in theunfolding story in a more enlightened way because they have beensupplied with the relevant background information.Flash-forward, on the other hand, casts the readers' eyes into thefuture and provides brief glimpses into what is going to happen. Flash-forward is, thus, the opposite of flash-back and can be defined as aninterruption in the continuity of a story by presentation of some futureepisodes. As a literary technique, flash-forward, like flash-back, isintroduced to provide subtle hints to the reader on the outcome of eitherthe whole story or of an episode as a way of enhancing the reader'scuriosity and the story's suspense. The two techniques will now beexamined with respect to their use by Ndebele novelists.FLASH-BACKThe study discusses three common forms of flash-back found in manyNdebele novels. These are: (a) the use of an event to bring back vividinemories of past events, for example when one character mentions thename of an old friend: (b) the use of old pictures which remind a characterof the good old days and (c) the use of old letters that a character comesacross, which refer to a specific event or events in the past.The use of an event to trigger old memories is very popular withsome Ndebele novelists. For example, in her novel, Impilo Yinkinga,Makhalisa (1983) introduces her central character, Ngonyama, at a timewhen the character is experiencing serious conflicts with his wife over achild that Ngonyama had just brought home, after the child had beendumped by its father at the school where Ngonyama is headmaster.Ngonyama's wife, Mamsie, shows no respect to her husband and doesnot seem to appreciate what Ngonyama has done for the child. As aresult, Ngonyama finds it difficult to sleep that night and questions whyhe married such a woman. He muses:1 Richard Taylor (1981) Understanding the Elements of Literature (M.icmill.m Press), 50-51.T. MATSHAKAYILE-NDLOVU 191Kanti kwakutheni aze akhelhe kubi kangaka? Yamthalha ingqorulo yakheyamuthi qitlii kuloya mnyuku ka 1963, beqala ukwazana, oltwathi upheldnjalo sebelhethene. UMamsie ivayekade ebambele esikolo...2(But what led him to such a bad choice? His thoughts took him to theyear 1963 when he first met this woman, the meeting that resulted intheir marriage by the end of that year. Mamsie was standing in forsomeone at the school...)Through Ngonyama's reminiscences of the past, the reader is affordedthe opportunity to learn details about Mamsie's character and to evaluateNgonyama's own character and personality. Makhalisa uses the techniqueseveral times in the novel to provide background information concerningthe father of the abandoned child and the mother who had already diedbefore the story begins.Unfortunately, in tmpilo Yinkinga, Makhalisa uses only this one formof flash-back, running the risk of producing a monotonous narrative,especially since all the past episodes come through the mind of the samecharacter all the time, that of Ngonyama.In contrast, Makhalisa varies her narrative techniques in her earlierwork, Umendo. In this novel, we meet the central character, Gugu, as bothher husband and mother-in-law abuse her. Gugu is experiencing financialhardships because her town-based husband stopped sending her anymoney and food, while her mother-in-law is not convinced that her son isno longer sending money to his wife. Instead, she believes that herdaughter-in-law is deliberately hoarding the money and not sharing itwith her, hence the conflict between them.As a result, a fight nearly breaks out between them one evening. Thatnight, Gugu cannot sleep, worrying about her problems. She then decidesto pass the time by re-arranging things in her old suitcase. While she isdoing this, she comes across an envelope containing photographs, one ofwhich was of her school friend. As she looks at this picture, she says toherself:Ngabe lami ngangilobaba ofuna ngiphumelele, engathandi imali ngnbegingunesi njengoMusa.3(If I also had a father who wished me to succeed, who did not lovemoney, I would be a nurse like Musa).Thus, through Gugu's memories of her schooldays, triggered by herfriend's photograph, the reader begins to understand Gugu's past andwhy she never became a trained professional woman. Once the photo2 B. Makhalisa (1983) Impilo Yinkinga (Longman Zimbabwe. Harare). 173 Makhalisa (1977) (Jmendn (Mainbo Press, Gweln). 16.192 FLASH-BACK AND FLASH-FORWARD TECHNIQUES IN NDEBELE NOVELShas evoked Gugu's old memories, the whole past opens up and the readeris able to re-live her experiences through her consciousness and learns,for instance, that Gugu was, at one time, in love with Thulani, who wouldhave made a good husband for her. This technique demonstrates DavidLodge's observation that:Through time-shift, a narrative avoids presenting life as just one damnthing after another, and allows us to make connections of causality andirony between widely separated events. A shift of narrative focus backin time may change our Interpretation of something which happenedmuch later in the chronology of the story, but which we have alreadyexperienced as readers of the text.4As the story unfolds, the writer changes her technique and introducesa letter written by a former schoolmate as a mechanism for providingdetails about past events. In the letter, the friend refers to Thulani, thus,helping the reader to confirm that Gugu made a wrong decision in thepast by opting to marry Ndaba instead of Thulani. By this technique, thewriter helps the reader understand the origins of Gugu's presentpredicament. Thus, by varying her narrative technique, Makhalisasucceeds in creating interest and excitement in her story.Another Ndebele writer who uses this flash-back technique extensivelyis Hleza (1991) in his novel Uyangisinda Lumhlaba. In this novel, the maincharacter, Noliwe, is given a lift in a car driven by an old schoolmate,Dmgihzwe. Noliwe is greatly impressed by Dingilizwe's nice car and, inher exc.ted comments about the car, she reminds Dingilizwe about hisschool days' ambitions. As Dingilizwe explains that he still has thoseambitions, the writer brings in a time-shift and allows Noliwe's mind toslip back to their school days at Manama Secondary School, while theomniscient narrator says:Yasuka imicabango kaNoliwe yabuyela emuva.^(Noliwe's mind drifted back.)At that point, the writer takes the reader back many years throughNohwes memories. The writer achieves this through the use of anSSffC'eThnarrfr and by Permitti"8 Noliwe to speak in that pastcn?° f K S' rCader iS given an oPPortunity to assess the twocharacters by comparing and contrasting their present situation withwhat is revealed through the character's recollection of the past.that \ Z H ^ ftiVe Way °f giving necessary background informationthat a . eader needs to enjoy the story, provided, of course, the technique5 ETK^ r^ ^ ^ °rFiC"°n ^Ui" B°»^, ŽE. S. K. Hleza 0991) Uyangisinda Lumhlaba (Mambo Press, Gss, Gweru). 9.T. MATSHAKAYILE-NDLOVU 193is not used too often. Unfortunately, Hleza uses the same techniqueseveral times in the novel, providing all background information throughthe reflections of either Noliwe or her mother. Varying the technique, asMakhalisa does in Umendo, would have made the narrative moreinteresting.While it is easy to achieve flash-back in a third person narrativebecause the writer can easily shift focus from one character to another, itis not the same in the first person narrative. In this genre, the narratorhas no easy access into the past of all the characters in the story.Furthermore, there are times when some characters in the narrative willnot want their past to be known; yet, that information is vital to thereader if the reader is to interpret the story well. Such a situation is foundin Sibanda's (1982) novel, Kusempilweni. In this novel, the reader needsto know more about Florence's past in order to compare and contrast herwith Thembi, both of whom are in love with the same person, Paul; thenarrator of the story.The reader is already familiar with Thembi from the narrator, Thembi'sformer friend, and now lover. It is thus easy for the reader to make anassessment of Thembi's character from what the reader has seen andheard of her so far. Nevertheless, it is necessary that enough informationbe given to the reader about Paul's new lover, Florence. The writer hasalready tried to use one of the narrator's friends, Hakurotwi, but thistechnique was limited because the friend is not entirely objective, as heis also interested in Florence. Thus, the writer eventually resorts to whatmay be described as a well-conceived and rather artificial time-shift.Sibanda allows the narrator, Paul, to take an afternoon siesta whenhis girlfriend Florence goes back to work. While Paul is enjoying hissiesta, Florence returns to the house with a friend. As she looks at theapparently sleeping Paul, Florence remarks to her friend:Ulele, uphakathi kobuthongo. Angazi kumbe uphupha esekoBulawayo*(He is asleep; he is in a deep sleep. Maybe he is dreaming of being inBulawayo.)Thus, convinced that her boyfriend was fast asleep, Florence feelsfree to talk about anything with her friend. In their conversation, they talkabout their past as well as about their hopes for the future. This gives thereader the opportunity to know Florence's past, the backgroundinformation that the reader needs in order to interpret the story correctly.As has been demonstrated, the flash-back technique is employed bya number of Ndebele novelists and helps to provide information aboutc J. Sibanda (1982) Kusempilweni (Longman Zimbabwe, Harare), 78.194 FLASH-BACK AND FLASH-FORWARD TECHNIQUES IN NDEBELE NOVELScharacters in the novels which would, otherwise, not be available andwhich enables the reader to interpret developments in the storiescorrectly.FLASH-FORWARDAs already noted, Ndebele novelists also use the flash-forward technique.This study focuses on two forms of this technique. These are: (a) theflash-forward that uses dreams, and (b) the flash-forward that uses omensthat are based on Ndebele culture.Dreams that are used as part of the flash-forward technique in Ndebelenovels can be classified into two categories: first, dreams in which thecontents are so straightforward that any reader can interpret their meaningcorrectly and, second, dreams whose meaning is based on symbols inNdebele culture and which can only be fully understood by readers whoare familiar with the Ndebele belief system. For example, Ndebele peoplebelieve that a dream in which the dreamer dreams of eating meat, portendsthe arrival of bad news, namely, news of the death of a relative. Bothforms of dreams feature frequently in Ndebele novels to provide thereader with hints about what is about to happen and so heighten thereader's interest in the story. If handled properly, the flash-forwardtechnique based on dreams increases the suspense.In his novel USethi Ebukweni Bakhe, Sigogo (1962) uses dreams toheighten the reader's expectations of what might happen when Ndlovu,one of the main characters in the novel, visits his brother who works as alabourer at a neighbouring farm. The night before Ndlovu sets off on hisjourney, members of the family have strange dreams. The followingmorning, one of them, Senzeni, narrates her dream and is greeted withlaughter by the younger members of the family who find the dream funny.Their mother stops them at once and warns them that this is not a gooddream. She says:Libi iphupho leli. Kukliombani ukubona ithunzi elimnyamaetingaphetsheya komfula ongako libuye libonakale linguyililo? Kasiphuphokodwa leli.7(This is a bad dream. What does it mean to see a dark abject acrosssucli a big river and that object turns out to be your father? No, this isnot just a dream.)From her knowledge of the meaning of Ndebele symbols and analysisof the sequence of events in the dream, she is able to recognise that thedark object across the river that the daughter could not cross suggestsN. S. Siyogo (1962) Uwthi Ebukweni Bakfie (Mambo Press, Gwelo), f.O.T. MATSHAKAYILE-NDLOVU 195the world of the departed ones and that the dream is a warning of badthings to come. The mother's interpretation of the dream creates in thereader a sense of anticipation and suspense and heightens the reader'sneed to find out what happened to the character and how it happened. Inthe story, Ndlovu subsequently visits his brother, but during the visit,the brother poisons him and he dies in agony. Thus, it turns out that thisis what Senzeni's dream had portended.In the novel Umendo, the writer Makhalisa (1977) also uses a dreamwhose meaning depends on a close analysis of the events in the dreamand in the story as a whole. As already noted, the background to thedream is Gugu's quarrel with her mother-in-law over money. When Gugueventually falls asleep that night, she has a strange dream. She dreams ofcrossing a big river and, when she is in the middle of the river, she isattacked by crocodiles and tries to swim away from them. She then seesher husband and his friends standing on the banks of the river. When shecalls out to her husband for help, he laughs at her. Gugu struggles aloneuntil she sees someone else on the other side of the river who encouragesher to try harder and offers to assist her. She is, however, not able to seewho this person is, before she wakes up.As this suggestive dream appears early in the novel, the readerbecomes increasingly anxious to know whether there is going to be anylink between the dream and what happens to the relationship with thecentral character, and her husband. The story ends with the break-up ofthe marriage and the beginning of a very close relationship betweenGugu and former schoolmate, clearly, the helpful man in the dreamwhose face she could not identify.A similar approach is also used in Ndlovu's novel (1959), InhlamvuZaseNgodlweni.H One of the main characters, Mzoncliwa, has a strangedream in which he is surrounded by dangerous wild animals. When hismother finds him in this predicament, she cries and blames Mzondiwa'sfather for all her son's problems. When the animals hear her cry, theylaugh at her but, as they laugh, they are transformed into people. WhenMzondiwa wakes up, he is anxious to know what the dream means andseeks his friend's advice. The friend, equally, blames Mzondiwa's fatherfor not sending Mzondiwa to school.Mzondiwa's dream becomes important in stimulating the reader towant to discover the outcome of the story. Is Mzondiwa's life going toend? Are the hardships going to be transformed into joy? The story endswith Mzondiwa escaping from Rhodesia and vowing to return to fight thecolonial system. It thus ends on a hopeful note in which the reader is8 E. M. Ndlovu (1959) Inhlamvu ZaseNgadlwem (Shuter and Shooter, Pietermaritzburg), 8.196 FLASH-BACK AND FLASH-FORWARD TECHNIQUES IN NDEBELE NOVELSmade to feel that, perhaps, Mzondiwa will return better equipped to fightand triumph over the colonial regime. The dream can, thus, be seen as ahint of the joys that will come with Mzondiwa's victorious return.The second type of dream, namely that which requires anunderstanding of Ndebele beliefs, does not feature in many Ndebelenovels but some writers use it. An example is E. Hleza (1991) inUyungisinda Lumhlaba. As already noted, with this type of dream, it isimportant for the reader to have some knowledge of specific Ndebelebeliefs concerning the interpretation of dreams in order to understandits significance. In Hleza's novel, the story's main character wakes upearlier than usual one morning. The narrator explains the reason asfollows:Into eyayimenza abe ekhangele liphupho ayesanda kuliphupha.Wayephuphe inyama emanzi igcwele umkulu wangakibo?(He was awake so early because of the dream he had just dreamt. Hedreamt seeing a lot of fresh meat In his parents' kitchen.)In the Ndebele belief system, such a dream portends death. A readerwith this knowledge would then quickly anticipate that this character isgoing to receive bad news. Without the knowledge of the Ndebele beliefsystem, the dream may not appear significant. In the novel, the eventsanticipated by the dream unfold when the main character receives thenews that robbers had killed his father.The second type of flash-forward involves the use of omens. Thereare numerous omens that the Ndebele people use to interpret the variousaspects of their lives. A reader of a siNdebeie novel who has no knowledgeof these omens will fail to appreciate the significance of an event orsituation described. Sometimes, however, writers assist the reader whois not familiar with the culture to appreciate the significance of the omenby provid.ng clues through the narrator or character. A case in point isthe novel Umuzi Kawakhiwa Kanye, in which a character called Nsimbinas been proposing love to a certain girl. When they part company,Ns.mb! secretly observes what the girl is doing before she rejoins herfriends. In the narrator's words:Wayibona i.urna eduze kwesihlahla sogagu idonsa ugatsha oluncane.Ngemva kwalokho yaludabula phakathi Iwathi thwe Iwayofika ekucinenilungaqamukanga Iwathi ngqe esiqwini sesihlahla. Yasu'ka lapho intombiisigijima ithabile isisiyats/iela abanye ukuthi i.iibonile ngesihlahla ukuthiu:\simbL uqinisile ukuthi uthando Iwakhe aluyikuqamuka.109 Hlezu. Uyangisintla Lumhlaba, 28.10 P. M. Khumalo (1970) Vmmi Kawakhiwa Kanye (Longman Rhodesia. Salisbury), 29.T. MATSHAKAYILE-NDLOVU 197(He saw her stop near a thorn bush, which is known as "ugagu". Shepulled a tender branch and holding it with her two hands she pulled itapart carefully. The branch split into two halves right down to thebottom of the branch with neither side breaking. She was thrilled. Sheran to join the other girls and she told them that the behaviour of thebranch had shown her that Nsimbi was sincere in his proposition.)The narrator's comments above enable the reader to understandwhat this omen portends, making the reader keen to find out whether theforetold events will happen. In the novel, the love affair between Nsimbiand the girl referred to in the excerpt does grow and eventually leads tomarriage.In another episode in the same novel, a duiker crosses in front ofNsimbi on his way home and Nsimbi hesitates over whether he shouldproceed home because he knows what this omen portends. At this point,Nsimbi does not say what the encounter with the animal tells him aboutthe future. Thus, the writer leaves it to the reader who has the knowledgeof Ndebele culture to know what to expect. In this case, the flash-forwardis available mainly to those readers who know Ndebele beliefs in theseomens. This emphasises the importance of the link between literatureand culture. In some cases, therefore, for one to enjoy and fully understandthe literature of a people, it is important to have a thorough understandingof their culture and belief systems.With reference to the above example, it is important to note that theNdebele people believe that, when a duiker crosses the traveller's path, itis a warning of bad things ahead. In the example above, when Nsimbi gothome, he found his wife sleeping with another man.Hleza also uses this technique in Uyangisinda Lumhlaba in whichNdlovu's wife, MaNyathi, wakes up one morning and finds a black andwhite snake, called iLoyi, in her kitchen. When she reports this to herhusband, his response is that they will receive news of death. Indeed, bythe end of that day, death strikes in their family when their daughter, whohad arrived home that afternoon, is killed in crossfire when the SecurityForces engage in a shoot-out with dissidents. The omen of the Loyi snakeis fulfilled, although this happens in a manner that Ndlovu had notanticipated, for death strikes their daughter when they had been expectingnews of a relative's death, instead.Readers of siNdebele literature must, therefore, always examine howthe writers of siNdebele literature use various aspects of siNdebele cultureto present their subject matter and themes. Every aspect of culture thatis included in the story must be regarded as designed to convey a specificmeaning.In conclusion, it is important to highlight the fact that, althoughsiNdebele writers have adopted the technique of flash-back and flash-198 FLASH-BACK AND FLASH-FORWARD TECHNIQUES IN NDEBELE NOVELSforward from European literature, they have adapted the techniques tosuit the specific cultural forms of Ndebele society and have done so quiteeffectively, as has been demonstrated above.