This is a summary of the story drawing on the provided excerpts from "The Theory of Flight" published in 2018

by Penguin Random House South Africa. The book is written by Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu. The events of the story
take place around the life and death of Imogen ‘Genie’ Zula Nyoni.

The narrative unfolds across different parts titled Genealogy, History, The Present, Teleology, Epidemiology, and
Revelations, weaving together various timelines and perspectives to explore the complex factors culminating in
a pivotal event.

Part I: Genealogy / Genesis The story begins by detailing the origins of Genie and her family, starting with her
metaphorical birth as a golden egg. Her grandfather, Baines Tikiti (born Bafana Ndlelaphi), a moderately
educated black man in his time, was raised on the Ezulwini Estate. He became a travelling salesman and
changed his name to Baines Tikiti, feeling an affinity with explorers and seeing a 'ticket' as something that gave
one purpose for travel. He loved travel, sold goods throughout the colony, and broke many hearts. In the village
of Guqhuka, which would later become the Beauford Farm and Estate, he met Prudence Ngoma, a woman
who resisted his charm. They married and settled in Ezulwini, though Prudence never gave him her sixpence.
Baines' wanderlust led him to South Africa, where he became fascinated with aeroplanes, seeing them as the
future of travel. Prudence visited him and imagined a life there where they could fly away. Baines prepared a life
for them but ultimately rejected their son, Livingstone Stanley Tikiti (Genie's father), because of his "too-white
skin," sending Prudence and the child back to Ezulwini. Prudence returned to her birthplace, now the Beauford
Farm and Estate, pregnant with her second child, Minenhle. Prudence learned from her marriage that character
was more important than charm and raised her children to have character. Baines eventually walked into the
Indian Ocean and drowned, never curing his wanderlust.

Livingstone Stanley Tikiti, who became Golide Gumede, grew into a leader with character. He envisioned a
future of plenty ("fields of gold") for his people. His drawing of aeroplanes led to him being sent to the Soviet
Union to study aeronautical engineering, believing that after the war, people would need to know they were
capable of flight. He fought in the war. While on a mission in Victoria Falls, Golide met Elizabeth Nyoni, a
country-and-western singer. Their meeting was fateful for Golide. They spent hours together, laying a solid
foundation, promising to build a home on Beauford Farm and that Golide would take her to Nashville. Golide
realized his aeroplane studies were preparation for a future with Elizabeth. He envisioned building giant silver
wings.

Golide decided to shoot down a Vickers Viscount passenger aeroplane to teach people about flight before
independence. His commanders agreed, planning to use the civilians on board as prisoners. On September 3,
1978, near Victoria Falls, as he waited for the plane, Golide thought of Frederick Douglass's escape from
slavery. He witnessed a herd of elephants swim the Zambezi River. This profound moment gave him a sense of
his place in the world and the understanding that this knowledge allows one to fly. Golide launched his missile,
and in a vision, saw Elizabeth carrying a golden egg that hatched into a girl, Genie. The plane burst into golden
light.

Part II: History / Beauford The shooting down of the Vickers Viscount by Golide Gumede had repercussions,
leading to retribution focused on the Beauford Farm and Estate. This act linked Golide to Beatrice Beit-
Beauford, an heiress and survivor of the plane crash.

The Beauford Farm and Estate began as the village of Guqhuka. Bennington Beauford acquired the land, kept
the local Africans as labor, and developed the farm and compound. He married Rosemary Beit and had a
daughter, Beatrice. Beatrice inherited the estate and wealth at a young age. She became a liberal-minded
woman who supported African rights and turned the estate into a multiracial commune. Her best friend, Kuki
Sedgwick, was less defiant but admired Beatrice. Kuki married Emil Coetzee, head of The Organisation of
Domestic Affairs. Emil found evidence of interracial activity on the estate. When Beatrice had Coloured twin
sons, violating laws, she and her guests were evicted. Beatrice supported the African nationalists during the
war, leading Emil Coetzee to charge her with treason. Beatrice was travelling from Victoria Falls with her sons
when the Vickers Viscount was shot down. Her sons died, but Beatrice survived. Public sympathy led to the
treason charges being dropped. Emil Coetzee then sought Golide Gumede's execution.
Golide was elusive, leading Emil to use his best interrogator, Mordechai Gatiro (C10). Mordechai, a rough man
who became a spy, discovered Golide's sister, Minenhle Tikiti, lived on Beauford Farm. Minenhle was
interrogated by C10 but refused to betray her brother. Mordechai was impressed and found a new purpose in
Minenhle. He left The Organisation, changed his appearance, and, years later, took Minenhle away from
Beauford Farm in 1983.

The MacKenzie bus Minenhle took was the same one Thandi Hadebe took when she escaped the farm in 1974.
Thandi, beautiful and initially focused on her looks, was taught by Minenhle, who pushed her to have greater
ambition. Sojas entered Minenhle's class, forced the girls to strip, and Minenhle pointed to Thandi as the
prettiest. Thandi was paraded, ordered to jump into a pit latrine, and left to drown; she survived. Traumatized
and obsessed with cleanliness, Thandi desired a fresh start. Elizabeth Nyoni, arriving on the farm with a golden
egg (Genie), inspired Thandi with her self-confidence. Elizabeth suggested Thandi become a model in the city.
The idea of an unblemished life in the city led Thandi to leave Beauford Farm.

Thandi later returned to the farm once during the war to leave her son, Marcus Malcolm Martin, with her
parents, stating "America" as her reason for leaving him. Marcus grew up with his grandparents, seeking
belonging. He found it with Elizabeth Nyoni and her "golden egg" daughter, Genie. Marcus met Elizabeth and
Genie, and Elizabeth asked him to be Genie's friend if he promised not to become a politician but a real
revolutionary. He agreed, and they sealed the promise by shaking hands. Genie, then still communicating
mostly through sounds, reached for his hand. A strong wind made Marcus fear Genie would fly away, and he
had to let go. Their friendship blossomed, a balm after the war.

Marcus and Genie grew up on Beauford Farm, exploring the world around them. They discovered a field of
sunflowers and played there daily. One day, the sunflowers were felled, and the next day they were gone, deeply
upsetting Genie. Marcus found an abandoned car (Brown Car) nearby and visited it secretly. Genie discovered
Brown Car and joined him; they spent time inside, travelling to imagined places. They used a world atlas that
didn't include their independent country, learning about fluidity and possibilities. The rebirth of the sunflowers
taught them about life after death. One day, they witnessed strangers arrive at the field; a third, impossibly tall
man unfolded from the car. Genie ran to him and recognized him as her father, Golide Gumede. Elizabeth and
other residents arrived, celebrating Golide's return. Marcus felt a deep sense of belonging walking with
Elizabeth and Golide, with Genie on Golide's shoulders. This was their happiest day.

Years later, a flashy car brought Marcus's parents, Thandi and Dingani Masuku, back from America. Thandi
was eager to take Marcus away, overriding Elizabeth and Golide's concerns about Marcus and Genie's
attachment. Seeing his grandmother crying, Marcus realized his parents were taking him. He struggled, but his
mother got him into the car. Genie reached the car, but Elizabeth pulled her away, saying, "Let him go. You
have to let him go". Genie gave Marcus a look of "letting him go," a look Marcus remembered. In the car,
Marcus met his new sister, Krystle 'Chris' Masuku, held by his grandmother, Eunice Masuku. He felt their
beauty was dangerous.

Bhekithemba In 1988, Bhekithemba Nyathi drove to Beauford Farm. Earlier, in 1980, Bhekithemba attended
the independence ceremony. His grandfather, Cosmos Nyathi, a successful businessman, was proud of his
connection to British royalty, an inheritance for Bhekithemba. Bhekithemba initially opposed ending British rule
but felt nothing when the Union Jack came down. At the ceremony, he saw Bob Marley, who, after tear gas
cleared, looked at Bhekithemba and called him a "real revolutionary". This encounter filled Bhekithemba with
pride in his country and blackness, leading him to become a journalist for a state-run newspaper, a mouthpiece
for the state. He felt privileged by his connection to The Man Himself. He wrote award-winning articles
promoting an equal society but later faced censorship when he tried to expose corruption involving The Man
Himself. He learned his job was to report what he was told. Hearing rumors of systematic disappearances,
including his cousin, he chose to ignore it. The Man Himself assigned him to write about a "crazy man" on
Beauford Farm building giant wings to fly his love to Nashville, cultivating a "race of angels". Bhekithemba, who
didn't believe in romantic love, saw it as a story about the audacity to believe. He went to Beauford Farm and
met Genie in the sunflower field. Genie asked why he was there and who he was looking to inspire. He replied,
"Many people don’t believe that we can fly. Many people need to believe that we can fly". Genie led him to
her father, Golide Gumede, who, though "painfully white," possessed charisma. Golide told Bhekithemba his
theory of flight was inspired by watching elephants swim, teaching him that his own belief was needed for
others to believe.

Jestina In 1987, Jestina Nxumalo witnessed the aftermath of an attack on Beauford Farm. Residents silently
carried dead bodies to a disused well. Jestina found Genie hiding; Genie said she saw the sojas (soldiers) come
from the sunflower field, heard the sounds of violence (gunfire, screaming, burning flesh), and saw one soja
consider burning the sunflowers. Genie had run to the Hadebes' house and found Mr. and Mrs. Hadebe dead,
poisoned with rat poison. Jestina confessed she was forced to watch and participate. Jestina whispered that
the sojas played Don Williams while killing them. Residents arrived, and Genie falsely claimed the sojas killed
the Hadebes. An angry resident, blaming Golide Gumede for the attack (retribution for shooting down the
plane), demanded Jestina take Genie and leave Beauford Farm forever. Jestina agreed. Genie asked about her
parents; Jestina said they would find them. Genie asked if Marcus was "somewhere over the hills," and Jestina
said yes. Jestina and Genie carried the charred body of a victim to the well. They stopped at the Gumedes'
ransacked house, where Genie retrieved a packed suitcase, Penelope, and Specs from the ceiling. Genie
resolved to choose her own endings. Jestina and Genie left Beauford Farm, waiting for the MacKenzie bus.

Part III: The Present / Valentine In the present timeline, Valentine Tanaka, the Chief Registrar of The
Organisation, is in The Man Himself's opulent office. The Man Himself is physically diminished but still holds
power. He shows Valentine a "precious and beautiful something" found on the Beauford Farm and Estate. He
mentions war veterans illegally occupy the farm but Beatrice Beit-Beauford still holds the title deeds. He
implies Valentine should handle the situation.

Kuki Kuki Carmichael visits Beatrice Beit-Beauford at a retirement home. Beatrice has Alzheimer's. Kuki
reflects on Genie visiting Beatrice, noting their friendship despite age and race differences, due to shared
experiences like growing up on Beauford Farm, loving sunflowers, having hero fathers, and a defiant spirit.
Valentine Tanaka arrives to discuss the farm. Valentine explains The Organisation wants to evict the war
veterans and needs the title deeds from Beatrice. Beatrice reveals she sold the land to "The Survivors" for a
dollar.

Genie (brief note) Finding the precious object prompts Genie to plan actions, including sending things to
Marcus, Krystle, Minenhle, Mordechai, and taking Beatrice to a spa. She also plans to stop taking her
medication without Vida noticing.

Part IV: Teleology / Marcus Returning to 1988, Marcus, at age 11, arrives in the city with his parents. They visit
Mordechai Gatiro. Marcus sees Genie again, though her smile no longer reaches her eyes.

Eunice Eunice Masuku, Marcus's grandmother, felt Genie was bad news and didn't belong in their family. Her
son, Dingani, insisted Genie be welcomed, shifting the power dynamic in the family. Eunice divided the room
for Genie but felt five was not the perfect family number of four.

Krystle Krystle initially didn't want Genie, imagining herself as the princess from Beauford Farm. She expected
Genie to be an unfortunate princess but found her dark skin and kinky hair made her inferior, and instantly liked
her, deciding they would be best friends. They shared everything on Krystle's terms. Their friendship was
interrupted by Marcus, who insisted they play games where the girls were "bad guys". Krystle felt bullied, but
Genie didn't mind, saying Marcus needed to feel important. Krystle felt privileged to attend her own elaborate
four o'clock tea parties, reflecting the privilege she learned about at her school. Around age 10, Krystle
experienced a shift when Genie, at age 13, went to movies with a friend and returned changed. Genie became
focused on appearance and talking to friends, stopped attending tea parties, saying she no longer played with
dolls. Genie remained obsessed with Button Moon, which Krystle suspected was linked to "the time before" on
Beauford Farm. One day, waiting for their mother after school, Genie decided to go to their father's office to
watch Button Moon. She used the phrase "your father's office," highlighting she didn't call her adoptive parents
"mum" and "dad". They arrived at the office and heard their mother arguing loudly with their father about Emil
Coetzee ("The Man Himself") treating her as property, saying the house and lifestyle came at a price and her
husband had compromised her. Genie grabbed Krystle's hand and ran. Krystle followed, but as Genie ran back
across the street to her, Kuki Carmichael's car screeched to a stop, and Krystle saw Genie flying through the
air, "looking like something truly wondrous". Jesus caught Genie in his pushcart and took her to the clinic.
Krystle returned to the office, finding her parents acting as if nothing happened. She told them Genie flew but
Jesus saved her.

Kuki (revisiting the accident) Kuki Carmichael, watching Jesus on the street, saw Genie fly through the air,
feeling her life had led to this moment. Her life story involved being attracted to brave men like Emil Coetzee,
whom she married for her family name to help his career, not for love. Her only good thing from the marriage
was her son, Everleigh Coetzee, who was artistic and different. Everleigh was called to war, leading to
arguments with Emil. Kuki lacked the courage to intervene. Everleigh died in the war. Kuki divorced Emil and,
after a period of grief, found friendship with Todd Carmichael, whom she married. She struggled with images of
Everleigh and questioned her choices. She finally burned a photograph of Everleigh that didn't resemble the son
she knew. She envied Vida de Villiers' bravery in choosing not to carry on after Everleigh's death, living as a
vagabond. Kuki was watching Vida when she hit Genie with her car.

Vida Vida de Villiers's reason for being on the streets began when he fell in love with Everleigh Coetzee at 16. He
later fell in love with Everleigh's friend, Rosamond. Liking both boys and girls confused his identity. Everleigh
told him not to complicate it. Everleigh died in the war, Vida's parents died in a crash, and love ceased to exist;
anger replaced it. He joined the army hoping to die. In Tongaland, he numbed himself to pain with marijuana
and moringa. He was determined never to love again. On September 3, 1978, in Tongaland, he felt a sense of
wonder. He was confronted by Golide Gumede, who introduced himself and said, "You will remember me".
Golide had a gap-toothed smile that seemed familiar. After the war, Vida lived on the street, becoming known
as Jesus. Street life changed with the arrival of street kids in the 1990s, forming gangs like The Survivors led by
Goliath. This forced Vida to break his vow of non-interference. He intervened in conflicts and tried to save a
young girl from exploitation. He intervened willingly when he saw Genie fly through the air and caught her in
his pushcart. Genie recognized him as Jesus and commented on his "kind eyes". Seeing the gap in her teeth,
Vida remembered Golide and the sense of wonder; seeing Genie's blood on his quilt, his purpose became
saving her.

Timeline Shift: Later, after the accident, Genie found Vida on the street. She thanked him for saving her and
said she was there to save him. Her scent invaded him, making him uneasy. She was sitting on a suitcase with
Penelope and Specs. Mick, an American mercenary turned street dweller, joined them. Genie introduced
herself as Genie. Vida felt he had grown accustomed to her presence. He gave her his jacket; she said the
clothes in her suitcase no longer fit. Later, he found her leaning into a car window, suspected a pervert, and
pulled her away, punching the driver. He told her to go home, that she didn't belong on the streets. She replied,
"I am already home". Vida woke up next to her behind the bakery. He felt responsibility and fear. He felt their
lives were intertwined.

Vida was a private person despite a public existence on the streets. His secret was that he salvaged metal to
create larger-than-life sculptures of the street dwellers. This was a labor of love that gave his life meaning.
Genie joined him, having an eye for precious things. Vida casually shared his secret with her. Genie was
awestruck by his work, saying, "I knew it. I knew you were special. I knew it". He realized his creations could
have lives beyond him.

Timeline Shift: Later, while salvaging metal, Genie cut herself badly. She refused his help and told him her
story of sunflowers, sojas, saviours, and secrets. Vida said, "So, I didn’t save you at all". Remembering his
father's words, "There are many ways to be a man. Always remember that," which offered understanding,
Vida found the right way to respond. He wiped her tears and told her his own story, including meeting her father,
Golide. They accepted each other, finding liberation.

Genesis (House revisited) Vida took Genie to The House That Jack Built, inherited from his great-grandfather.
It was a weighty inheritance. He had decided not to live in it or sell it, feeling caught between disappointing his
grandfather (who loved the house) or his father (who left it). This changed with Genie. The house was old and
dusty but filled with history. They found a way to live in it, choosing separate rooms. The house and garden were
City treasures, maintained by Matilda and Stefanos. In 1995, The Man Himself criticized the City Council,
leaving maintenance to declining societies. Matilda and Stefanos stayed. Vida and Genie worked to restore the
house and garden, salvaging metal and welding. The house became a home. Vida explored his grandfather's
meager belongings, trying to understand him. Genie was curious about Vida's great-grandmother, Blue, Jakob's
Khoisan maid, whose absence was a haunting. Genie found baby-blue slippers and believed they belonged to
Blue.

Vida, Genie & Marcus Timeline Shift: Later, Vida and Genie were buying a mattress. Valentine Tanaka
entered the store with a woman; he recognized Genie as Golide's daughter and offered Vida friendship. They
drove with the mattress on the car. Marcus ambushed them. Vida stepped back, letting the moment unfold,
talking to Goliath, who was now friends with Vida because Genie was friends with him. Marcus told Genie he
was leaving for America and asked her to come with him, also telling her he loved her. Genie smiled, saying,
"You want to love me, but wanting to love me is not the same as loving me". Marcus asked if she had
forgiven him for letting go of her hand. Genie said, "There is nothing to forgive". She took his hands and said,
"My letting you go is my way of loving you".

Vida & Genie (Relationship) After being together, Genie said, "This beautiful thing is something that the
body needs". She asked Vida to promise never to speak of love, finding it freeing. Vida promised.

Vida (Later life, illness, death) Timeline Shift: Later, Vida lived with Genie in The House That Jack Built. Their
relationship was undefined, they were "just together". Genie's presence changed his life; he became
accustomed to her scent, laughter, and way of being. She encouraged him to show his Street Dwellers
sculptures to Beatrice Beit-Beauford, who bought them and donated them to the city. Vida received The Key to
the City. He became a famous artist, interpreted as "truly postcolonial". He created "The Theory of Flight: In
Three Movements," dedicated to Genie. It was called "post-postcolonial" and toured the world.

Timeline Shift: Later, things fell apart. The state became unstable, tourism stopped, sculptures were
vandalized. The Man Himself ordered the sculptures dismantled because Vida was "too white" for a
postcolonial artist; they were sold internationally. Vida went to Stockholm yearly; Genie stayed home, waiting
for his return.

Timeline Shift: Before Vida's 50th birthday, he returned from Stockholm. Matilda and Stefanos told him Genie
wasn't eating. Vida found Genie calm but diminished, looking at something in the corner. He felt her giving up
was a betrayal. Genie had survived past illnesses, and ARVs had given them more time. Genie said, "You need
to let me go". She was tired and wasn't taking her medication. She mentioned the war veterans at Beauford
Farm. Vida realized her decision was deliberate, made carelessly. He asked if she wanted to die; she calmly
said yes. She told him, "You cannot save me, Vida. Not this time. This time you have to be brave". Vida took
her to Mater Dei Hospital. Dr. Mambo found lesions and called the hospitalisation a blessing. Genie returned
home healthy a week later, acting as if nothing happened, which Vida initially couldn't forgive. Years passed,
and he forgave.

Timeline Shift: Vida's 57th birthday. Genie woke him, kissed him, said "Happy birthday, dear Vida". He told
her "I love you". Her eyes lost focus, she gave over to the feeling. Later, she whispered, "You remind me of
rivers I swam in a long time ago. You are home to me" and kissed his scar.

Part I (again): Epistemology / Genie Timeline Shift: Genie's final moments. In her mind, Genie was among
the sunflowers. She watched a bloodstain on her bedsheets spread like a map. She regretted staining Vida's
favorite mattress. She felt Marcus had taught her about absence, which is more steadfast than presence.
Memories flashed: playing war games with Sikhumbuzo, declaring "You have killed me. I am dead". Seeing her
parents vanish as silver wings. Seeing the sojas arrive at Beauford Farm, hearing and smelling the violence.
Seeing one soja stopped from burning the sunflowers. Opening her eyes in her room, the smell of burning flesh
lingering. She had prepared Vida's suit, shirt, shoes, and accessories. She wondered if she was a hybrid, rooted
but free to fly. She knew she had reached for and touched something, and that was enough. Falling into
darkness, she was back in the sunflower field with Marcus, seeing her father, Golide Gumede, unfold from a car
like a hero. She ran to him, knowing she was hatched from a golden egg, sharing his gap-toothed smile. On his
shoulders, she saw the sunflowers turn towards them. She saw her mother run towards them; she knew the
future had arrived. Sounds brought her back to the room; she heard Vida's footsteps. Vida. Finally. Home.
Vida (discovering Genie's death) Vida returned home and found the house dark. He found two glasses with
desiccated lemon wedges, filling him with fear. He found Genie in the bedroom, sleeping peacefully in her
blood. At the hospital, Dr. Mambo said there was nothing he could do. Vida saw Genie's blood on himself. At
home, he couldn't clean himself, feeling it was a betrayal. He saw his suit and other items laid out, realizing
Genie had prepared them. He found her packed suitcase with Penelope, Specs, and Blue's slippers. He knew
Genie chose to leave him and this end for herself. He found sunglasses in the bathroom that weren't theirs,
realizing Genie had let someone into their home. Feeling betrayed, he wore the funeral suit and left the house,
taking the sunglasses.

Jesus (Vida on streets again) Vida found himself back on the streets, feeling confused and unwell. A colourful
bird landed on his chest. Someone gave him a newspaper with the headline "JESUS BACK ON STREETS". The
article by Bhekithemba Nyathi misidentified him. Vida went to The Chronicle to correct the record. He told
Bhekithemba he was Coloured, not white, and back on the street because Imogen was in a coma and he
wouldn't go home without her. Bhekithemba knew about Imogen but said the story couldn't be printed as
HIV/AIDS was too common, they printed sensationalism instead of truth. Vida couldn't go home without her.
Bhekithemba mentioned breaking the Golide Gumede story and meeting Imogen. Vida said Golide saved his
life. Bhekithemba mistakenly said Vida married Golide's daughter.

Timeline Shift: Later, Vida went to Dingani Masuku's office (Galen House). He informed Dingani that Genie
was in a coma. Dingani, looking defeated, asked why. Vida felt he reminded him of a lion who had lost his pride.
Dingani said, "What did you do?" and "This is your fault. Your fault". Vida left.

Marcus (after coma news) Marcus received a broken phone call from his mother, learning Genie was in a
coma. He felt this was an ending. He thought of his fantasy of home with Genie, a sanctuary. He realized his
parents were taking him away from this life. His father called, urging him not to worry and not to tell Krystle.
Marcus noticed fear in his father's voice and told him, "If anything happens to Genie, it will be your fault". His
father agreed it was his fault. Marcus felt a terrifying loneliness and called Krystle.

Krystle (after coma news) Krystle ignored Marcus's calls. She found a bird hatchling outside her apartment.
She struggled with whether to intervene, thinking about mother birds rejecting babies touched by humans. She
reflected on accepting her own fate. She found a postcard from Genie about "the time of the swimming
elephants". The hatchling died. She took it to a vet, Xander Dangerfield, naming it Mr. Paganini. Xander seemed
interested in her. She heard Marcus's voicemail: "I need to go home. I need to be with her". She realized if
Marcus was the hero, she was the bad guy in this real story where Genie was in a coma.

Esme Esme felt excluded as the Masukus reunited due to Genie's coma. She remembered meeting Genie, who
was colorful, called herself Marcus and Krystle's "once-upon-a-time sister," and said her parents flew away,
which Esme believed. Esme was seduced by the Masukus' beauty but saw they were fragile, like a glass
menagerie. She packed a funeral suit for Marcus, knowing his family hadn't acknowledged Genie's death. She
knew if Genie died, Marcus would not return to her, as he sought Genie nightly in his sleep. Genie had once told
Esme, "My way of loving him was to let him go. Your way of loving him will be to keep him". Esme
understood she had Marcus during the day because he was with Genie at night.

Marcus & Krystle At the airport, Marcus and Krystle reunited. Krystle gave Marcus jacaranda flowers. They
discussed Marcus's T-shirt quote about travel and love. Krystle commented "Poor Esme," calling Marcus and
Esme's relationship unhealthy and co-dependent. Marcus denied having gone anywhere, though he was at the
airport to leave.

Marcus (arrival home) Marcus arrived at his family home, noting how it and the country had changed. His
family met them at the airport. His grandmother, Eunice, looked ill and paranoid, whispering, "They are plotting
to overthrow the government".

Krystle (at home) Krystle noted the house's decay and her parents' changes. Thandi explained the jacarandas
were cut due to roots damaging the house, but Krystle noted cracks were always there. Marcus stated the tree
house was in a jacaranda, not the flamboyant, expressing sadness. Krystle recited a poem about felled trees.
Krystle's bedroom was frozen in time, a monument to Genie's absence. Eunice, frail now, had once ripped up
the tape dividing the room and burned Genie's belongings, calling her ungrateful and a disappointment. The
family expected Genie to appear in the bedroom. Krystle traced the line left by the tape, realizing Genie's life
with them wasn't easy and they loved her imperfectly.

Vida (Genie's death) Timeline Shift: Seven days after finding Genie, Vida was at Mater Dei Hospital. Genie's
body was present, but he knew her presence was gone. Dr. Mambo confirmed there was nothing more to do.
Vida felt defeated by death. He understood the body was a threshold for something precious that could fly
away. He knew what he had to do.

Dr. Mambo Dr. Mambo reflected on Genie's defiance, from their first meeting when Genie, age 16, asked "How
long do I have?" after being diagnosed HIV-positive. Dr. Mambo offered hope in ARVs but also realistic
timelines without them. Imogen accepted a possible five years, saying it was enough to do something good. Dr.
Mambo saw Genie find love with Vida, seeing it as true defiance. Dr. Mambo had to tell Vida there was nothing
more they could do for Genie. Imogen's defiance later manifested as peaceful surrender to cervical cancer. Dr.
Mambo found Genie's hospital bed empty.

Valentine (Masukus visit) Timeline Shift: Later, the Masukus visited Valentine Tanaka's office, finding it
Dickensian. Valentine disliked them, finding them superficial. They asked for a form to declare their daughter
missing. Valentine checked records, which stated Imogen Zula Nyoni died on December 22, 1987, aged 9,
reported by Minenhle Tikiti. The record also stated she was kidnapped by Jestina Nxumalo in 1988. Valentine
noted the conflicting records and need for investigation, including their claim they adopted her in 1988. The
Masukus offered a bribe, which Valentine refused. He went to the National Art Gallery and saw Marcus buying
Vida's sculpture, "The Firebird," which was part of "The Theory of Flight". The old lady at the gallery described
Valentine as a "cripple" who wanted to touch something beautiful. Valentine reflected on his first case at The
Organisation, interrogating Imogen Zula Nyoni as a teenager suspected of shoplifting. Imogen was defiant,
telling him, "You cannot break me. You see, I know for certain that my parents were capable of flight".
Valentine realized who she was after looking up her parents, Golide Gumede and Elizabeth Nyoni.

Marcus (Minenhle's visit) Marcus and Thandi visited Minenhle, asking her to provide Genie's death certificate
to prove she didn't die in 1987. Mordechai arrived with a colourful bird. Minenhle and Mordechai agreed to help.
Thandi was angry, claiming Minenhle was untrustworthy and had already declared Genie dead to abandon her.
She claimed they didn't talk because Thandi had bought a flower shop Minenhle wanted. She also claimed
Minenhle and Mordechai falsely accused Marcus's parents of stealing Genie and bribing a judge. Marcus felt
lonely thinking of Genie growing up with Minenhle and Mordechai.

Valentine (Minenhle's visit) Minenhle visited Valentine Tanaka's office, reporting Genie's "un-death" from
1987. She stated Genie was not dead then but missing. She insisted Vida was not responsible for Genie's
current disappearance, knowing the Masukus wanted him to be. Valentine assured her no money had
exchanged hands. Valentine noted a resemblance between Minenhle and Imogen – something unbroken. He
heard Imogen's voice saying, "You cannot break me. You see, I know for certain that my parents were
capable of flight". He watched a colourful bird land on Minenhle's hand.

Valentine (Masukus' visit revisited) Valentine and Lawrence Tafara visited the Masukus' grand house.
Lawrence felt envy for the Masukus' seemingly effortless success. Lawrence called Valentine's problem having
a "heart of gold". Valentine informed the Masukus that Imogen Zula Nyoni's death certificate from 1987 was
received. He also stated a woman's body was found on Beauford Farm, claimed to be Imogen. Marcus and
Krystle insisted it was not Genie's body. Valentine stated The Organisation would investigate. Lawrence
introduced himself as Chief Superintendent. Thandi insisted it wasn't Genie's body. The grandmother had an
outburst, screaming, "They are plotting to overthrow the government". Dingani explained it was dementia.

Marcus (at home after Valentine's visit) At home, the Masukus discussed Valentine's news. Krystle joked
about her unwritten dissertation. Jestina called, having been told by Valentine that Genie's body was found and
she was HIV-positive. Marcus confirmed the body was found and Genie was HIV-positive. Jestina asked what
"they" did to Genie and said they had to answer for it, that "Their eyes are not for beauty to see". Marcus was
left wondering who "they" were. His family wouldn't look him in the eye. Thandi called Jestina theatrical. A
disturbance at the door felt like something dark entering the house, affecting everyone. Thandi retreated,
Dingani looked at his hands, and Krystle stated, "We all know who “they” are. We cannot pretend otherwise
any more," saying Genie couldn't be dead when so much was unforgiven. Marcus realized his family was
fragile. Dingani said, "It all began here, didn’t it? At this very table," referring to their end with Genie. He
reminisced about their happiness before. He asked Marcus if he loved him, recalling Marcus's disappointed
look the day they took him from Beauford. Dingani confessed, "what happened on the Beauford Farm and
Estate in 1987. I was responsible".

Dingani Dingani believed the 1987 deaths were linked to his father's imprisonment in 1965. His father,
Mbongeni Masuku, was emotionally abusive and refused to provide for his family, suspecting Dingani wasn't his
child. His wife, Eunice, a former prostitute, plotted revenge. She waited until the yellow Formica table was paid
for, where she and Dingani were not allowed to eat. Dingani, age 9, didn't know his family was different. One
day, his mother dressed in a blue-violet flowered dress and took him to a suburban house. She spoke to Madam
Agnes and Mr. Emil Coetzee, telling Emil that her husband was plotting treason and she wanted him charged.
She showed him a reward notice. She said her son wanted to be a doctor and she was doing this to ensure he
became one. Emil said he'd see what could be done. Dingani's father was arrested, imprisoned, and died.
Eunice burned her maid uniform and went to nursing school. Dingani resolved never to disappoint her. Eunice
declared 1965 the year they became respectable, advising against politics. Dingani excelled and became a
doctor. He fell in love with Thandi Hadebe at a band performance in 1974. Thandi became pregnant, and they
decided to leave the baby with her parents while Dingani studied in America. They returned to the newly
independent country, saved Marcus, and entered high society. Dingani bought Emil Coetzee's mansion. Dingani
struggled with his lack of political passion compared to his friends. On his veranda, he spoke about Golide
Gumede building an aeroplane, calling him a visionary and real revolutionary. His friends were awestruck,
looking at him with respect. Dingani exaggerated, saying Golide practically raised Marcus and described Golide
as tall, lanky, and an albino. The next day, The Organisation took Dingani to The Tower. The Man Himself asked
why Golide was building an aeroplane. Dingani, after repeated questioning, said Golide planned to overthrow
the government. The Man Himself said, "You have not disappointed me". Weeks later, news came of the
deaths on Beauford Farm. Dingani adopted Imogen. He received monthly cheques from The Man Himself for
"services rendered," covered in blue-violet flowers, which he hid. The cheques and Genie the land "Fair and
square" from Beatrice, not land-grabbed. He said Genie was the reason they settled there, talking about the
sunflowers. He explained they bought the land with money from tourists taking pictures with Vida's Street
Dweller sculpture. The Masukus, Beatrice, Kuki, and others arrived. Other Survivors emerged. Goliath asked
about Genie; Valentine said they were told she was there. Vida said they were told a body was found. Goliath
said war veterans were always harvesting bones and claimed to find a fresh body in the sunflower field.
Valentine said they needed to see the body. Goliath led them past dilapidated houses, noting the old residents
were gone, possibly due to war veterans or HIV/AIDS. Jestina suspected the sojas brought HIV/AIDS in 1987.
They arrived at a cold-storage unit with neatly arranged skeletons categorized by coins found on bodies
(marking different eras of death, including HIV/AIDS). They were led to the body of Imogen Zula Nyoni. The war
veterans recognized her as Golide Gumede's daughter and said her feet were burrowed in the soil. Jestina said
she chose her own ending. Kuki denied it was Genie's body, claiming Genie was her friend.

As dusk fell, they prepared to leave with Genie's body. Marcus looked at the compound, realizing he wouldn't
have had much of a life if his parents hadn't taken him. He thought of Genie's world atlas with her handprint,
realizing he held onto something she had let go. A boy gave Marcus a photo of young Marcus and Genie in
Brown Car, found in the ceiling. Jestina took the photo, saying they would remember but never truly know what
happened.

Genie Genie, with the survivors as witnesses, chose this moment to fly away on a giant pair of silver wings,
leaving her heart to calcify into a precious something. She experienced love as the release of because power is
delicate, and a man like him doesn't let a man like Golide build an aeroplane. Valentine explained he helped
Genie because she lived a life that mattered, she was precious and deserved to choose her ending. Valentine
showed The Man Himself a calcified heart (the precious something), stating Genie made eighteen, and noting
The Man Himself had at least one more, asking what he did to Golide and Elizabeth. The Man Himself wouldn't
answer. Valentine stated Beauford Farm belonged to The Survivors, who would decide about the precious
somethings. Valentine left, understanding The Man Himself perfectly.
Part III (again): The Present / The Real Revolutionaries City life continued. An undertaker, Mr. Mendelsohn,
discussed his business boom due to HIV/AIDS and the loss of respect for death. As Genie's hearse passed, Vida
saw David, an educated street dweller, stop and place his hat over his heart. Vida stopped the hearse and went
to David, who had a newspaper with the headline "IMOGEN ZULA NYONI FLIES AWAY". David said, "I am sorry
for your loss". David joined Vida in the hearse. At the cemetery, Vida retrieved Genie's suitcase from the coffin
and gave David the sunglasses he found.

Marcus watched Genie's burial, wondering if she ever belonged to them. He saw his family looking bereft since
Dingani's confession. Esme took him to the group. They witnessed a herd of elephants swim the Zambezi. This
reminded them of the wonder, the knowing, and the knowledge that allows one to fly. An aeroplane flew
overhead, silver wings flashing in the golden sky.
Extra Details:
Drawing on the sources provided, here is a discussion of some significant symbols and themes found within
the narrative of "The Theory of Flight."

The story employs several powerful symbols to explore its themes, often intertwining them with the motif of
flight and the characters' journeys.

Individual Symbols and Their Significance

• The Swimming Elephants: The elephants swimming across the Zambezi River are profoundly
significant as they are the catalyst for Golide Gumede's "theory of flight". This act of seemingly
impossible navigation across a mighty river is described as a "rite of passage made sacred by its sheer
audacity", symbolizing the possibility of achieving the improbable. For Golide, witnessing the lead
elephant see the other bank and the others follow after its successful passage reveals that the belief in
capability is key. This moment provides a profound "knowing," an "awareness of his place in the world"
that is both humbling ("but a speck") and liberating ("that that was enough"). This knowledge is explicitly
linked to the ability to fly ("It is the kind of knowledge that allows you to fly"). Later, Genie recounts this
story to Marcus, finding his wonder. For Marcus, listening to the story of the swimming elephants under
a jacaranda tree becomes the backdrop for his realization of love for Genie, seeing her as the most
beautiful thing. The elephants swimming are revisited at the very end of the narrative, witnessed by
many characters, reaffirming their symbolism of audacious possibility and profound, quieting
knowledge that allows for flight. They contribute to the story's motif by showing how moments of
observed natural wonder can unlock deep understanding and inspire belief in capability, linking the
physical world to the potential for transcendence and freedom.

• The Sunflowers: The sunflower field is a recurring image, representing beauty, resilience, and cyclical
life. First introduced as a distraction for young Marcus and Genie from their quest to reach the distant
hills, the field becomes a place of immense joy and connection for them. Genie particularly loves the
sunflowers, singing and telling stories to them. Their sudden felling is a devastating loss for Genie,
marking her first experience of deep grief. However, the sunflowers are later reborn, showing that "after
death there is life again, that things that perish will rise again, that after every ending there is another
beginning". Genie feels a profound connection to them, describing herself as like a sunflower "reaching
for the sky" with a "brown face that was turned up towards the sun", rooting herself among them. The
field is also a place where significant events occur, such as Golide's return being revealed to Genie and
the discovery of Genie's body at the story's end. They symbolize not just natural cycles but also the
resilience of life and beauty despite destruction, providing a sense of belonging and sanctuary for
Genie. Their recurring presence contributes to the motif of life persisting through trauma and finding
beauty and connection in the natural world.

• The Giant Pair of Silver Wings: These wings represent the aspiration for flight, capability, and the
power of collective belief. Golide first envisions building them as a symbol of his promise to take
Elizabeth to Nashville, reflecting his love and ambitious vision. Later, inspired by the swimming
elephants, Golide shifts his purpose: he decides to build the wings specifically to make "people
understand that they were still capable of flight" at no cost to themselves, believing that if people saw
him build them, they would believe they could fly. The wings become a focal point for his "race of
angels," his followers who believe in flight. Mentioned in the prologue as the means by which Genie flies
away at her death, they appear again in Genie's memory of her parents becoming these wings and
vanishing into the sky. Vida creates a sculpture named "The Theory of Flight" which includes pieces
symbolizing flight, culminating in "The Firebird". The wings symbolize the potential for human capability
and transcendence that is not bound by conventional limitations or the state's control. They are central
to the story's motif of flight, representing both a literal (failed) engineering project and a powerful
symbol of belief, freedom, and ultimate spiritual ascent.
• The House That Jack Built: This historical house, built by Vida's eccentric great-grandfather,
symbolizes complex history, inheritance, and the creation of a new home out of challenging
circumstances. The house itself is incongruous, built into a hillside, combining nature and culture. Its
history is marked by the racial laws of the time, preventing Vida's black family members from living
there as anything other than servants despite being born there. Bequeathed to Vida, it becomes a
"weighty inheritance" and a "definite embarrassment of riches", burdened by history and past choices.
When Vida and Genie move in, the house is old, faded, and full of remnants of a bygone era, needing
much work. However, through their labor and shared life, it transforms from a historical structure into "a
home", a place of refuge and connection for Vida and Genie. It symbolizes the possibility of reclaiming
and redefining a space burdened by a difficult past, making it one's own despite the complexities of its
history and the weight of inheritance. It contributes to the motif of finding belonging and creating
sanctuary amidst the disruptions of history and personal trauma.

• The Most Precious and Beautiful Somethings: These objects are introduced mysteriously in the
prologue as the state Genie's heart transforms into at the moment of her death. Later, The Man Himself
finds one at the Beauford Farm and Estate, revealing their existence beyond Genie. Valentine Tanaka,
intrigued, eventually learns that these are the calcified hearts of Golide Gumede's followers, those
who "believed and followed" him and died on December 22, 1987. Genie's heart becoming one signifies
her profound connection to this group and their shared belief. The objects represent the inner value,
enduring spirit, and transformative power of belief, even in the face of death and state violence. They
are described with awe and wonder, possessing a beauty that mesmerizes. Valentine believes Genie's
life mattered and that she was "a precious and beautiful something", connecting the objects directly to
her inherent worth. They contribute to the motif by highlighting the enduring impact of belief and the
transformation of the physical body into something of immense value and significance, a testament to
a life that mattered.

• The World Atlas: This old, physically inadequate atlas (published in 1965, lacking the independent
country's name) symbolizes the power of imagination and the fluid nature of the world and identity.
Borrowed from Marcus's grandfather, it becomes a tool for Marcus and Genie to travel "to the places
contained within their imaginations" from within Brown Car. It presents them with "more possibilities as
well as more challenges" because their own country is unnamed, forcing them to imagine its place in
the world. This experience teaches them that "the world had a fluidity to it, even if they did not as yet
understand their place in it". Genie later sends this atlas to Marcus, and he keeps it safely, representing
their enduring connection despite physical distance and the Masuku family's attempts to erase the
past. The atlas contributes to the motif by showcasing the power of imagination to transcend physical
limitations and political realities, allowing for exploration, connection, and a nuanced understanding of
a changing world, even when one's place in it is uncertain.

• Brown Car: This abandoned Morris Mini Minor becomes a sanctuary and a vessel for imaginative
travel for young Marcus and Genie. Discovered by Marcus, it becomes his "new love". Located in the
barren field after the sunflowers are first felled, it offers a different kind of refuge. Within its carcass,
Marcus and Genie spend hours journeying to distant places like China, Egypt, England, the Soviet
Union, and America – all reimagined through the lens of their compound life and borrowed knowledge.
It is a private space for their friendship and shared world of imagination. It symbolizes finding
unexpected sanctuary, the power of imagination to create possibilities, and the strength of their
bond. It contributes to the motif by illustrating how imagination can offer escape and create meaning in
difficult circumstances, transforming a physical space into a world of infinite possibility through shared
experience.

• Colour and the Colourful Bird: Colour is frequently associated with vibrancy, life, and uniqueness.
Elizabeth Nyoni is consistently described in colourful terms, her clothes like "all the colours of the
rainbow", making her a "singular thing" who presents Thandi with "many possibilities". Genie inherits
this association, dressed in colourful clothes, appearing as a "flash of colourful light", and later, her
sculpted representation is a "flash of colourful light" and "dance of colour". The "flame lily," the national
 flower, is also described as colourful and beautiful. The colourful bird appears at key moments –
landing on Vida, held by Mordechai and Genie, sent by Genie to Minenhle and Mordechai, and
appearing on the streets. One bird is explicitly mentioned as having a "broken wing on the mend",
suggesting healing or resilience. Colour and the colourful bird symbolize life, vitality, individuality,
hope, and connection, often appearing unexpectedly in desolate or difficult places. They contribute to
the motif by representing the persistence of life and spirit, and the possibility of unexpected beauty and
connection in a world marked by hardship.

• The Golden Egg: This symbol marks the extraordinary beginning and preciousness of Genie's life.
Elizabeth Nyoni discovers the "shiny golden egg" after spending the night with Golide Gumede, realizing
in that moment her fate is sealed with him. She carries Genie, calling her a "golden egg," for the first five
years of her life, until Genie "hatched" on September 3, 1978. Golide has a vision of Elizabeth dropping
a golden egg from which a girl emerges. This origin story, believed by Elizabeth and confirmed by
Genie's gap teeth, underscores Genie's unique and precious nature. The golden egg symbolizes Genie's
magical or special beginning, her inherent preciousness, and the potential she holds. It
contributes to the motif by establishing Genie as a wondrous and extraordinary being from her
inception, setting the tone for the remarkable events surrounding her life and death.

Symbols as a Whole:

Collectively, these symbols reinforce the story's exploration of resilience, imagination, and the search for
meaning and belonging in a postcolonial landscape marked by trauma, loss, and complex histories. Many
symbols represent transformations – the golden egg hatching, sunflowers returning after being felled, Brown
Car becoming a vessel for travel, hearts calcifying into precious stones, the house becoming a home. They
suggest that even amidst destruction and hardship, beauty, connection, and the potential for transcendence
persist. The motif of flight, represented by the wings, swimming elephants, and Genie herself, becomes a
central theme, not merely as physical escape, but as a metaphor for achieving profound self-belief, freedom,
and rising above difficult realities. The symbols demonstrate how individuals can find strength, hope, and
purpose by drawing on imagination, belief, connection, and the enduring cycles of life, often in unexpected
places and forms.

Theme, Mood, Tone, and Other Significant Aspects

The story is deeply rooted in the themes of history, memory, and the complex aftermath of war and
colonialism. It examines how political violence and state control impact individual lives and communities. The
difficulty of reconciling personal identity with historical events is a major undercurrent. The story also explores
family dynamics, different forms of love and connection, and the search for belonging. The reality of living
with HIV/AIDS in a time when ARVs were not readily available is a significant aspect of the narrative.
Bureaucracy and the state's pervasive, often arbitrary, control over citizens' lives are constantly highlighted
through characters like Emil Coetzee, The Man Himself, and Valentine Tanaka.

The mood of the story is varied, shifting from moments of wonder and magic in childhood memories and
descriptions of beauty to periods of deep tragedy, trauma, and despair when recounting the violence of war,
the impact of betrayal, or the realities of illness and death. There is also a tone of resilience and defiance
embodied by characters like Prudence, Genie, Vida, and Jestina, and moments of unexpected warmth,
humour, and tenderness arise amidst the hardship.

Other significant aspects include the novel's multi-perspectival narrative structure and its use of different
linguistic registers to reflect the diverse characters and their experiences. The exploration of subjectivity and
objective truth is woven throughout, particularly in contrasting accounts of events or perceptions of
characters (e.g., Bhekithemba's initial view of the state vs. his later realization, or the Masukus' perception of
Genie vs. Jestina's). The importance of stories, imagination, and personal narratives in shaping identity and
understanding the world is consistently emphasized.

The Motif of the Poem:

The motif of the poem, specifically drawing on Gerard Manley Hopkins' "Binsey Poplars" as quoted by Krystle,
highlights the theme of destruction and its irreversible impact, particularly on the natural world and,
metaphorically, on the "growing green" of a nation or individuals. The lines "O if we but knew what we do. When
we delve or hew – Hack and rack the growing green!" lament the often-unconscious harm inflicted, suggesting
that the destruction of natural beauty and potential is a form of violence against the "tender" and "slender"
country itself. This connects directly to the unrealized dreams of the postcolonial state, a country that,
despite achieving independence, suffers from corruption, violence, and a failure to provide a sense of
belonging for all its citizens. The state's actions, from the violence of the sojas to the suffocating bureaucracy
and arbitrary control of figures like The Man Himself, are a form of "hacking and racking" the potential of the
nation and its people, much like the felling of the jacaranda trees that were destroying the house foundation,
but ultimately were also a source of beauty and memory.

However, the motif of the poem is contrasted with the overarching motif of flight. Flight in this story is not
merely physical escape but represents hope, inspiration, unwavering self-belief, and transcendence. It is
tied to light, symbolizing that these qualities are "seemingly invincible and unending – not confined by the
state’s attempt to control the narrative of the past, present and future." Genie herself, associated with light
("flash of colourful light", radiant, luminescent), literally embodies this at her death by flying away on silver
wings. Golide's vision of flight is born from a moment of illumination and profound knowledge ("It is the kind of
knowledge that finally quiets you. It is the kind of knowledge that allows you to fly"), a belief he fosters in others.
Valentine Tanaka is inspired by Golide's story of flight, finding that it makes "all things... possible" for "someone
like him". Even in death, Genie's heart becomes a "precious and beautiful something", representing an enduring
inner value that transcends the limitations of her physical life and the hardships she endured.

Thus, flight offers the reader an alternative to the unrealized dreams of the postcolonial state. While the
state "hacks and racks" and attempts to control narratives and possibilities through bureaucracy and violence,
the individual capacity for belief, imagination (as in Brown Car travel), profound knowledge (from witnessing
nature), and inner resilience allows for a different kind of revolution – a revolution of spirit and self-definition. It
allows the reader to see the possibility of, and have, the same self-belief that Golide and Genie foster. Golide's
statement that "people would need to know that they were capable of flight" after independence highlights this
belief as crucial for the new nation. Genie's defiance, noted by Dr. Mambo, and her ability to face hardship with
a smile are manifestations of this inner capability. By presenting flight as a form of liberation tied to internal
states like belief and understanding, the narrative provides a powerful counterpoint to the external failures and
destructions depicted in the postcolonial setting, suggesting that true freedom and possibility reside within the
individual spirit, capable of rising above even the most devastating circumstances.

Drawing on the information from the provided sources, here is a response addressing your query about the
author's background and potential influences, followed by character analyses.

Based solely on the provided excerpts, Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu is the author of "The Theory of Flight". Published
in 2018, this appears to be her first edition, first printing. The book is dedicated in beloved memory of Sibongile
Frieda Ndlovu. In the acknowledgements, the author expresses gratitude to her first family, including Njabulo,
Ntokozo, Nicholas, Thembekile, and Sibongile, for welcoming her and for allowing her to spend hours in
sunflower and maize fields with her imagination. This suggests a connection between her childhood
experiences in such fields and elements within the novel, particularly the prominent role of the sunflower field
in Genie's story.

The author also thanks her grandparents, Sibabi Charles Ndlovu and Kearabiloe Mokoena-Ndlovu. Her
grandmother, Gogo, is thanked for weaving absorbing stories and creating wondrous worlds. This mirrors the
importance of storytelling and imagination within the novel, such as the stories told around the compound fire
or the imaginative journeys Marcus and Genie take in Brown Car. Her grandfather, Khulu, taught her how to treat
people who leave scars on the body. This could potentially relate to the portrayal of characters who have
experienced trauma or caused harm, such as Mordechai (C10) or Jestina Nxumalo, and how others, like
Minenhle or Vida, respond to them.
The author's mother, Sarah Nokuthula Ndhlovu, is thanked for being brave, for allowing her to be, for buying a
scrapbook (saving walls), for supporting a Creative Writing major, and for being the epitome of formidable
grace. The support for creative pursuits and themes of bravery and formidable grace echo through the
characters' journeys and actions within the narrative, such as Genie's defiance, Prudence's character, or
Golide's purpose. The dedication and acknowledgements suggest that personal history and family
relationships, as well as experiences in the physical landscape (fields) and exposure to storytelling and lessons
on character and dealing with difficult experiences, may have influenced the writing of this story.

Here is a character analysis of individuals mentioned in the provided text, explaining their role, significance,
and relation to Genie:

• Imogen 'Genie' Zula Nyoni:

o Who she is: The central character of the story, around whose life and death the events unfold.
She is the daughter of Golide Gumede and Elizabeth Nyoni, born from a golden egg. She is
adopted by Thandi and Dingani Masuku and is Krystle Masuku's adoptive sister and Marcus
Masuku's friend. Later becomes Vida de Villiers' partner. She has a distinctive gap between her
front teeth.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Genie's life and death are the subject of the narrative. Her
existence is presented as wondrous and symbolic, hatching from a golden egg and flying away
at death. Her story is a culmination of various family histories and societal events. She
represents themes of resilience, defiance, beauty, and the possibility of flight/transcendence.
Her relationships with other characters, particularly Marcus, Vida, and her adoptive family, drive
significant plot points and reveal their personalities and histories. Her contraction of HIV/AIDS
and eventual death/transfiguration are key events. She leaves behind a physical manifestation
of her heart, described as a precious and beautiful something.

o Relation back to Genie: As the main character, all other characters' stories and actions are, in
some way, presented in relation to or impacting her life, death, or the events surrounding them.
She is the axis around which the narrative turns.

• Baines Tikiti:

o Who he is: Genie's paternal grandfather, father of Golide Gumede. Born Bafana Ndlelaphi. An
enterprising, moderately educated black man with a love for travel.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Baines's wanderlust and his decision to change his name to

reflect his desire for journeys shape his life story. His brief union with Prudence and his rejection
of his son Golide due to his appearance are foundational elements in Golide's story and
understanding of flight. His inability to overcome his desire for travel ultimately leads to his
symbolic end in the ocean. His story is listed as one of the many histories culminating in Genie's
fate.

o Relation to Genie: He is her grandfather, whose life story of wanderlust and fractured family
relationships indirectly contributes to the complex family history and themes of belonging and
displacement that shape Genie's life.

• Prudence Ngoma:

o Who she is: Genie's paternal grandmother, mother of Golide and Minenhle. Lived in Guqhuka
(later Beauford Farm).

o Role/Influence/Significance: Prudence is portrayed as a woman of character who challenges

Baines and learns the essential lesson that character is more important than charm. She raises
her children, including Golide and Minenhle, to be strong and proud. Her experience with
Baines, including his return to her only to reject their son, shapes her understanding of love and
 leads her to return his money, contributing to his end. Her story about learning to build
character is presented as a significant part of the history leading to Genie's story.

o Relation to Genie: She is her grandmother, who instilled values of character in her children,
influencing Golide's development and indirectly shaping Genie's upbringing through her aunt
Minenhle.

• Golide Gumede:

o Who he is: Genie's father, son of Baines and Prudence. Born Livingstone Stanley Tikiti. Freedom
fighter/terrorist, studied aeronautical engineering. Partner of Elizabeth Nyoni.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Golide's transformation from Livingstone Stanley Tikiti to Golide

Gumede, driven by his vision for his people, sets the stage for his role in the war and his
significant act of shooting down the Vickers Viscount. This act makes him both a hero and a
villain and directly connects him to the Beauford Farm and Beatrice Beit-Beauford. His belief in
the capability of flight and his vision of building giant silver wings for Elizabeth become central
symbolic elements, culminating in Genie's final act. His return home is a moment of great
celebration. He is pursued by The Organisation. His story of shooting down an aeroplane and
creating angels is explicitly linked to Genie's story.

o Relation to Genie: He is her father, whose visionary beliefs about flight, actions in the war, and
symbolic golden egg vision are directly linked to Genie's miraculous birth and her ability to "fly
away" at the end of the story. He is a source of pride for Genie, and his meeting with Vida in the
elephant grass field is remembered by Vida when he meets Genie.

• Elizabeth Nyoni:

o Who she is: Genie's mother, partner of Golide Gumede. Country-and-western singer.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Elizabeth is a vibrant, confident character who captures Golide's

attention and changes his life. Her dream of going to Nashville and Golide's promise to take her
are a key motivation for his vision of giant silver wings. She carries Genie as a golden egg and her
arrival on the Beauford Farm draws Thandi Hadebe to her, initiating events that lead to Thandi's
departure. She is presented as someone who marches to her own drum. Along with Golide, she
is presumed to have "flown away". Her story of sealing her fate with the turn of her ankle is part
of Genie's story.

o Relation to Genie: She is her mother, whose unique personality, golden egg origin story for
Genie, and implied "flying away" parallel Genie's own miraculous entry and exit from life. She is
also Genie's adoptive mother, who worried about her and was a source of fascination and
belonging for young Marcus.

• Minenhle Tikiti:

o Who she is: Golide Gumede's sister, Genie's aunt. Domestic Science teacher. Later partner of
Mordechai Gatiro.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Raised with character by Prudence, Minenhle pushes Thandi to

have ambition. She is present during the traumatic event when the sojas come to her class and
Thandi is taken. She endures torture by Mordechai (C10) without betraying Golide, leading to
Mordechai's transformation and dedication to her. She is the person who reports Genie "dead"
in 1987 but later comes to The Organisation to declare her "un-dead" to help the Masukus. She
is portrayed as having an unbroken, precious quality and is associated with a colourful bird.

o Relation to Genie: She is Genie's aunt and later partner of Mordechai Gatiro, who plays a role in
Genie's life by reporting her initial "death" and later helping address this bureaucratic anomaly.
She is a link to Genie's paternal family history and a witness to events that shaped characters
like Thandi. Genie sends her a colourful bird.
• Bennington Beauford:

o Who he is: Settler farmer and original owner of the Beauford Farm and Estate.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Bennington acquired the land of Guqhuka and transformed it

into the Beauford Farm, establishing a system of labor and building infrastructure. His decision
not to resettle the African residents created the community that becomes central to the story.
He made the farm a major economic force. His ideas about the farm are part of the origin story
of the conflict and connections that later involve Golide and Beatrice.

o Relation to Genie: He is the founder of the place where many of the key events of Genie's life
and her family's history unfold. The Beauford Farm is essentially a character itself, and
Bennington is its originator.

• Beatrice Beit-Beauford:

o Who she is: Heiress of the Beauford Farm and Estate, daughter of Bennington. Survivor of the
Vickers Viscount plane crash. Kuki Sedgwick's best friend. Later suffers from Alzheimer's.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Beatrice inherited immense wealth and the Beauford Farm. Her
liberal ideas and decision to turn the estate into a multiracial commune challenged the status
quo and led to her eviction. Her public support for African nationalists and financial
contributions led to treason charges. Surviving Golide Gumede's plane crash connects her
directly to him and the events that follow. Despite her illness, she remains connected to the
farm and friends like Kuki and Genie. She sells the Beauford Farm to The Survivors. She
encourages and buys Vida's sculptures, enabling his success.

o Relation to Genie: Beatrice's life story, marked by her connection to the Beauford Farm, her
political views, her survival of the plane crash caused by Genie's father, and her later friendship
with Genie, weaves her deeply into the narrative's fabric. Her friendship with Genie is noted for
overcoming age and race differences. Beatrice loves sunflowers, a symbol shared with Genie.
She is a key figure in Genie's later life, visited at the retirement home. She attends Genie's
burial/final ceremony.

• Kuki Sedgwick (later Coetzee, Carmichael):

o Who she is: Beatrice Beit-Beauford's best friend. Married to Emil Coetzee, later Todd
Carmichael. Mother of Everleigh Coetzee.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Kuki represents a contrast to Beatrice's defiance; she is not

brave but lives vicariously through her friend. Her marriage to Emil Coetzee is based on status
rather than love and is troubled. The tragic death of her son, Everleigh, in the war profoundly
impacts her, leading to a period of grief and later finding companionship with Todd Carmichael.
She is involved in the incident where Genie is hit by her car. She regularly visits Beatrice at the
retirement home [161ff].

o Relation to Genie: Kuki is linked to Genie through her close friendship with Beatrice Beit-
Beauford and through the car accident that sends Genie "flying" and into Vida's path. Her grief
over her son Everleigh is contrasted with Vida's response to loss. Kuki attends Genie's
burial/final ceremony, questioning her friendship with Genie.

• Emil Coetzee:

o Who he is: Kuki's husband and head of The Organisation of Domestic Affairs. Father of Everleigh
Coetzee. Emil Coetzee is described as brave but a "popinjay and a buffoon" by Beatrice.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Emil is driven by ambition and uses his marriage to Kuki to

advance his career in establishing a state intelligence unit. He actively pursues Beatrice Beit-
Beauford for her political activities and financial support of nationalists. When Golide Gumede
 proves elusive, Emil turns to Mordechai (C10) for help, linking Mordechai to Minenhle. He is
portrayed as lacking empathy, especially towards his artistic son Everleigh. His suicide marks
the end of his direct influence but his actions within The Organisation and his role in Dingani
Masuku's life [606, 587ff] have lasting effects. He is the predecessor to The Man Himself.

o Relation to Genie: Emil is linked to Genie through his persecution of her father, Golide, and his
role in connecting Mordechai (who tortures Genie's aunt Minenhle) to Golide's family. His
actions also indirectly set the stage for Dingani Masuku's involvement with The Man Himself
[614ff] and his later financial connection to Genie. He is the owner of the mansion later bought
by Dingani.

• Mordechai Gatiro (also known as C10):

o Who he is: An operative of The Organisation of Domestic Affairs, appointed by Emil Coetzee.
Later becomes Minenhle Tikiti's partner. Known as C10 within the Organisation.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Mordechai is a product of a rough environment, described as

angry and without allegiances initially. He becomes The Organisation's best interrogator. His
torture of Minenhle Tikiti unexpectedly leads to his own transformation; he finds a new purpose
and allegiance in Minenhle. This leads him to leave The Organisation and dedicate his life to her,
becoming her partner. He is portrayed as a gentle man to Minenhle. He rescues a colourful bird
and nurses its wing.

o Relation to Genie: Mordechai is linked to Genie through his relationship with her aunt,
Minenhle. His brutal interrogation of Minenhle and subsequent dedication to her are part of
Minenhle's story, which ties back to Genie's family history and the events at Beauford Farm. He
travels with Minenhle to Beauford to assist the Masukus and attends Genie's burial/final
ceremony.

• Thandi Hadebe (later Masuku):

o Who she is: A resident of the Beauford Farm and Estate, daughter of the school caretaker.
Mother of Marcus and Krystle, wife of Dingani Masuku, and Genie's adoptive mother.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Thandi's life on the Beauford Farm is marked by her beauty and a
traumatic event involving the sojas and the pit latrine. This trauma leads her to seek a fresh start
in the city, encouraged by Elizabeth Nyoni. In the city, she meets and falls in love with Dingani
Masuku. Their relationship and his medical studies in America are central to their life path. She
leaves baby Marcus with her parents on Beauford Farm during the war. Later, she and Dingani
return to save Marcus. She struggles with the changes in her family, particularly Marcus being
taken away and Genie's transformation. She lives overseas (Belgium) later. She is part of the
Masuku family unit that gathers due to Genie's coma.

o Relation to Genie: Thandi is Genie's adoptive mother. Her experiences on Beauford Farm, her
encounter with Genie's mother Elizabeth, and her subsequent life with Dingani and their
children, Marcus and Krystle, form the adoptive family structure that Genie becomes a part of.
She is present when Marcus is taken away [94ff] and when Genie is discovered to be HIV-
positive. She attends Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• Marcus Masuku:

o Who he is: Thandi and Dingani's son, Genie's friend from Beauford Farm. Later, Esme's
husband.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Marcus grows up on Beauford Farm, cared for by his

grandparents. He finds a sense of belonging through his friendship with Genie. Their shared
childhood adventures on the farm, in the sunflower field, and in Brown Car are formative. He is
dramatically taken away from the farm by his parents [94ff], a separation that profoundly
 impacts both him and Genie. He struggles with his parents' actions and the reality of his new
life. He discovers Genie is HIV-positive and has a complex reaction. He declares his love for
Genie. As an adult, he lives overseas, is successful, and married to Esme. Genie's coma brings
him back home. He realizes the complex history and secrets within his family. He holds onto the
memory of the Beauford Farm and his connection to Genie.

o Relation to Genie: Marcus is Genie's closest childhood friend from Beauford Farm. Their bond
is deep, formed through shared experiences and imaginative play [67ff]. His forced departure
from the farm and from Genie [94ff] is a defining moment for both of them, symbolizing loss and
separation. Their later interactions, including his declaration of love and his reaction to her
illness, highlight the enduring significance of their relationship. He feels his family's end with
Genie began at the table when her HIV status was revealed. He receives a final gift from Genie
(the world atlas). He attends Genie's burial/final ceremony and leads the procession to Victoria
Falls.

• Jestina Nxumalo:

o Who she is: A resident of the Beauford Farm and Estate. Cared for Genie after the events of
1987 [139ff]. Later lives in Australia. Known as MaNxumalo to Marcus.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Jestina is a witness to the everyday life on Beauford Farm,

including Elizabeth's arrival and interaction with Marcus [58ff]. She endures the horrific events
of 1987, is forced to participate in the poisoning of the Hadebes, and survives hiding with Genie.
She is ordered to leave the compound with Genie. She leads Genie away from the farm,
symbolically carrying the charred body to the well. As an adult living overseas, she is informed
of Genie's death and returns, seeking answers and believing "they" must be held accountable.
She reflects on the unknowable nature of what truly happened at Beauford.

o Relation to Genie: Jestina is a key figure in Genie's life, acting as a protector and companion
during the traumatic events of 1987 and leading her away from the Beauford Farm. She is a
witness to Genie's early life and the horrors she experienced. Her return and quest for
accountability connect the past atrocities to the present narrative about Genie's death. She
attends Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• Dingani Masuku:

o Who he is: Thandi's husband, Marcus and Krystle's father, Genie's adoptive father. Son of
Eunice Masuku. Studied medicine in the USA. Becomes a doctor. Buys Emil Coetzee's mansion.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Dingani's childhood is shaped by his parents' complex and

secretive life, particularly his mother's betrayal of his father to Emil Coetzee [575ff]. He strives
to never disappoint his mother. He meets and marries Thandi. His decision to return to Africa to
"save" Marcus and later to adopt Genie is driven by a mix of duty, opportunity, and perhaps a
need for absolution. He becomes involved with The Man Himself regarding Golide Gumede
[614ff], and later receives payments linked to the Beauford events. He takes responsibility for
what happened at Beauford in 1987. He is depicted as struggling with the past and the
consequences of his actions and choices, especially regarding Genie.

o Relation to Genie: Dingani is Genie's adoptive father. His life story, intertwined with political
and family secrets, leads him to adopt Genie. His actions and choices, particularly confessing
to The Man Himself about Golide, contribute to the violence at Beauford, making him feel
responsible for events impacting Genie. He insists on Genie being welcomed into the family and
is present when she is diagnosed with HIV. His struggles and regrets about his relationship with
Genie are a significant part of his character arc [571ff]. He attends Genie's burial/final
ceremony.

• Krystle 'Chris' Masuku:

 o Who she is: Thandi and Dingani's daughter, Genie's adoptive sister.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Krystle grows up alongside Genie in the Masuku household

[182ff]. Their initial bond is one of best friends and sisters. Krystle is initially jealous of Genie but
quickly accepts her. She is deeply affected by Genie's transformation at puberty and the shift in
their friendship. She witnesses Genie being hit by Kuki Carmichael's car and later discovers
Genie is HIV-positive. She struggles with guilt and the family's silence surrounding these events.
She feels Genie's time with them was marked by the family's imperfect love. She is working on a
dissertation about belonging. Genie's coma and death bring her back home. She finds a sense
of connection through an injured bird, naming it Mr Paganini [414ff, 422]. She confronts the
secrets within her family.

o Relation to Genie: Krystle is Genie's adoptive sister and childhood best friend. Their
relationship is central to Krystle's development, particularly her struggles with guilt and her
understanding of her family's dynamics. She is linked to Genie through shared childhood
experiences and the traumatic events she witnessed. She receives a final message from Genie
via a postcard. She attends Genie's burial/final ceremony and recognizes Xander Dangerfield at
the Victoria Falls ceremony.

• Eunice Masuku:

o Who she is: Dingani's mother, Marcus and Krystle's grandmother. Mbongeni Masuku's wife.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Eunice's life is marked by hardship and a desperate desire for

respectability and upward mobility, stemming from her past as a prostitute and her abusive
marriage. She betrays her husband to Emil Coetzee to ensure her son Dingani's future. She
instills in Dingani the belief that politics is dangerous and they must strive for a respectable life,
which he follows. She is initially wary of Genie entering the family and later reacts with fury
when Genie leaves, destroying her belongings and calling her ungrateful. In her old age, she
suffers from dementia and paranoia, sometimes expressing her fear of political plots.

o Relation to Genie: Eunice is Genie's adoptive grandmother. Her complex history and desire for
respectability influence the Masuku family's dynamics and their initial hesitation and later
possessiveness regarding Genie. Her actions when Genie leaves highlight the family's reaction
to perceived betrayal. She is present for key family events, including Genie's HIV diagnosis. She
attends Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• Bhekithemba Nyathi:

o Who he is: Journalist working for The Chronicle. Grandson of Cosmos Nyathi.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Bhekithemba's journey from being proud of his family's British

connection to becoming a journalist inspired by Bob Marley and national pride reflects the
changing political landscape. He initially believes in the potential for honest journalism but
becomes disillusioned by state control and censorship. He is assigned the story of Golide
Gumede and his "race of angels". He interviews Golide and encounters Genie. He writes a
sensationalized article about Vida's return to the streets, explaining to Vida the realities of state-
controlled media. He broke the original Golide Gumede story.

o Relation to Genie: Bhekithemba is linked to Genie through his reporting on her father, Golide,
which contributes to the public narrative around the events at Beauford Farm. His encounter
with young Genie in the sunflower field is memorable. He later writes about Vida's return and
knows about Genie's coma. He gives Minenhle and Mordechai a ride to Beauford and attends
Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• Cosmos Nyathi:

o Who he is: Bhekithemba's grandfather. Successful businessman.

 o Role/Influence/Significance: Cosmos is presented as an example of a successful African
entrepreneur under colonial rule. His pride in shaking hands with British royalty and his
businesses are passed down as an inheritance to his family.

o Relation to Genie: Cosmos's story influences his grandson Bhekithemba, who goes on to
report on Golide Gumede, a figure central to Genie's life.

• The Man Himself:

o Who he is: The current head of The Organisation. Successor to Emil Coetzee.

o Role/Influence/Significance: The Man Himself represents state power and control. He

dictates what can and cannot be reported. He is involved in the events at Beauford Farm, finding
the precious something (Genie's heart) and later wanting to evict the war veterans. He questions
Dingani about Golide Gumede's plane and sends Dingani payments. He is involved in promoting
Vida de Villiers initially but later orders his sculptures dismantled. He believes in power and
control above all else.

o Relation to Genie: The Man Himself is linked to Genie through his involvement in events that
impacted her life and family, including the violence at Beauford Farm and his connection to her
father's story. He is presented as a figure of authority who sees Genie's life as something that
mattered, even as he is involved in the system that caused harm. He finds Genie's calcified
heart.

• Valentine Tanaka:

o Who he is: Chief Registrar of The Organisation. Described as a hunchback who is certifiably
ugly but good at his job.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Valentine embodies the bureaucratic, and at times cruel, nature

of The Organisation. He takes pride in doing his job well, focusing on facts and procedure. He
encounters many characters through his work, including the Masukus when they try to report
Genie missing [486ff] and Minenhle when she reports Genie "un-dead" [539ff]. His first case
was involving Imogen Zula Nyoni as a teenager. He is intrigued by Genie's defiance and her
belief in her parents' capability of flight. He later helps facilitate Genie's final wishes. He
possesses one or more of the precious somethings (calcified hearts). He represents integrity
within the system, refusing bribes. He is called "heart of gold" by Lawrence Tafara but identifies
with doing his job well. He orchestrates the journey to Beauford Farm to confirm Genie's death
[622ff].

o Relation to Genie: Valentine is linked to Genie through his role in The Organisation and his
interactions with her family and associates regarding her status [486ff, 539ff]. His first case
involved Genie. He is moved by Genie's defiance and the significance of her life. He comes to
possess her calcified heart and helps fulfill her final wishes, demonstrating a deep, if
unconventional, connection to her.

• Vida de Villiers (also known as Jesus):

o Who he is: Street dweller, later Genie's partner. Known as Jesus on the streets.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Vida's life is shaped by personal tragedies and losses, including

his first love Everleigh Coetzee, his parents, and experiences in the war. He chooses a life
detached from society, seeking peace and attempting to avoid love and connection. He
becomes known as Jesus due to his appearance. He develops a unique form of art, welding
scrap metal into sculptures of the street community. His life changes when he catches Genie as
she is hit by a car. Genie seeks him out and becomes his partner. Their relationship is deep but
unspoken, characterized by a lack of explicit declarations of love but a profound connection.
 Genie encourages his art, leading to his recognition. He struggles with Genie's illness [335,
346ff] and her decision to give up. He is devastated by her death.

o Relation to Genie: Vida is Genie's partner and a central figure in her adult life. He literally saves
her life from a car accident. Genie seeks him out, and their unconventional partnership
becomes a source of stability and meaning for both of them. He encourages her artistic talent
and is deeply affected by her illness and death [346ff, 462]. Their relationship, though complex
and marked by unspoken affection and eventual loss, is a core narrative thread. Genie says he
reminds her of home.

• David:

o Who he is: Educated street dweller. Becomes a street dweller after being unable to go to
Harvard. Known for reading The Chronicle and doing puzzles.

o Role/Influence/Significance: David represents a different kind of casualty of circumstance, his

brilliance lost to poverty. He becomes estranged from the world. He is involved in a conflict with
Goliath, which Vida intervenes in. He is part of the street community depicted in Vida's
sculptures. He is present at Genie's burial/final ceremony.

o Relation to Genie: David is linked to Genie through the street community where she lives with
Vida. He is one of the individuals depicted in Vida's sculptures, connecting him to Vida's art,
which Genie encouraged. He acknowledges Genie's death at her burial.

• Goliath:

o Who he is: Street kid and gang leader of The Survivors.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Goliath represents the harsher, less principled new generation of

street dwellers. He leads a gang involved in various criminal activities. He fights with David,
resulting in Vida's intervention and injury. Later, as an adult, he is living on the Beauford Farm
with The Survivors, having bought the land from Beatrice. He remembers Vida (Jesus) and
speaks of Genie's influence on his decision to settle on the farm. His group profits from tourists
taking pictures with Vida's sculptures.

o Relation to Genie: Goliath is linked to Genie through the street community she joins with Vida.
His conflict with David and Vida's injury connect him to Vida's past trauma. As an adult, he is
influenced by Genie's description of the Beauford Farm sunflowers, leading him and The
Survivors to settle there. He is present when the body claimed to be Genie is found and attends
Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• The Survivors:

o Who they are: Goliath's gang of street kids.

o Role/Influence/Significance: They represent the challenging and often violent environment of

the streets after the war. They clash with the older generation of street dwellers. They are
depicted in Vida's sculptures. They eventually buy the Beauford Farm from Beatrice and are
living there when the final events unfold. They profit from tourists photographing Vida's
sculptures.

o Relation to Genie: The Survivors are linked to Genie through the street community she joins
with Vida. They represent the harsh reality of life that Vida protects her from. They are the
ultimate recipients of the Beauford Farm land, a place central to Genie's life story. They attend
Genie's burial/final ceremony. They are given the responsibility for the precious somethings.

• Matilda:

o Who she is: Housekeeper of The House That Jack Built, inherited by Vida.
 o Role/Influence/Significance: Matilda, along with Stefanos, maintains The House That Jack
Built despite changing circumstances. She helps Vida and Genie make the house a home. She
is present at the house and notices when Genie becomes gravely ill.

o Relation to Genie: Matilda is linked to Genie through their shared home at The House That Jack
Built. She provides domestic support and is a witness to Genie's life and illness there. She
attends Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• Stefanos:

o Who he is: Gardener at The House That Jack Built.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Stefanos, along with Matilda, maintains The House That Jack
Built. He helps Vida and Genie make the house a home. He is present at the house and notices
when Genie becomes gravely ill. He helps prepare Vida's suit for Genie's funeral.

o Relation to Genie: Stefanos is linked to Genie through their shared home at The House That
Jack Built. He helps maintain the environment that becomes their home and witnesses Genie's
illness. He attends Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• Dr Prisca Mambo:

o Who she is: Genie's doctor.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Dr Mambo is the medical professional who diagnoses Genie with

HIV/AIDS and cares for her throughout her illness. She is struck by Genie's defiance and her
ability to find love and meaning despite her condition. She witnesses the depth of the
relationship between Genie and Vida. She informs Vida of Genie's condition and death.

o Relation to Genie: Dr Mambo is Genie's healthcare provider, crucial to narrating the

progression of Genie's illness and her approach to facing it [463ff, 472]. Her perspective
highlights Genie's unique character and her impact on others, particularly Vida. She attends
Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• Esme Masuku:

o Who she is: Marcus' wife.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Esme is Marcus's wife in his adult life overseas. She is initially
excluded from the Masuku family's grief and gathering around Genie's coma. She is aware of the
deep, unspoken connection Marcus still has with Genie, particularly in his dreams. She
prepares for Marcus's potential departure if Genie dies, ultimately deciding to let him go if
necessary. She sees the Masuku family as fragile.

o Relation to Genie: Esme's primary relation to Genie is through her marriage to Marcus. Her
character highlights the enduring nature of Marcus's bond with Genie and the impact it has on
his later relationships. She represents the "home" Marcus has built away from Beauford and
Genie, and struggles with the possibility that his deepest belonging is tied to Genie. She attends
Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• Xander Dangerfield:

o Who he is: Vet at an animal rescue shelter.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Xander encounters Krystle Masuku when she brings him an

injured hatchling. He is portrayed as tall and initially unsmiling but capable of a dazzling smile
and flirtation.

o Relation to Genie: Xander's link to Genie is through Krystle. He receives Genie's final message
to Krystle ("swimming elephants") via the postcard used to carry the hatchling. He appears at
 the Victoria Falls ceremony at the end, connecting to Genie's message. His presence in Krystle's
life is significant to her journey of reconciling feelings. He attends Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• The War Veterans:

o Who they are: Current occupiers of the Beauford Farm and Estate.

o Role/Influence/Significance: The war veterans illegally occupy the Beauford Farm, displacing
previous residents. They are portrayed as struggling in the post-war environment. They are
responsible for excavating and neatly arranging the bones and skeletons found on the farm.
They find the body believed to be Genie's in the sunflower field.

o Relation to Genie: The war veterans are linked to Genie through the Beauford Farm, the site of
her birth and many significant childhood events. They are the ones who discover her body in the
sunflower field and are present at the final gathering there. They represent the complex and
often unsettling reality of the post-war landscape. They attend Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• Mr Mendelsohn:

o Who he is: Undertaker.

o Role/Influence/Significance: Mr Mendelsohn represents the business of death, which has

tragically flourished due to war and disease like HIV/AIDS. He provides a commentary on the
changing societal norms around death and respect.

o Relation to Genie: Mr Mendelsohn is the undertaker responsible for handling Genie's body and
transporting her coffin. His presence signifies the reality of death in a story filled with elements
of transcendence. He attends Genie's burial/final ceremony.

• Other characters mentioned:

o Mr Chalmers: Gentleman farmer on Ezulwini Estate. Taught Bafana (Baines) to read and write.
Relation to Genie: Taught her grandfather, providing him with skills that initiated his journey.

o The Greek travelling salesman: Baines's employer who traveled the country selling goods.
Relation to Genie: Enabled her grandfather's travels, which shaped his character and
subsequent life path.

o David Livingstone, Thomas Baines, Henry Morton Stanley: Explorers whose journals Baines
read. Relation to Genie: Inspired her grandfather's name change and desire for exploration, a
key aspect of his story.

o Mr MacKenzie: Owner of MacKenzie General Goods Store who employed and later bequeathed
businesses to Cosmos Nyathi. Relation to Genie: His businesses are mentioned frequently
(buses, bioscope) and form part of the historical backdrop, linking to characters like
Bhekithemba.

o Prince Charles: Member of the British Royal Family present at the independence ceremony.
Relation to Genie: Represents the colonial power structure changing hands, a historical
context that influences characters like Bhekithemba and is part of the national story Genie
inhabits.

o Bob Marley: Dreadlocked man who inspired Bhekithemba at the independence ceremony.
Relation to Genie: Represents revolutionary spirit and charisma, contrasting with symbols of
colonial power; inspired Bhekithemba, whose reporting later intersects with Genie's father.

o Frederick Douglass: Historical figure of liberation thought of by Golide before shooting the
plane. Relation to Genie: A historical reference point used by her father, linking his actions to
broader themes of freedom.
o Rosemary Beit: Wife of Bennington Beauford and mother of Beatrice. Relation to Genie: Her
death enabled Beatrice's inheritance of Beauford Farm, a key location in Genie's life.

o Everleigh Coetzee: Kuki and Emil Coetzee's son. Vida's first love. Died in the war. Relation to
Genie: His death and relationship with Vida are central to Vida's story, shaping the person Vida
becomes and his approach to love and life, which directly impacts his relationship with Genie.

o Rosamond Pierce: Everleigh's friend, whom Vida also loved. Relation to Genie: Part of Vida's
past romantic experiences that shape his decision to avoid love until he meets Genie.

o Todd Carmichael: Kuki Carmichael's second husband. Relation to Genie: Provides

companionship to Kuki after the death of her son Everleigh, part of Kuki's life journey which
intersects with Genie's later.

o Jakob de Villiers: Vida's great-grandfather who built The House That Jack Built. Relation to
Genie: Founder of the home where Genie and Vida build a life together.

o Blue: Vida's Khoisan great-grandmother, maid to Jakob de Villiers. Relation to Genie: Her
erased history and lack of trace in The House That Jack Built intrigue Genie and highlight themes
of identity and visibility. Genie finds her slippers.

o Frederick de Villiers: Vida's grandfather, son of Jakob and Blue. Lived as a servant in the House.
Relation to Genie: Vida's attempt to understand his grandfather's life while living in the House
parallels Genie's curiosity about Blue. Vida listens to his records.

o Ezekiel de Villiers: Vida's father, son of Frederick. Taught Vida about mechanics and
acceptance ("Many ways to be a man"). Relation to Genie: His unconditional acceptance of
Vida prepares Vida to fully accept Genie's truth.

o Lawrence Tafara: Valentine Tanaka's colleague, Chief Superintendent. Relation to Genie:

Involved in the official investigation regarding the body found at Beauford Farm, intersecting
with the lives of characters linked to Genie.

o Mbongeni Masuku: Dingani's father, Eunice's husband. Imprisoned and died for his political
activities. Relation to Genie: His imprisonment, initiated by Eunice, influences Dingani's life
path and sense of responsibility, indirectly contributing to events that bring Genie into the
Masuku family and impact her.

o Agnes: Employer ("Madam") of Eunice Masuku. Relation to Genie: Represents the colonial
social structure Eunice navigated, influencing Dingani's desire for respectability and upward
mobility.

o Philemon: Gardener at Agnes's house. Relation to Genie: Witnessed Eunice's confrontation

with her employer and Emil Coetzee, an event crucial to Dingani's life story and his later
connection to Genie.

o Xolani and Jameson: Dingani's bandmates and friends. Their political views and conversation
with Dingani about Golide Gumede's plane lead to Dingani's questioning by The Man Himself
[607ff, 614], contributing to the chain of events impacting Beauford Farm and Genie.

o Suzanne Da Silva: Genie's friend from school. Relation to Genie: Marks a period of change and
shifting friendships in Genie's adolescence, influencing her relationship with Krystle.

o Mrs Ketz: Headmistress of Genie and Krystle's primary school. Relation to Genie: Represents
an authority figure in Genie's childhood educational environment.

o Mrs Finlay: Genie and Krystle's Grade Five teacher. Relation to Genie: Taught the poem that
becomes a recurring motif for Krystle and Marcus, linking back to a shared childhood
experience with Genie.
 o Mrs Simpson: Woman Agnes speaks to on the phone. Relation to Genie: Her conversation with
Agnes leads to Eunice learning about Emil Coetzee's visit, triggering the events related to
Mbongeni and Dingani.

o Robbie McKop: Boy who kissed Vida, leading to Vida being called 'moffie'. Relation to Genie:
Part of Vida's personal history that shaped his experiences and his father's teachings, preparing
him for his relationship with Genie.

The provided text offers a detailed network of characters whose individual histories, actions, and relationships
contribute to the complex narrative surrounding Genie's life, death, and symbolic legacy.
Extra, Extra Information:
Based on the sources provided, here is a comprehensive overview drawing on the information revealed:

The Novel's Structure and Timeline

The novel, The Theory of Flight, does not follow a chronological timeline. The provided timeline is intended to
help readers connect the story's events. The story is assumed to begin in the 1930s and ends in 2018. The
sources provide specific events and character developments within approximate decades and years.

Key Characters and Their Stories

The story revolves around the life and death of Imogen ‘Genie’ Zula Nyoni. At the moment of her death, she
was seen to fly away on giant silver wings, and her heart calcified into a precious and beautiful something. This
phenomenon prompts the telling of her story, which is presented as a culmination of various histories and lives.

Genie's biological grandfather, Baines Tikiti, was born Bafana Ndlelaphi on the Ezulwini Estate. Taught to read
and write by a gentleman farmer, Mr. Chalmers, Bafana became an enterprising, moderately educated black
man with an opportunity to travel as an assistant to a Greek salesman. Inspired by explorers like David
Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley, he felt like an explorer born in the wrong century and changed his name
to Baines Tikiti, seeing "Tikiti" (ticket) as something that gave one purpose for a journey. He was a natural
charmer but loved travel more than the women who loved him, often breaking hearts. He met Prudence
Ngoma, Genie's biological grandmother, in Guqhuka (later Beauford Farm and Estate), and she was the first
woman he couldn't charm out of her money. Charmed by her strong character, he proposed, and they married,
settling in Ezulwini. Baines later moved to South Africa for work, sending money home but driven by
wanderlust. Prudence visited him there and found him obsessed with aeroplanes. He sent her and their son,
Livingstone Stanley Tikiti (later Golide Gumede), back to Ezulwini because their son's fair skin made him too
vulnerable for travel. Prudence, heartbroken by his foolishness in not seeing his son's beauty, sent his money
back. Baines eventually drove to the Indian Ocean and walked into the water, never to return. Prudence learned
from this that character, an inner strength cultivated by oneself, was more important than charm, which
depended on others. She raised her children to have character, to be proud and strong.

Genie's biological father, Golide Gumede, was born Livingstone Stanley Tikiti. Influenced by his father's love
for planes and the drawings he made, Livingstone developed a knowledge and understanding of flight. Raised
by Prudence, he became a natural leader, self-confident and a visionary. He joined the freedom fighters,
believing their cause was just, and took the name Golide Gumede ('fields of gold') envisioning a future of plenty
for his people. His aeroplane drawings led to him being sent to the Soviet Union to study aeronautical
engineering, understanding that people would need to know they were capable of flight after independence. In
Victoria Falls, he met Elizabeth Nyoni, Genie's biological mother, a country-and-western singer styled after
Dolly Parton. He was instantly captivated by her ankle and felt their lives had already been shared. They quickly
formed a solid foundation: she wanted to go to Nashville to sing, and he promised to take her; he wanted to
make a home on Beauford Farm, and she promised to prepare one. Meeting Elizabeth made Golide's obsession
with flight make sense, believing he was preparing to be useful in her future life, perhaps by building giant silver
wings to fly her to Nashville. He realized that demonstrating belief in flight, rather than just teaching how to
build planes, was what people needed. He planned to shoot down a Vickers Viscount passenger plane near the
guerrilla camp to teach people about aeroplanes for free. On September 3, 1978, as he aimed the missile, he
witnessed elephants swimming across the Zambezi River, a sight of wonder that made him aware of his place in
the world and gave him knowledge that allowed him to fly. He launched the missile and had a vision of
Elizabeth carrying a golden egg that cracked open to reveal Genie. Golide's act made him a hero to some and a
villain to others.

Elizabeth Nyoni, a unique and determined woman with blonde hair and colourful clothes, arrived at Beauford
Farm and Estate with a golden egg, believing it was where she would live her best life. She treated Genie like a
precious golden egg, carrying her everywhere, dressing her in bright colours, and filling her life with song and
happiness. She influenced Thandi Hadebe, a resident on the Estate, by presenting her with possibilities
beyond being just a pretty face, suggesting she become a model in the city. Elizabeth also had a significant
impact on Marcus Masuku, who lived with his grandparents on the Estate. Marcus was fascinated by Elizabeth
and Genie's vibrant life, which contrasted with his strict upbringing. Elizabeth allowed Marcus and Genie to be
friends after Marcus promised not to become a politician but a real revolutionary. Their friendship blossomed
and served as a balm after the civil war.

Genie was adopted by the Masuku family. Dingani Masuku, Genie's adoptive father, was haunted by the blue-
violet flowers on his mother's dress. His mother, Eunice Masuku, met Dingani's father, Mbongeni Masuku,
when she worked as a prostitute in South Africa. Mbongeni, a respected headmaster publicly, was privately an
abusive husband who suspected Dingani was not his son and prevented Eunice from pursuing nursing or
teaching. Eunice, plotting revenge, reported Mbongeni and his friends to Emil Coetzee's Organisation of
Domestic Affairs, falsely claiming they were plotting to overthrow the government. She claimed the reward,
burned her maid's uniform, and pursued nursing, determined to build a respectable life for herself and Dingani.
She brought her yellow Formica table, symbolizing the time she and Dingani became respectable, into
Dingani's home. Dingani, determined never to disappoint his mother, excelled and became a doctor. Whenever
he thought of politics, he felt fear linked to his mother's actions and remained apolitical. To impress his
politically active friends after independence, Dingani lied to The Man Himself, head of The Organisation,
claiming Golide Gumede was building an aeroplane to overthrow the government, when he had only heard
Golide was building it to fly Elizabeth to Nashville. This lie led to the massacre at Beauford Farm and Estate.
Consumed by guilt, Dingani was insistent on adopting Genie, believing it was a way to make amends. He
received monthly payoffs from The Man Himself, haunted by the blue-violet flowers on the cheques, which he
eventually squandered due to financial difficulties. Dingani purchased Emil Coetzee's mansion and entered
high society, as Eunice had predicted.

Thandi Hadebe, Genie's adoptive mother, grew up on Beauford Farm, vain about her beauty which brought her
ease and favour. Her domestic science teacher, Minenhle Tikiti, Golide's sister and Genie's aunt, pushed
Thandi to be ambitious, which Thandi initially saw as jealousy. Thandi was deeply traumatized when soldiers
(sojas) attacked Minenhle's class on the Estate, forcing the girls to strip and perform for them. Thandi was
forced into a pit latrine and never felt clean afterward, becoming obsessed with cleanliness. She vowed never
to forget the look of satisfaction she believed she saw on Minenhle's face when she pointed Thandi out.
Influenced by Elizabeth Nyoni's confidence, Thandi escaped to the city on a MacKenzie bus to pursue a
modeling dream. She met Dingani and, prioritizing her dreams in America, left their baby son, Marcus, with her
parents on the Estate. In America, she became financially successful dressing mannequins but did not pursue
modeling or a degree. Thandi and Dingani returned for Marcus in 1988 when they heard of disappearances on
the Estate. Thandi later confessed to Marcus that she bought a florist shop that Minenhle wanted as an act of
revenge for her past humiliation. Thandi eventually left Dingani to live in Belgium in 2015.

Marcus Masuku, Genie's adoptive brother, was raised by his strict Christian grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.
Hadebe, on the Beauford Estate. He found a sense of belonging in Elizabeth Nyoni and Genie. He and Genie
were close friends on the Estate, playing among the sunflowers and in the abandoned Brown Car, imagining
travels to far-off places. They learned from the sunflowers about death and rebirth. Marcus was taken away by
his parents in 1988 amidst his protest. He felt tricked and hurt by his parents and Genie, who seemed to say
goodbye. He carried guilt over letting go of Genie's hand and wiping her kiss after learning she was HIV-positive.
He fell in love with Genie at 17 under a jacaranda tree while she told him a story about swimming elephants, a
sight she made him promise to see. Marcus later moved to America, married Esme, and became wealthy.
Despite his life in America, he was haunted by the past, often seeking Genie in his dreams and memories. He
returns to Zimbabwe when Genie is in a coma. He leads the funeral procession to Victoria Falls to fulfill his
promise to Genie, where they witness the swimming elephants.

Krystle Masuku, Genie's adoptive sister, was born overseas and returned to Zimbabwe around age 5, leaving
again at 17. She did not remember Genie or Beauford Estate. Krystle initially disliked the idea of Genie joining
the family, seeing her as a threat to her own 'princess' status, but quickly bonded with Genie upon meeting her,
seeing her as 'inferior'. They became like sisters, sharing a room divided by adhesive tape by their grandmother
Eunice, who favored Krystle. Krystle felt guilt over causing Genie's accident when she ran back across the street
for Krystle, believing Genie contracted HIV from a blood transfusion afterward. Her guilt was exacerbated by
her family's refusal to discuss the incident or Genie's illness. Krystle was forced to witness Eunice's harsh
erasure of Genie's belongings and presence from their home when Genie left at 18. Krystle returns home when
Genie is in a coma, noting the abrupt changes and decay of their home. She finds her childhood bedroom
frozen in time, a monument to Genie's absence. Krystle finds a dying hatchling outside her apartment and takes
it to an animal rescue, where she meets Xander Dangerfield. She leaves behind a postcard from Genie with
Xander, leading him to Victoria Falls where they meet again and witness the swimming elephants.

Vida de Villiers, also known as Jesus, was a street dweller and later Genie's partner. At 16, he fell in love with
Everleigh Coetzee, son of Emil Coetzee, and later with Everleigh's friend, Rosamond Pierce, struggling to
understand his bisexuality. Everleigh, conscripted into the army, died stepping on a landmine. Vida's parents
died in a car crash, and he joined the army hoping to die, deployed to Tongaland. In Tongaland, he encountered
Golide Gumede in a field of elephant grass who spared his life and told him, "You will remember me". After the
war, Vida lived on the streets, nicknamed "Jesus" for his appearance and compassion. He was known for
intervening in the lives of others on the street, even breaking the street code, such as preventing Joseph
Pereira's body from being left hanging and breaking up a fight between David and Goliath, receiving a wound
that left a jagged keloid scar. He saved Genie when she was hit by Kuki's car, catching her in his Scania
pushcart. Genie, recognizing him as Jesus, decided he was the one to save her, and despite his initial
resistance, she came to live with him on the streets. They later moved into The House That Jack Built, a
historical house inherited by Vida from his great-grandfather, Jakob de Villiers. Vida's secret was that he
salvaged scrap metal to create sculptures of the street dwellers, a labor of love that gave his life meaning.
Genie encouraged him to show his work, leading to him becoming a famous artist. His most famous work, "The
Theory of Flight: In Three Movements," was dedicated to Genie. Their relationship, though undefined by words
like 'love,' was intimate and supportive, enduring Genie's struggles with HIV, TB, and pneumonia. Vida cared for
Genie through her illness, but was devastated when she chose to stop fighting and die. He took her to the
hospital, saving her life again temporarily. When she fell into a coma and disappeared from the hospital, Vida,
knowing her plan, found clues she left behind, including Blue's baby-blue silk slippers in her suitcase, signifying
her chosen end. Vida returned to the streets, unable to go home without her. He later returns to Beauford with
others to find Genie.

Valentine Tanaka is the Chief Registrar of The Organisation, handling life's important moments. He became a
hunchback with a "heart of gold". His first case for The Organisation was Genie, then 15, suspected of
shoplifting. Despite interrogation tactics, Genie remained defiant, telling him, "You cannot break me. You see, I
know for certain that my parents were capable of flight". Valentine was intrigued and, upon learning her father
was Golide Gumede, understood her. Valentine is portrayed as someone who, despite his job in a corrupt
bureaucracy, desires to do good work and is not easily bribed. He recognizes the flaws and secrets in others,
particularly the Masukus. The Masukus approach him to report Genie missing from the hospital, but Valentine's
records show Genie died in 1987, reported by Minenhle Tikiti. This discrepancy necessitates an investigation,
complicated by the Masukus having adopted Genie in 1988 and a kidnapping report filed by them in 1988
alleging Jestina Nxumalo took her. Minenhle visits Valentine to declare Genie "un-dead" and clear Vida's name,
while Valentine notes Minenhle's unbroken spirit. Valentine visits the Masukus to inform them a body, believed
to be Genie's, has been found at Beauford. He later reveals to The Man Himself that he helped Genie choose
her ending because she had lived a life that mattered and deserved it. He confronts The Man Himself about the
precious somethings and the deaths of Golide and Elizabeth. Valentine also visits the National Art Gallery to
view Vida's "The Firebird" sculpture, recognizing it as Genie.

The Man Himself is the current head of The Organisation. He is depicted as powerful but physically declining,
interested in appearances and control. He handpicked Bhekithemba Nyathi for a journalism scholarship and
later promoted him, using him to control the state's image. He stopped supporting the maintenance of The
House That Jack Built, deeming the involved societies colonial. He ordered Vida's "Street Dwellers" sculptures
dismantled, calling them "too white," and commissioned sculptures of himself instead. The Man Himself knew
of Dingani's lie about Golide and used it to justify the Beauford massacre, paying Dingani off. He obtained a
precious and beautiful something, likely from Beauford, possibly given to him by Bhekithemba. He tells
Valentine that he acted against Golide because power is delicate and men like him don't let men like Golide
build aeroplanes.

Jestina Nxumalo (MaNxumalo) was a maid on Beauford Farm who helped raise Marcus and cared for Genie.
She was present during the sojas' attack in 1987, forced to poison the Hadebes (Thandi's parents) and witness
other horrors, including the likely rape of Mrs. Hadebe. She suspects the sojas brought HIV/AIDS with them,
decimating the community. Jestina and Genie escaped the Estate together on a MacKenzie bus after being
ordered to leave by the remaining residents who blamed Golide for the attack. Jestina later moved to Australia.
She returns upon hearing from Valentine that Genie's body was found at Beauford and that Genie was HIV-
positive, determined to make "them" answer for what happened to Genie. Jestina, along with others, returns to
the Estate to find Genie's body. She reflects that while they remember what happened, they can never truly
know the full truth.

Minenhle Tikiti, Golide's sister and Genie's aunt, was a domestic science teacher on the Beauford Estate. She
pushed Thandi to be more ambitious. Minenhle was brutally interrogated and tortured by C10 (Mordechai) for
information about Golide but revealed nothing. Mordechai fell in love with her strength and dedicated himself
to undoing the pain he caused her, changing his identity before returning for her years later. Minenhle reported
Genie dead after the 1987 massacre, believing she had died. She lives with Mordechai in a modest apartment.
She later meets with Thandi and Marcus regarding Genie's status. She visits Valentine to declare Genie "un-
dead" and advocates for Vida, stating the Masukus are attempting to blame him. She sees a colourful bird land
on her hand, an experience Valentine also witnesses.

Mordechai Gatiro was Emil Coetzee's most trusted man in The Organisation, known only as C10. He was The
Organisation's best interrogator due to his indifference to life. He brutally tortured Minenhle Tikiti to find Golide
but failed. During the interrogation, he fell in love with Minenhle and his desire to die was replaced by a purpose
to undo the pain he caused her. He left The Organisation and spent years changing himself, working at the
National Archives repairing books and manuscripts and changing his voice, before re-entering Minenhle's life.
They left Beauford together on a MacKenzie bus in 1983. Valentine notes the irony of Mordechai's gentle
treatment of Minenhle compared to his past actions as C10. He lives with Minenhle and is present when
Marcus and Thandi visit. He rescues a colourful bird with a broken wing that flew into their window.

Emil Coetzee was the head of the National Organisation of Domestic Affairs. He married Kuki Sedgwick partly
to appear settled enough to head a state department, using their troubled marriage to diminish her self-
esteem. He and Kuki had a son, Everleigh, whom Emil struggled to understand because he was artistic and
sensitive, unlike himself. Emil brought charges against Beatrice Beit-Beauford for interracial commingling at
Beauford and later for treason for supporting nationalists, but Beatrice was powerful and charges were
dropped. He used Beatrice's tragedy (the Vickers Viscount crash that killed her sons) to call for Golide
Gumede's execution. He employed Mordechai (C10) as a spy. Emil committed suicide in his mansion on the
eve of independence.

Kuki Sedgwick was a lifelong friend of Beatrice Beit-Beauford. She lacked independence but found Beatrice's
irreverence seductive. Kuki married Emil Coetzee despite Beatrice's hatred of him. Her only child with Emil was
Everleigh, whom she loved despite his differences from Emil. She struggled with Everleigh's death in the war.
After divorcing Emil, she married Todd Carmichael, who had lost his family to terrorists. She felt guilt over
finding happiness with Todd after Everleigh's death. She envied Vida de Villiers's ability to remain in his pain
after Everleigh's death, seeing it as a refusal to betray him. Kuki hit Genie with her car in 1995, an accident
witnessed by Krystle and interrupted by Vida. She later visited Beatrice, who suffered from Alzheimer's, and
they shared a friendship with Genie based on their shared experiences with Beauford and strong spirits. Kuki
accompanies Beatrice and others to Beauford upon hearing of Genie's death. She denies Genie's death and
claims Genie was her friend, questioning why she needs others to believe this lie.

Other Notable Figures and Settings

Beauford Farm and Estate, initially Guqhuka village, was bought by Bennington Beauford, a wealthy and
enterprising farmer who used the land and its people to build his fortune. After his death, his daughter Beatrice
inherited it. Beatrice transformed it into a multiracial commune and artists' colony, supporting African
nationalists, which led to conflict with the state and her eviction. The Estate was later the site of a massacre in
1987 by sojas (soldiers), who killed 17 people, including the Hadebes. It's suggested that the sojas brought
HIV/AIDS, contributing to further deaths. After independence, the Estate was occupied by war veterans who
unlawfully squatted on the land. The Survivors, led by Goliath, bought the land "fair and square" from Beatrice
for one dollar, after accumulating wealth from capitalizing on Vida's "Street Dwellers" sculptures. They found
numerous skeletons on the property, differentiating bones from the war from those after the war (HIV/AIDS) by
the presence or absence of coins. Genie's body is found here in 2015.

The Organisation (formerly Organisation of Domestic Affairs) is a state intelligence unit headed by The Man
Himself. It was initially conceived by Emil Coetzee. The Organisation processed and imprisoned Mbongeni
Masuku for treason. Mordechai (C10) was its best interrogator. The Organisation is involved in covering up
events and controlling information.

The House That Jack Built is a historical house inherited by Vida de Villiers. It was declared a city treasure but
fell into disrepair after state funding stopped. Vida and Genie moved in and made it a home, with the help of the
housekeeper Matilda and gardener Stefanos. Genie searches for traces of Blue, Vida's Khoisan great-
grandmother who lived there as a maid, finding only baby-blue silk slippers.

Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

The Theory of Flight represents not just the possibility of mechanical flight but also the potential for human
capability, belief, freedom, and overcoming limitations. Golide's inspiration from the swimming elephants
embodies this, showing that belief and witnessing success make the seemingly impossible possible. Genie's
final act of flying away on silver wings reinforces this.

Beautiful Somethings refers to the precious, calcified heart of Genie, found at her death. It also broadly
represents the unexpected beauty and value found in people and experiences, such as Golide's inspiring belief,
Minenhle's unbroken spirit, Vida's art, and Beatrice's defiant spirit.

Sunflowers are deeply connected to Beauford Farm and Genie. They symbolize beauty, resilience, and the
cycle of death and rebirth. They are also linked to Genie's childhood innocence and the trauma of the
massacre. Beatrice finds solace in them, and Goliath is enticed to the Estate by Genie's description of them.

Secrets are prevalent, often causing pain and impacting relationships. Dingani's lie about Golide, Eunice's
betrayal of Mbongeni, Jestina's silence about the Beauford trauma, Mordechai's hidden identity, and the
Masukus' concealment of Genie's illness are all significant secrets. Vida keeps his art a secret until encouraged
by Genie.

Guilt and Forgiveness are central themes, particularly for the Masuku family. Krystle feels guilt over Genie's
accident and illness. Marcus feels guilt over letting go of Genie's hand and being taken away. Dingani is
consumed by guilt over his role in the Beauford massacre. Genie tells them "There is nothing to forgive," but the
guilt persists, indicating it is often self-inflicted.

Transitions are physical, emotional, and related to identity, often marked by journeys or symbolic objects like
suitcases and vehicles.

Birds represent flight, freedom, identity, and sometimes messengers or hope. The Firebird sculpture is a key
representation of Genie. Krystle's rescue of the hatchling and the colourful bird encountered by Vida, Minenhle,
and Marcus suggest connections and hope.

The Mattress symbolizes intimacy, shared life, and the progression of Vida and Genie's relationship, with the
final blood-stained mattress representing the end and Genie's sacrifice for her country.

Hope is a recurring element, particularly in the face of hardship and loss. The swimming elephants represent
the possibility of the seemingly impossible and a moment of profound knowing that brings a sense of freedom,
allowing one to fly. Genie's postcard message to Krystle about the elephants offers hope for the future. The
Survivors buying Beauford Farm represents a physical embodiment of hope and a chance to rebuild for the
future.