Mandisa
The novel’s narrator, Mandisa is also referred to as Molokazana and Nohenhake by her husband China’s family. Mandisa is the early middle-aged mother of three: Mxolisi, Lunga, and Siziwe. Born in…
read analysis of Mandisa
Mxolisi
Mandisa’s oldest son, and her only son with China. He is originally named Hlumelo, but China’s family renames him, claiming their right to do so, as grandparents traditionally name the baby. Mxolisi is…
read analysis of Mxolisi
Mama
Mama, whose name is Kukwana, is married to Tata, and has two children, Mandisa and Khaya. Mama is a strict parent, calling in her children while other parents allowed their sons and…
read analysis of Mama
China
Mandisa’s first boyfriend, and the father of Mxolisi. In his youth, China was a respectful teenage boy, a good student with a bright future, and never pressured Mandisa for sex, carefully listening to…
read analysis of China
The Girl
The white girl whom Mxolisi stabs and murders when she drives into Guguletu—a place that is extremely dangerous for white people like herself. Mandisa believes that The Girl was driving through the town in…
read analysis of The Girl
Get the entire Mother to Mother LitChart as a printable PDF.
Makhulu
Mandisa’s maternal grandmother and Mama’s mother, who lives in Gungululu. When Mandisa stops submitting willingly to Mama’s invasive “virginity checks,” Mama banishes her to live with Makhulu, despite the fact that Mandisa…
read analysis of Makhulu
Lunga
Mandisa’s second son, and her only son with Lungile, who eventually leaves her just like China did not long after she gave birth to Mxolisi. Lunga is small for his age, especially…
read analysis of Lunga
Siziwe
Mandisa’s youngest child and only daughter, and Dwadwa’s only biological child. Both Lunga and Siziwe accuse Mandisa of preferring their older brother, Mxolisi, to them. This is partly true, as Mandisa objectively…
read analysis of Siziwe
Khaya
Mandisa’s brother, and Mama and Tata’s son. Like Mandisa, Khaya is a smart, well-behaved child. He and Nono, Mandisa’s close friend, begin dating when they are all teenagers, and Khaya eventually impregnates…
read analysis of Khaya
Dwadwa
Mandisa’s husband, and the father of her youngest child and only daughter, Siziwe. Dwadwa is a good man, who treats Mandisa’s first two children, Mxolisi and Lunga, as his own (their fathers…
read analysis of Dwadwa
Tata
Mandisa and Khaya’s father and Mama’s husband. Tata is a more hands-off parent than Mama, going to work during the day to support his family and interacting with his children mostly in the…
read analysis of Tata
Nono
Mandisa’s childhood friend, and Khaya’s girlfriend and eventual wife. Mandisa and Nono grow apart when Mandisa discovers that Nono has been secretly dating her brother, but the two reconcile over time. Nono becomes…
read analysis of Nono
Auntie Funiwe
Mama’s sister, Makhulu’s daughter, and Mandisa’s aunt. Auntie Funiwe comes to visit Mandisa in Gungululu and is the first to realize her niece is pregnant—Mandisa herself doesn’t even realize it yet. Like…
read analysis of Auntie Funiwe
China’s Father
A man who cares more about his son, China, and grandson, Mxolisi, than he does about Mandisa, his daughter in law. China’s father blames Mandisa for many of his and China’s misfortunes…
read analysis of China’s Father
Tooksie’s Mother
China’s aunt and his cousin Tooksie’s mother. She is the owner of the house where Mandisa moves in with China and his family after their marriage. Tooksie’s mother, like many of the other…
read analysis of Tooksie’s Mother
Zazi and Mzamo
Two teenage boys who lived nearby Mandisa and Mxolisi when Mxolisi was a baby. One day some police officers became upset with them, and chased the boys into their home. Zazi and Mzamo hid in…
read analysis of Zazi and Mzamo
Lungile
The father of Mandisa’s second son, Lunga. Lungile is Mandisa’s lover for a period of years. Mandisa describes him as unattractive but talkative and attentive. He is sweet to her eldest son, Mxolisi…
read analysis of Lungile
Minor Characters
The Mother
The Mother of The Girl, whom Mxolisi murders. The entire novel is an address from Mandisa to The Mother, who never speaks for herself, and, although constantly present, is not a true character, instead a device through which Mandisa can examine her own life and mistakes.
Reverend Mananga
A reverend in Guguletu. Mananga helps Mxolisi evade the police in the first 24 hours after the murder of The Girl, and helps Mandisa find and reconnect with her son at a safe house.
Tatomkhulu
Mandisa’s grandfather. He teaches her about South African history, giving her a more balanced take than the more colonialist, whitewashed history she has learned in school, specifically the story of Nongqawuse.
Skonana
One of Mandisa and Dwadwa’s neighbors in Guguletu.
Tat’uSikhwebu
A local man in Blouvlei, the first to bring up rumors that the government will be relocating the township to Guguletu.
Father Savage
A white priest in Guguletu who pressures China and his family into accepting Mandisa as China’s wife and Mxolisi as his son.
Ribba
A girl a few years older than Mandisa, who died during a botched abortion as a teenager.
Mrs. Nelson
Mandisa’s white employer or “Mlungu woman.”
Tooksie
China’s cousin.
Qwati
One of Mandisa and Dwadwa’s neighbors in Guguletu.
Stella
An old school friend of Mandisa’s.
