Maiguru's Dover stove, which she brings with her to the homestead to cook with during holidays, makes it clear to everyone that Maiguru's immediate family is superior and successful. It's often used to cook food specifically for the most revered members of the family, as when Mainini uses it to cook rice instead of sadza for Babamukuru and the patriarchal family members. This reinforces the prestige of the family members who eat this food, as well as the specialness of the stove itself. When Babamukuru gives the stove to Jeremiah and Mainini as a wedding gift, Mainini conceptualizes the stove as a symbol of her family's power: by owning one of Maiguru's most prized possessions, the barrier to the power as represented by the stove (Maiguru) is removed altogether, and Mainini can assume some of that power.
The Dover Stove Symbol Timeline in Nervous Conditions
