What influence does Marechera have among young writers and ordinary young people in Zimbabwe?
MC: Marechera has reached a cult figure status in Zimbabwe especially among the young writers. For instance, when I read all the other books on the Zimbabwean literary scene with university students, they are calm. As soon as I introduce Marechera and go into his background and read some of the scenes in the House of Hunger, especially that scene where a man starts by beating up his wife in front of the township crowds and ends up raping her in front of the same crowds, students become crazy. All of a sudden, some of them begin to grow dreadlocks. They start drinking and smoking and interestingly some of them begin to write their own poems and short stories for the first time. Unfortunately some of them begin to be anti-social; not meeting deadlines, not coming to class on time, and not taking down notes when I teach. You find that they are doing this so that they keep within the Marechera tradition. You begin to think that each one of them think they are little Marecheras. Interesting
