explain effect of the first sentence

The narrator, Tambudzai, Tambu for short, begins her story with the statement, "I was not sorry when my brother died." This section begins to lay the context for this event, which happened in 1968. Tambu introduces her elder brother, Nhamo, as arrogant - he is too proud to walk home from school, although Tambu finds endless inspiration in her daily journey. This contrast is representative of the siblings' distinctive perspectives. This flashback allows the reader a quick examination of the themes of family and education that resonate in the novel.