Negative Capability in The Hairdresser of Harare, Red Scarf Girl, and Other Writings Marcus Ochoa 10th Grade

Negative Capability is the ability to stay certain while feelings of uncertainty and doubt are persistent. It exists to guide those who are faced with troubling circumstances. In the novel The Hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu, a woman falls in love with a man who is hiding his true sexuality. In the short story “An Open House” by James Hughes, a guitar player severs his finger and his family struggles to accept his impairment. In the novel Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang, a young girl struggles to conform to the developing Communist China because of her family background. All of the characters are faced with different challenges and are able to find and apply negative capability. In order to preserve individuality and endure bleak incidents, some people are able to utilize negative capability.

By withstanding commonly posed ideals with the use of negative capability, one is able to overcome social pressures. In Huchu’s novel, Dumisani is beaten and tortured because of the animosity his society holds for homosexuality. Once Dumisani arrives at the hospital, surgery is performed on his brain, leaving him unconscious for a week. When he regains his consciousness and ability to speak, Vimbai, the main character, is by his side...