The Deep

Yetu is a 34-year-old wajinru who was selected to serve as her society’s historian because of her heightened sensitivity. She is the main character and primary protagonist of the novella who undergoes a transformation to become a hero.

Though it is an honor, the weight of holding the wajinru History is a burden that Yetu can barely stand. At the beginning of the novella, she is both emotionally and physically on the edge of death, fearing that her destruction by the History is inevitable. She struggles to distinguish herself from the memories, not even sure which feelings, memories, or thoughts belong to her. This confusion leads Yetu to feel isolated from her community and resentful of those who do not understand the dire consequences of this burden. She believes that their survival is contingent upon her suffering.

Yetu is transformed by her relationship with Oori, as she is able to reconnect with her childhood memories, experience emotion and connection that is genuinely hers, and come to the conclusion that the History is worth saving, even if it means losing her life. Ultimately, Yetu gains a new perspective on the relationship between the past, present, and future, discovering that the past not only connects one to suffering but also to the knowledge necessary to unlock potentially happier futures.