Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu brings alive the concept of UBUNTU in her novel, The Theory of Flight. `Humanity to others’, through an understanding of ` I am what I am because of who we all are’, is explored through Genie’s relationships with the people, the government she lives under and the land and places in which she lives. Through the complicated web of relationships traversing time and place, Genie arrives at the self-belief that she is capable of the impossible.

It is this self-belief that empowers Genie and others to free themselves from any classification that limits them. These diverse people push the boundaries of race, age, ethnicity, disability, and sexuality that define and confine them.

Flight is symbolic of self-liberation against the backdrop of freedom from colonialism. It is synonymous with a sense of optimism, hope and possibility that is inspired by the swimming of the elephants which encourages diverse people to become capable of more than what they thought possible.