Ngugi focuses on his beliefs concerning colonialism in his novel A Grain of Wheat. In the novel, he uses his characters to express his beliefs and portray the feelings of Kenya just before independence. Mugo, is a man who is lonely and consumed by guilt. He has no family in the village. He also knows that the people look to him as a hero and leader, which gives him a purpose. But, he must deal with the fact that he betrayed a fellow fighter to save himself.
Mugo’s character is used as the source of redemption. In the end he learns that he must pay for his deed, and make the ultimate sacrifice of giving his life for the cause. This is important because Ngugi feels that everyone must sacrifice to make a change. Kihika is the freedom fighter and Mumbi’s brother. He becomes a hero to the village and a feared Mau Mau. Kihika is betrayed by Mugo, and because of this betrayal he is caught and hanged as an example to the others. Again, this character is used to portray the sacrifice the community must make to gain freedom for all. Gikonyo is a man who is controlled by love. He ultimately betrays himself because of his love for a woman. Gikonyo confessed his oath in hopes that by doing so he would be released from prison so that he could return to his wife Mumbi. He sacrificed his integrity to get back to her.
However, once he did return, he found that she had betrayed him with another man. Gikonyo is also an example of the stability in the village. He is a carpenter, which is a respected occupation in any African community. Gikonyo’s character must learn to forgive Mumbi for her betrayal. The character of Karanja was presented to show the reader those Kenyans who eventually followed the colonists. Karanja has an ongoing competition with Gikonyo that stems from them both having an attraction to Mumbi. Karanja came to rely on the British for his self-worth. Karanja was a man who sought British approval. In one instance, he is described as “a dog that has been unexpectedly snubbed by the master it trusts” (Ngugi 161). Mumbi, a female character, is the tower of strength. She betrays Gikonyo while he is in the concentration camp by having Karanja’s child. With the men gone, Mumbi must support herself, as well as her child, her parents, and her mother-in-law.
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Throughout the novel, she never loses her integrity. Although she makes a mistake, she accepts responsibility and moves on. Ngugi also depicts some British colonial characters. John Thompson was an Administrative Secretary, the boss of Karanja, and the epitome of a British colonist. His character would not be likely to function outside of his role in Kenya. On the eve of independence, Thompson is having a hard time coping with the fact that Kenya has gained its freedom. This shocks him because he had originally come to Kenya with a concrete conviction that he would help in establishing the British Empire there. He must also deal with the fact that he must now leave Kenya and return to a country where his future is uncertain. Thompson’s wife Margery, is characterized as a lonely, immoral women. Their marriage is basically over, and she needs an outlet. She has an affair, with an alcoholic meteorological officer, just for the excitement. Dr. Lynd is a woman who decides to stay in Kenya despite their independence. She has made Kenya her home, and feels that she will not be forced out of her adopted country. She says, “Safe or not, I will not leave this place. I’ll not leave my property to them” (Ngugi 165).
Despite being attacked by the Mau Mau, and seeing that her own trusted guard led the attack, she refuses to leave. One would get the feeling that her character refuses to accept the truth. Ngugi shows this when Thompson says to her: “then you’ll have to get better homeguards!”.
The novel also refers to actual historical figures. The Mau Mau movement is shown through the works of Jomo Kenyatta, Kihika, Waiyaki, and Harry Thuku. Ngugi also uses the death of Waiyaki to explain the title of his book and the short Bible passage he uses opposite the first page. Ngugi stated, “Waiyaki’s blood contained within in it a seed, a grain, which gave birth to a movement whose main strength thereafter sprang from a bond with the soil. This is an important point in the novel because Ngugi is showing how the British tried to control the situation by making an example of a freedom fighter, but the incident had the opposite affect because it sprang forth the movement that would eventually lead to the British losing control. He also makes a point that these men were willing to give their lives for independence. The deaths of Waiyaki, Harry Thuku, and Kihika influenced the Kenyan people to work together to fight for freedom. Ngugi says, “In Kenya we want deaths which will change things, that is to say, we want true sacrifice. But first we have to be ready to carry the cross” (Ngugi 95).
By saying this, he suggests that every Kenyan must contribute to the cause. They could not expect one man’s death to bring about their freedom. Ngugi is able to establish the importance of brotherhood. Using these characters, Ngugi is able to tell the story of Kenya on the verge of independence. He is able to relay the feelings of each individual in the book, as they would have pertained to actual people in Kenya during that time. Ngugi shows his personal and political beliefs through each plot of the novel. He shows the act of redemption, forgiveness, and acceptance. He develops his characters in such a way that he emphasizes their strengths and weaknesses. He also shows how families and the land make African communities strong. This is true with Gikonyo and Mumbi. Once Gikonyo has forgiveness in his heart, the reader realizes that this couple will be the central focus in their village. It is also shown when Gikonyo wants to purchase a site of land. Ngugi states, “Gikonyo’s heart was beating with hope…a vision of a new future unrolled before him”
Presently, Ngugi is still in exile. He has no hope of ever returning to Kenya. He believes that the problems Kenya faces today are the result of colonialism and the influence it has had on Kenyans. In the past, Kenya looked at its people as a whole; today people separate themselves. There is constant rioting, politically motivated violence, and ethnic fighting. He stated his belief that this selfish attitude was instilled in Kenyans from the colonists (Personal Interview). Through his writings, Ngugi stressed the fact that unity is the key to freedom. He wrote, “I die for you, you die for me, we become a sacrifice for one another”
The current government has been accused of corruption, economic mismanagement, and human rights abuses. In an interview at Bowie State University, Ngugi showed his disillusion with the Kenyan government. Although the government has been forced to hold multi-party elections, Ngugi believes that this serves no purpose because the government still controls the rules governing the elections. Ngugi does remain optimistic that one day his people will reunite and learn that change is inevitable, and one-day Kenya will achieve what its founding fathers envisioned.
