Weep Not, Child
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| Weep Not, Child | |
 First British edition |
|
| Author | Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o |
|---|---|
| Country | Kenya |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Heinemann |
| Publication date | 1964 |
| Media type | print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 144 |
| ISBN | NA (published before the inseption ISBN system) current: 0435908308 |
| Preceded by | The Black Hermit (play) |
| Followed by | The River Between |
Weep Not, Child is Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o's first novel, published in 1964. It was the first English novel to be published by an East African.[1][2][3] Thiong'o's works deal with the relationship between Africans and the British colonists in Africa, and are heavily critical of British colonial rule.[4] Specifically, Weep Not, Child deals with the Mau Mau Uprising,[5] and "the bewildering dispossession of an entire people from their ancestral land."[6] The book met with some controversy when it was published.[7] Ngũgĩ wrote the novel while he was a student at Makerere University.[8]
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
The book is divided into two parts and eighteen chapters. Part one deals mostly with the education of Njoroge, while part two deals with the rising revolutionary, anti-colonist turmoil in Kenya.
Njoroge, a young boy, is urged to attend school by his mother. He is the first one out of his family who is able to go to school. His family lives on the land of Jacobo, an African made rich by his dealings with white settlers, namely Mr.Howlands, the most powerful land owner in the area. Njoroge's brother Kamau works as an apprentice to a carpenter while Boro, the eldest living son, is troubled by his experiences while in forced service during World War II, one of which was witnessing the death of his elder brother. Ngotho, Njoroge's father and a respected man in the surrounding area, tends Mr.Howlands crops more to preserve and keep an eye on his ancestral land, than for any compensation or loyalty.
On the first day of school, Njoroge meets Mwihaki, who is the daughter of Jacobo. She is one year ahead of Njoroge in school. Njoroge admires and befriends her. Njoroge’s family likes to sit together and tell stories. One time Ngotho, Njoroge's father tells the story about how the land, which is now owned by the landlords originally belonged to their ancestors. Njoroge is very successful in school and soon catches up with Mwihaki and goes to the same class with her.
One day, a strike is called for higher wages for the black workers. Ngotho does not know if he should participate at first, because he would likely lose his job. Finally, however, he decides to go to the gathering, although his two wives do not agree. At the demonstration, there are calls for higher wages. Suddenly Jacobo, the father of Mwihaki, appears. He tries to put an end to the strike. Ngotho attacks Jacobo. The result is a big tumult with two people being killed. Nevertheless, Jacobo survives and swears revenge. Njoroge’s family is forced to move and Ngotho loses his job. Njoroge’s education is thereafter funded by his brothers who seem to lose respect for their father.
The relationship between Mwihaki and Njoroge is not affected by their fathers' hatred of each other. They are still very good friends and remain successful in school. Eventually, however, the two are separated because Mwihaki continues her education at a girls' only boarding school. Njoroge stays close to home where he switches to another school.
For a time, everyone's attention is focused on the upcoming trial of Jomo - a revered leader of the movement. Many blacks think that he is going to bring forth Kenya’s independence. But Jomo loses the trial and is imprisoned. This results in further protests and greater suppression of the black population.
Jacobo and a white landowner, Mr. Howlands, fight against the rising activities of the Mau Mau, an organization striving for Kenyan economic, political, and cultural independence. Jacobo accuses Ngotho of being the leader of the Mau Mau and tries to imprison the whole family. Mr.Howlands has Njoroge removed from school for questioning. Both father and son are brutally beaten before release and Ngotho is left barely alive. Meanwhile, the situation in the country is deteriorating. Six black men are taken out of their houses and executed in the woods.
One day Njoroge meets Mwihaki again, who returned from boarding school. Their friendship is not affected by the situation between their fathers. Then Njoroge passes a very important exam that allows him to advance to High School. The whole village is proud of him. They collect enough money so that Njoroge is able to attend High School.
After a few months, Jacobo is killed. He is murdered in his office by a member of the Mau Mau. Although there doesn't seem to be a connection between Njoroge's family and the murder, it is eventually revealed that Njoroge's brothers are behind the assassination. Boro, the real leader of the Mau Mau. Ngotho soon dies from his injuries and Njoroge finds out that his father was protecting his brothers. Kamau has also been imprisoned for life. Only Njoroge and his two mothers remain free with Njoroge left as the sole provider to his two mothers. With no hope of making ends meet, Njoroge gives up all hope of going further in school and loses faith in God.
Njoroge now hopes for Mwihaki's support, but she is angry because of her father’s death. When he finally pledges his love to her, she is too afraid to marry him. He finally decides to leave town and makes an attempt to take his own life, but his two mothers are able to bring him back from the brink. The novel closes with Njoroge's utter sense of hopelessness.
[edit] Characters
- Njoroge: the main character of the book whose main goal throughout the book is to become as educated as possible.
- Ngotho: Njoroge's father.
- Nyokabi and Njeri: the two wives of Ngotho.
- Njoroge has four brothers: Boro, Kamau, Kori and Mwangi (who is Njoroge's only full brother, who died in World War II).
- Mwihaki: Njoroge's best friend.
- Jacobo: Mwikaki's father and an important landowner.
[edit] Themes and motifs
- Theme of Hope.
- Importance of education.
- The detrimental effects of colonialism and imperialistic colonization. "Njoroge is prevented from pursuing his education by the Mau Mau, or Gikuyu militants. The government's repression of the rebels and the violent resistance to British domination in Kenya disrupt both Njoroge's plans to attend university and his relations with his family. Consumed with despair, he eventually attempts suicide."[8]
- The messianic role of the saviours. Saviours are tied to the theme of salvation.[9] The author notes in his The River Between: "Salvation shall come from the hills. From the blood that flows in me, I say from the same tree, a son shall rise. And his duty shall be to lead and save the people."[9] Jomo Kenyatta is immortalised in Weep Not, Child. The author says: "Jomo had been his (Ngotho's) hope. Ngotho had come to think that it was Jomo who would drive away the white man. To him, Jomo stood for custom and traditions purified by grace of learning and much travel."[9]
[edit] Origins of the novel
The novel "explores Gikuyu myths and legends, and effectively captures the nationalist mood which informed the historical political action of the continent."[9] "Ngugi salutes Kenyatta as the first point of synthesis into the mind of his character, Njoroge. Ngugi's character has a lot of faith in Jomo Kenyatta whom they know will win the political struggle against the white man."[9]
According to one commentator:
Tied to the theme of salvation is that of Zionism. The children of Israel in Ngugi's world are descendants of Gikuyu and Mumbi, the Agikuyu people. Their name is derived from the old man, Gikuyu, their fore ancestor. Ngugi dramatises the group belief and the community history of his people. For some non-Gikuyu, this has looked like a form of tribal bigotry on Ngugi's part. But this is what Achebe has done for the Ibo, too, and Wole Soyinka, for the Yoruba. No writer can be true to himself or to herself without writing about his ethnic group. Ngugi extols Gikuyu myths and rituals by untiringly describing the attitude of the people to circumcision. Moments of tranquillity which are said to have existed before the white man came to Kenya and stole African lands are captured by Ngugi. This authentically lacks in all the works of Francis D. Imbuga, Meja Mwangi and David G. Maillu. In this respect, Ngugi can only compare with Mrs Grace E.A. Ogot, Miriam Khamadi Were and Khadambi Asalache, the writer whom Kenyans have decided to forget. Among the Bantus of Mount Kenya about whom Ngugi wa Thiong'o and other Kenyan writers who write in English and African languages write, leadership is traced to Gikuyu and Mumbi. The leaders include medicinemen, educationists and prophets who represent age-old wisdom. In the literature which Ngugi writes, elders are very important. They represent the age-old wisdom which Europeans come to destroy. In Weep Not, Child Ngotho is such an elder. In The River Between, the elder is Chege who knows: "Salvation shall come from the hills." Ngugi is so important that what he writes rings with biblical wisdom. The book of Genesis starts with stories of creation and so do Ngugi's early novels. The story of creation and the question of leadership are twin issues in Kenyan literature. This was the case when the Mau Mau were going to the forest.[9]
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Blamires, Harry (1983). A Guide to Twentieth Century Literature in English. Methuen. pp. 198. ISBN 0416561802.
- ^ Zell, Hans M. (1971). A Reader's Guide to African Literature. Africana Publishing Corporation. pp. 157.
- ^ Wakeman, John (1980). World Authors, 1970-1975. Wilson Publishing. pp. 584. ISBN 082420641X.
- ^ Hummy, Robert, Death sentence for attackers of Kenyan writer, http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw1166187421237B256, retrieved on 2007-10-18
- ^ Glasgow, Jacqueline (2007). Exploring African Life and Literature: Novel Guides to Promote Socially Responsive Learning. International Reading Association. pp. 123–124. ISBN 0872076091.
- ^ Cantalupo, Charles (1995). Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o: Texts and Contexts. Africa World Press. pp. 103–104. ISBN 086543445X.
- ^ Njoku, Benjamin, Ngugi wa Thiong’o in Nigeria to honour Bookfair, http://web.archive.org/web/20070710130246/http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/features/arts/at105052005.html, retrieved on 2007-10-18
- ^ a b "Thiong'o, Ngugi wa: Introduction." Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 182. Gale Cengage, 2004. eNotes.com. 2006. 12 Jan, 2009
- ^ a b c d e f Kenya; Is It Politics Or Myth?. Africa News. The East African Standard. September 8, 2002.
[edit] External links
- Official homepage of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
- BBC profile of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
- Weep Not, Child at Google Books
