What are the main themes in the novel A River between?
What are the main themes in the novel A River between?
The River Between Themes
- Colonialism. The River Between tells the story of Waiyaki, a young Gikuyu man (one of the largest indigenous tribes in Kenya) who struggles to unite two neighboring villages against white colonialists.
- Christianity, Tribal Customs, and Identity.
- Tradition vs.
- Unity and Division.
What happens in chapter 15 of the river?
Waiyaki lays awake at night, wishing that he had a companion to share his hopes and fears with. He feels burdened by his responsibility to serve the tribe and wishes he could be free of it. He thinks he will go to Makuyu to see Kamau, but when he makes his way down to the Honia river he finds Nyambura instead.
What are the symbols in the river between?
The River Between Symbols
- Circumcision. In the novel, circumcision represents one’s adherence to Gikuyu traditions and cultural identity.
- The Honia River. The Honia river represents the ideological division between the neighboring villages Makuyu and Kameno.
- Kameno.
- Makuyu.
What is the setting of the book The River Between?
Setting. The River Between is set in the 1920s and 1930s in the Gikuyu community in Kenya. This region is where Ngugi was born and raised. The story is about the separation of the two villages, Kameno and Makuyu, in the region as the people struggle over their individual faiths and…
How is courage defined and portrayed in the river between?
One way in which courage is defined is the ability to face fear. The circumcision is something that causes fear, but in context, the fear of the act, and the fear of displaying fear directly effect his perception of what it takes to become a man.
Why did Muthoni want to be circumcised?
Circumcision Symbol Analysis. Muthoni speaks to this when she explains that she wants to be circumcised so that she can be “a real woman, knowing all the ways of the hills and ridges.” To Muthoni, circumcision is a marker of adulthood, but it imbues her with a certain knowledge of the Gikuyu way of life.
What is the setting of Chapter 15 in the river between us?
Time and the Mississippi River We’re back in 1916, and Tilly, now “Grandma Tilly,” has been telling Howard this story while Raymond and Earl hang out with great-uncle Noah, their dad hangs out with great-aunt Delphine, and Dr. Hutchings naps.
Who is Kiama in the river between?
The Kiama is a governing council that Kabonyi forms in Kameno in order to enforce the tribe’s demand for ideological purity.
What does the river in the return symbolize?
The River. The river in this story represents the waters of life. At the start Kamau sees the greenery around it and remember the happier times before his imprisonment.
Is The River Between a true story?
The River Between is a 1965 novel by prolific Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o that was published as part of the influential African Writers Series….The River Between.
| First edition | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o |
| Media type | Print Paperback |
| Preceded by | Weep Not, Child |
| Followed by | A Grain of Wheat |
What type of novel is The River Between?
Novel
Fiction
The River Between/Genres
How does The River Between express the impact of colonialism in Kenya?
The River Between expresses the impact of colonialism through the novel’s central conflict and the suffering that culminates as a result of colonial oppression. This conflict is heightened through Waiyaki, the main protagonist, who becomes ambivalent about western culture after his education at the mission school.
What is the main idea of the poem Ngugi?
Ngugi evinces complicated views on human nature, suggesting that both unity and division can be sustaining and dangerous in various circumstances. The two ridges are unified by the river but at the same time divided by it; there is neutral ground but it is nearly impossible to occupy.
What is the conflict between Ngugi and Gikuyu?
The clash between the two villages is over the traditional Gikuyu belief system and the Christianity brought by colonial white settlers. The search for Ngugi’s opinion on Christian missions and Christianity can be seen through whom his protagonist and antagonists are and what they stand for.
How are Joshua and Ngugi different from each other?
Chug is passionate about the Gikuyu beliefs, but Joshua is more radical and threatening. This shows how the characters and what they represent are distinguished from each other. However, there is a difference between Ngugi showing anti-Christian motives and anti-Christianity in the villages.
What is the relationship between Ngugi and Christianity?
Ngugi opposes Christianity to be in the village, seeing the devastating effects it can have on the people, but gives no indication that he is anti-Christianity, as long as it is not imposed on his culture. This also leads to the belief that he does not approve of the civilizing missions which impose their religion on the areas that they colonize.
