Character analysis in A Grain of Wheat.

• Prepared by:  KAVITABA P. GOHIL
• Roll No: 19
• Paper – 14: The African literature.
• M.A (English)   :  Sem -4
• Enrollment No: 2069108420180018
• Batch: 2017-19
• Email: kavitabaprahaladsinhjigohil@gmail.com
• Submitted to: Smt. S. B.  Gardi,  Department of English,MKBU. 
• Topic: Character analysis in A Grain of Wheat.
• Total words: 2277.
• Plagiarism in percentage:____%

Intro:

A Grain of Wheat is portrayed to be Ngugi’s greatest accomplishment. According to another noble novelist, this book is “an encouragement to humans to assume a broad-minded viewpoint on man's wrongdoing”.  Based on Cook’s analysis on a grain of wheat, the book is endowed with two key themes; which are related to “private responsibility and public responsibility”.Furthermore, he acclaimed this work of art to be Ngugi’s most determined, impressive and fruitful narrative. Palmer, claims that Ngugi didn’t only reflect on the wrong doings of the white folks but also the wrong doings and wicked minds of the native people. According to Robson, betrayal is the core theme of the novel. Two major authors also share the same view concerning the outcome of this book, cook and okenimkpe asserts that Ngugi’s novel is a “heroic corporate effort towards a evenhanded society and betrayal; Individual’s betrayals are representative of the vast betrayal of the whole society by its power elite”.

Ngugi pictured in this work of act what happens when countries are about to get independence or be independent, he also tried to bring out the wickedness of the kikoyo people, in the sense that he scholarly explained that when people are trying to get independence, people are also there to attain personal benefits. This story follows the life of an orphan named Mugo, who was basically nurtured by his dreadful aunt, known as Waitherero. Mugo’s aunt was said to be a married woman, who is widowed and had six children, daughters to be precise. The unfortunate fact that existed between waitherero and her children is that they didn’t care about her because she is a drunk. Occasionally when she gets drunk, she pores all her frustration on mugo who lives with her.  Furthermore, she repeated to mugo “Female slime, she would say, exposing her toothless gums; she would fix Mugo with a fierce glance, as if he and God had conspired against her. “They don’t even come to see me – Do you laugh, you – what’s your penis worth? Oh god, see what an ungrateful wretch is left on my hands”(Ngugi, 6). One other disgusting and inhuman action portrayed by waitherero whenever she got drunk is, she pukes on the floor in large quantity, thus letting mugo to clear her spew off the floor. That is not enough, she further accuse mugo of being a thief and calls him varieties of unpleasant names. This ill treatment portrayed by waitherero, left mugo with a psychological defect. Furthermore, occasionally when mugo’s aunt is drunk, she sends him out of the house, therefore leaving mugo nowhere to sleep at night, then he thinks of the animals in the farm and he spends the night sleeping very close to the goats to get warmth. This experience left mugo with no other choice than to have the urge of strangling waitheroro but he had to control himself.

Coincidentally, mugo was present in the meeting and was sickened by the words coming out of kihika’s mouth; he felt that kihika who is full of love as a result of his inseparable background would not comprehend. “He could not clap for words that did not touch him. What right had such a boy, probably younger than Mugo, to talk like that? What arrogance? Kihika had spoken of blood as easily as if he was talking of drawing water in a river, Mugo reflected, a revulsion starting in his stomach at the sight and smell of blood. I hate him, he heard himself say and frightened”, and in other words mugo said to kiyika because you had everything when growing up that is why you could speak so callously. Mugo’s action wasn’t based on mistrustfulness but of the fact he felt threatened, he felt he had lost his security and incidentally he lost his security because kihika was going to kill inspector Robson while he was still in the hut (house), note that mugo had given kihika shelter before he committed the murder. After kihika had committed the murder, he told mugo and mugo became very scared that the government was going to kill him for sheltering a fugitive. Kihika confided in mugo, as a brother unknown to him that mugo will betray him. Mugo’s action had a harsh effect on kihika and the people of kikoyo, because of the turmoil of the country that is crying, furthermore, mother will give up son and brother will give up sister as long as independence is attained. Similar of the past life of mugo, the author portrayed another character known Gikonyo.

In this great work of art, approximately all the main characters were made to betray people directly and indirectly. As earlier mentioned in this very detailed analysis of Ngugi’s book “A grain of wheat” the author using the flashback methodology presented most of the betrayal actions. Betrayal is defined as the process of exposing one’s country, a person or group to danger by treacherously giving out information to the enemy; furthermore, betrayal can be attributed to the psychoanalytic literary approach. Which conditions the effect a circumstances will have on an individual’s way of reasoning. Evidently, Ngugi made use of the exploded chronology, whereby he allowed the readers feel sympathy for the characters that are involved or in the middle of the whole betrayal scene, thus not being hasty to justify them.

Character analysis:

 Mumbi

Before we start to elaborate this topic I have one question in my mind and with the help of that question we can elaborate this topic very well. And that question is, Women should not be looked down on as they can play important roles in the society. Example Mumbi, Wami and Wambui were talking about the duties they have as contribution to the building of the nation.

Mumbi is a beautiful, strong woman who grew up in Thabai. She is Kihika’s sister, and Gikonyo’s wife. She looked after her family during the State of Emergency, which shows she is caring and responsible. She is also compassionate and does not want to take revenge for her brother’s death. Mumbi is one of the central and main female character of this novel. In the novel Mumbi can be described as a beautiful and very influential figure for example,

“Her eyes were soft and submissive and defiant”

Mumbi with her beauty and natural charisma she is used to link all the important themes, ideas, characters and even some of the symbols of the novel. Ngugi makes use of a number of different themes to convey his ideologies, it is in these themes that the reader come across the specific characteristics of Mumbi and can really come to terms with the novel from a female point of view.

Mumbi, is the wife of Gikonyo and the sister of Kihika. Mumbi has baby with another man namely Karanja, while her husband was in a concentration camp. While Gikonyo was imprisoned she slept with Karanja, who had been appointed village chief by the Colonial power. Mumbi is one of the significant part of the novel. She is the sister of Kihika. Kihika is the considered the leader of the people and leads the movement with Kihika being like this Ngugi brings Mumbi into the novel with a jumpstart on the other characters.

In the novel "A Grain of Wheat" the character of Mumbi can be described as a beautiful and very influential figure for example "her eyes were soft and submissive and defiant". With her beauty and natural charisma she is used to link all the important themes, ideas, characters and even some of the symbols of the novel. Ngugi makes use of a number of different themes to convey his ideologies, it is in these themes that the reader come across the specific characteristics of Mumbi and can really come to terms with the novel from a female point of view. Mumbi is the only central character in the novel that is female. This fact is a message from Ngugi to the reader telling them that Mumbi is to be a significant part of the novel. She is also Kihika's sister.  In Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s opinion, the power of women in the community is very important. Mumbi and other women in the novel are often shown to be strong. In the novel A Grain of Wheat centres around the female character Mumbi who is the connecting thread with the other characters. It shows that how the female character was treated in the colonial society. In the entire novel this character played very vital role which is connecting with each other. Mumbi’s character explains the situation of the African society and the history of Kenya through the myth of Gikuyu and Mumbi. Mumbi is the connecting thread with other characters in the novel A Grain of wheat.

Karanja:

He is young man and a friend of Kihika. Kihika was also in love with Mumbi. When Mumbi marries to Gikonyo he feels that he became alone in the village and there everything has been ended without Mumbi. He mostly focuses on his sorrows and desire for Mumbi. There he takes an oath that with his friends for the movement but he was in favor of Britishers and he joins their governance and becomes one of the guards. Karanja rises as a chief of the area.

Meanwhile Karanja invites Mumbi to his office once and tells her that her husband is going to come soon. Because of weakness unfortunately Mumbi allows sex with Karanja but at a time she regrets and Karanja doesn’t get fulfillment of his love with Mumbi. Then Karanja leaves working at the library in Githima, where he is little more than toy. The White men don’t have respect for him and black people hate Karanja. He becomes a man without the world. Mugo saves Karanja from almost certain death by his confession.

Warui

A wise elder of the village who was active in freedom movement in prior decades and is now preparing for the Uhuru celebrations. He encourages Mugo to speak, and later serves on his trial after he confesses.

Mugo

Mugo (MEW-goh), a farmer, reared by his drunken aunt. He has always felt himself to be an outsider. Naturally self-protective because he is alone in the world, he fears those involved in the revolutionary movement (Mau Mau) that seeks to overthrow the British rulers. He is especially envious of one of his peers, Kihika, who speaks in favor of independence. He also yearns to sacrifice himself for a larger purpose. When he intervenes to stop a pregnant woman from being beaten by a British policeman, he is imprisoned. His silence makes him appear mysterious, and rumors abound regarding his heroic defiance in jail. The villagers claim him as a local hero and are stunned when he finally admits having betrayed Kihika. Wambui and General R. execute him.

Wambui

A woman in the village who looks older than she is. She carried secrets from villages during the Emergency and became famous for staving off a police search of her person. After Uhuru, though, she seems demoralized.

John Thompson

The DO at Githima, Thompson was once destined for an illustrious career, but the hunger strike and violence led by Mugo at Rira ruined his fortunes. He now oversees Githima and lives with his wife Margery, although their relationship is fraught. He is preparing to return to Britain because he does not want to remain when in Githima blacks are in power.

Gikonyo

A member of the Mau Mau and husband of Mumbi, he spends years in a detention camp dreaming of returning to her. He is bitter and disillusioned when he comes back and finds she has a child by another man. He throws himself into work and becomes wealthy; he is a model for people in the village. He is injured in the Uhuru celebration, but this allows him to start working on his attitude toward Mumbi.

General R

A military man (he served in WWII) whose goals are to get Mugo to speak at Uhuru and to punish Kihika's betrayer. He is stern and quiet and does not boast or get involved in politics. When he was young he had a tyrannical father whom he wanted to kill, and was distressed when his mother stood up for his father even though he beat her. He arrests Mugo and takes him to trial after Mugo confesses.

Conclusion:

A Grain of Wheat is a great advance in Ngugi’s development as a novelist, and this appears in the interrelated betrayals and their consequent effect on Ngugi's five characters. The latter had been involved in the events that led to Uhuru, and were slaves to the memories of their own personal inadequacies. Mugo becomes an outsider fraught with guilt, confusion, and a great remorse. Giconyo, despite Mumbi’s betrayal, he is able to forgive her, and reconsider their relationship. Whereas, Karanja decides to go to live in Githima in order to escape his punishment for his betrayal on the Uhuru Day. By so doing, Karanja is another voice in the dark that may be as catalyst to the hail hay of Khabai people.

Reference

1.    A Journal by Blida Department of English Series Vol. 3, Derider Publication, United Kingdom, 2009

2.    A Grain of Wheat, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o,  Heinemann Education, 1978