The journey is very arduous and Joseph, a boy that Abdullah had taken in as his brother and who had worked in his shop, becomes ill. Development arrives in Ilmorog as the government begin to build the Trans-Africa road through the village, which brings an increase in trade. After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. The characters each have their own separate backstories, as well as motivations for leaving their cities, but as the novel goes on, they all begin to face the same struggles, chiefly of which would be the increasing amount of change, not all for the better, which is rippling all across Kenya. Finally, they are admitted to the house of a rich man, only to be rounded up and imprisoned in the building. The novel largely deals with the scepticism of change after Kenya's liberation from the British Empire, questioning to what extent free Kenya merely emulates, and subsequently perpetuates, the oppression found during its time as a colony. A minister turns them away, assuming they are beggars. Karega goes to see Wanja who both still have strong feelings for each other, but after disagreeing about how to live he leaves. Karega returns to Ilmorog, telling of his slow spiral into alcoholism before finally securing work in a factory. Munira and Wanja have a brief relationship, but Munira is married, and when Wanja discovers this, she is bitterly disappointed. Other themes include the challenges of capitalism, politics, and the effects of westernization. Small shopkeepers such as Abdulla have been wiped out, and the beautiful Wanja has become a brothel owner to service the decadent desires of the new rich. The author discussed the status of Kenya after independence through the characters of the novel. Karega arrives in Ilmorog to seek Munira to question him about their old school Syriana. Any subject. The next chapter moves back in the novel's timeline, focusing on Munira's move to Ilmorog, to begin work as a teacher. A multinational corporation owns the brewery, while the villagers are still poor; the wealth from the new Ilmorog is enjoyed by greedy investors from faraway Nairobi. Petals of Blood caused a stronger critical reaction than Ngugi's previous novels. [26] John Updike suggested that Ngugi's desire to permeate the plot with political ideas detracts from his writing. The book begins by describing the four main characters – Munira, Karega, Wanja, and Abdulla – just after the revelation that three prominent Kenyans, two businessmen and one educator, have been killed in a fire. (Munira) is the principal of the school belonging to the class belongs to tribal habits and behaviors, living double behavior and ideas and this behavior prompted him to move away from what is linked to the movement of the community daily, so the narrator reflected the life of a social segment is still swaying within the vision of the past and present. Her plan is to present Abdulla to them as her chosen partner. According to Patrick Williams, Ngugi was often criticized by detractors for "dragging politics into art. We provide you with original essay samples, perfect formatting and styling. Many people come to see the wreckage, and Wanja suggests they capitalize on this tourism by selling the Thang’eta drink in Abdulla’s bar. Set in Kenya just after independence, the story follows four characters – Munira, Abdulla, Wanja, and Karega – whose lives are intertwined due to the Mau Mau rebellion. Inspector Godfrey charges Munira with arson and Munira is imprisoned. Petals of Blood comes up in discussions about the most important African novels of the 20th century. This Study Guide consists of approximately 106 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Petals of Blood. we can write an original essay just for you. Through this novel, … In order to escape city life, each retreats to the small, pastoral village of Ilmorog. Farmers are forced to mark out their lands and mortgage them with loans linked to the success of their harvest; as the quality of the harvests waver, many are forced to sell their land, unable to match their loan repayments. The venerable hero of the Mau-Mau resistance is a ruined cripple in the free Kenya for which he had fought so hard, while the fat directors of the brewery enjoy a life of pleasure in exclusive country clubs. Because of this public activity has become a center of polarization of workers and movement and took political dimensions in this country, so did not receive this personality also a welcome and a place worthy of them. 4 pages at 400 words per page) View a FREE sample. In this novel, the Kenyan writer Nafuji Wathiongo adopts the conflict created by the post-independence political reality and the ensuing conflicts between the forces of the revolution and the people on the one hand and the beneficiary and climbing forces on the other. She is attractive, experienced barmaid whom Munira begins to fall in love with, despite the fact he is already married. He is initially met with suspicion and poor classroom attendance, as the villagers think he will give up on the village soon, in much the same way previous teachers have done. A villager named Nyakinyua brews a powerful traditional drink made from the Thang’eta plant. As a result, journalists and charity workers pour into Ilmorog. Munira and Mukami’s father forced her to leave Karega due to Karega’s brother’s involvement in the Mau Mau rebellion. God’s Divine Justice in Dante’s “Inferno”, Symbolism in Dante’s Inferno (Divine Comedy: Book 1), Essay on Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Ode to the West Wind”. In a religious fervour, he pours petrol on the brothel, sets it alight, and retreats to a hill to watch it burn. Schoolteacher Munira arrives in the pastoral village of Ilmorog, to take up a position at the village school. She too is escaping the city and begins to work for Abdullah, quickly reshaping his shop, and expanding its bar. This is the first time Munira hears the story. Education, schools, and the Mau Mau rebellion are also used to unite the characters, who share a common history with one another. Petals of Blood was well-received by critics, especially for the strong political themes that run through it discussing capitalism, Westernization, and education. However, Kenya’s complex circumstances, and the circumstances of the characters, have prevented it from considerations that have been subjected to a greater force. [17], The notion of land and fertilisation is often linked to Wanja, who is seen as the embodiment of these concepts. The first epigraph for ‘Part One’ of Petals of Blood is a biblical quote which speaks of how “a white horse…came forth conquering” and again of “a pale horse: and he that sat/ upon him, his name was Death…”21 These quotations from the Book of Revelations foreshadow the destruction which follows the colonization of Kenya by the Europeans, and how the Africans end up being oppressed by their … The novel is set in the aftermath of Kenyan independence. As with Ngugi's other works, many of the events depicted in the novel have their basis in historical and social fact. On the way, Joseph becomes very ill. As soon as the villagers arrive in Nairobi, they try to get help for Joseph. Thang'eta is another symbol of capitalism. She says, "I think we should go. To prevent this Wanja sells her business and buys Nyakinyua's land. The leader of the strike during Munira's tenure at Siriana was the charismatic and brilliant Chui. By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. Part One: Walking. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o. Ngugi also discusses Kenya's past, going as far back as 1896, when Kenya was "annexed" by the British. Upon arriving in Nairobi and speaking to their MP, the villagers realise that nothing will change, as he is little more than a demagogue. However, Munira sees Karega arrive and then leave again; in a fit of jealousy, he sets fire to the brothel. [19], Education is often depicted cynically in Petals of Blood. They find that he is an empty demagogue with no interest in their plight. [2] Ngugi was inspired to write the novel as a way of synthesizing the notion of a postcolonial nation, and a willingness to portray the agents of social change present in Kenya's change from British East Africa.
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