A Grain of Wheat (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Ngugi wa Thiong'o
- First Published: 1967
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Social realism
- Time of Work: Mid-twentieth century
- Setting: Kenya
- Genres: Long fiction, Social realism
- Subjects: 1950’s, Africa or Africans, Revolutionaries, Blacks, Colonies or colonization, Revolutions, England or English people, War, Farms, farmers, or farming, Great Britain
- Locales: Kenya
Characters Discussed
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,...
[The entire page is 918 words long]
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