is especially evident in the mocking tone of the parenthetical remark, ‘‘(brick, mind you)’’; the emphasis on the word "brick" highlights how much Mrs. Hill prides herself on being exceptionally generous to her African workers. When Njoroge reflects with disdain on the inadequacy of his "brick" dwelling to shelter his family, the sarcasm of this earlier comment becomes even more apparent. Thus, the narrator, while not a character within the story, aligns with the perspective of Njoroge and other Africans—using sarcasm to ridicule and criticize the racist behavior of the white settlers towards the Africans.

Setting

Though the story doesn't explicitly mention the location, readers familiar with Ngugi's background can deduce that it takes place in Kenya during a period of rebellion by the Kikuyu people against the exploitation by white plantation owners. This context is crucial because the Kikuyu were the first African group in Kenya to organize a resistance against colonialism, starting in the 1920s and 1930s. Their primary concern was the European ownership of land that rightfully belonged to them, and they were also the main labor force on these plantations. Njoroge remembers that his father was killed for his involvement in the Kikuyu's "struggle" against the colonists: "He had died in the struggle—the struggle to rebuild the destroyed shrines. That was at the famous 1923 Nairobi Massacre when police fired on people peacefully demonstrating for their rights." The story also directly addresses the colonists' theft of Kikuyu land. Njoroge recalls, "A big portion of the land now occupied by Mrs. Hill was the land his father had shown him as belonging to the family. They had found the land occupied when his father and some of the others had temporarily retired to Muranga owing to famine." Thus, while the characters are fictional, the historical and cultural context is rooted in real events and conditions experienced by the Kikuyu people.

Christian Iconography

Indirect references to Christian iconography are integral to the story's symbolic meaning. Although Ngugi later renounced Christianity, he was initially educated in missionary schools, and this influence is evident in the Christian references and symbolism in many of his works. In this story, the "martyr" in the title alludes to Christ as a martyr. Njoroge is symbolically portrayed as a Christ figure. His choice to save, rather than kill, Mrs. Hill can be seen as an act of Christian charity. Njoroge's subsequent death at the hands of Mrs. Hill makes him a martyr for the Kikuyu cause against the colonists. The narrator underscores Njoroge's symbolic role as a Christ figure by stating that Mrs. Hill "did not know that she had in fact killed her savior." The use of the word "savior" to describe Njoroge clearly links him to the image of Christ as a savior.

Literary Heritage

Kenya boasts a striking diversity, both in its landscape and cultural composition. The country's terrain includes tropical coastlines, largely uninhabited desert regions, and lush highlands bordered by Africa's two tallest mountains. Although nearly ninety-nine percent of the population consists of black Africans, there are significant ethnic and linguistic divisions, resulting in more than forty distinct ethnic groups. The Gikuyu, to which Ngugi belongs, is the largest group, comprising twenty percent of Kenya's 32 million people. Other major ethnic groups include the Kalenjin, Kamba, Luhya, and Luo, each identifiable by their unique languages or dialects. The remaining one percent of the population consists of East Indians, Europeans, and Arabs. Many Kenyans bridge language gaps by using Swahili, the national language, or English, the official language.

Kenyan traditional literary forms are predominantly oral. Oral narratives, dramas, riddles, histories, myths, songs, proverbs, and other expressions serve to educate, entertain, and remind communities of their ancestors' heroic deeds, history, and cultural practices. Folktale tellers often employ call-response techniques, combining narrative with music. In Ngugi's Petals of Blood, Nyakinyua preserves cultural heritage as the village bard, telling stories and leading songs. During the circumcision ceremony, she sings a clever, ribald song with Nguguna, contrasting with the crude verses sung by Chui and his modern friends. Ngugi's use of multiple viewpoints and storytelling in the novel reflects his nod to traditional oral literary practices. In a 1980 essay, Ngugi noted that while the African novel adopts a borrowed form, it owes a significant narrative debt to native oral traditions. His 1977 play, I Will Marry When I Want, which led to his arrest, was particularly provocative because it used songs to underscore its messages. The play resonated with Gikuyu-speaking audiences due to its use of traditional literary techniques. After his imprisonment, Ngugi decided to write in his native Gikuyu to more effectively reach the peasant and working-class people of Kenya.

Early 20th Century: Kenya remains a British Protectorate until 1963.

Late 20th Century: Following 1963, Kenya emerges as an independent and democratic republic.

1960s and 1970s: During the 1970s, when Ngugi's short story ‘‘The Martyr’’ is initially published, Jomo Kenyatta serves as Kenya's president.

1980s and 1990s: After Kenyatta's passing in 1978, Daniel arap Moi assumes the presidency of Kenya.

1960s and 1970s: At the time of the first publication of Ngugi's story ‘‘The Martyr,’’ he resides and works in Kenya, where his books are actively sold and read.

1980s and 1990s: Due to political repression, Ngugi is forced into exile from Kenya, where his works face a ban.

Early 20th Century: A typical Kikuyu man's homestead includes a hedge or stockade and separate huts for each wife.

Late 20th Century: Starting in 1952, the Mau-Mau Rebellion leads to many Kikuyu being displaced by government forces. The subsequent village settlements and land consolidations offer economic benefits to the Kikuyu, which are often preserved even after the emergency concludes.

Sources

Cantalupe, Charles, ed., Ngugi wa Thiong'o: Texts and Contexts, Africa World Press, 1995, p. x.

, The World of Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Africa World Press, 1995, p. 5.

Clarke, John Henrik, "Introduction," in Homecoming: Essays on African and Caribbean Literature, Culture and Politics, by Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Lawrence Hill, 1972, p. viii.

Killam, G. D., An Introduction to the Writings of Ngugi, Heinemann, 1980, pp. 5, 17, 73-6, 78-9.

Njogu, Kimani, ‘‘Living Secretly and Spinning Tales: Ngugi's 'Secret Lives and Other Stories,'’’ in Ngugi wa Thiong'o: Texts and Contexts, Africa World Press, 1995, p. 340.

Further Reading

Booker, M. Keith, The African Novel in English, Heinemann.
This book features the chapter, ‘‘A Brief Historical Survey of the African Novel,’’ along with discussions on Ngugi's Devil on the Cross and works by Chinua Achebe, Ama Ata Aidoo, and Nadine Gordimer.

Jussawalla, Feroza, and Reed Way Dasenbrock, eds., Interviews with Writers of the Post-Colonial World, University Press of Mississippi, 1992.
This collection includes interviews with notable writers such as Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Chinua Achebe, Anita Desai, and Sandra Cisneros.

Larson, Charles R., ed., Under African Skies: Modern African Stories, Farrar, Straus, 1997.
A compilation of short stories from various African authors. Features "A Meeting in the Dark" by Ngugi wa Thiong'o.