'“A Grain of Wheat” by Ngugi wa Thiong’o Essay\r'

'The conceit that relinquish is required earlier Kenya attains true nationhood, is one of a range of ideas †others creation possess, traitorousness, heroism and forgiveness †in the novel â€Å"A caryopsis of Wheat”, by Ngugi wa Thiong’o. It is conveyed by dint of and through the words and actions of many characters (especially Kihika, Mugo and to a lesser purpose Gikonyo), rather than through the author telling us, since the write up is that of a third person. Ngugi explains that gift is needed for the great good of the nation, and of the peck. The author insists that all members of a fraternity must individually and collectively accept responsibility for its growth and well-being.\r\nThe person in the novel, who epitomises the theme of collapse, is Kihika, the old leader of the motion. Kihika is, for better or worse, the leader most(prenominal) associated with the Christian qualities including sacrifice. Although at first he provided think s of himself as a saint and a leader, he later talks, and is talked about, in clearly Christ-like terms. General R, for example, refers to Kihika’s death, as a â€Å"crucifixion”. Kihika believes in sacrifice for the greater good of national liberation, and regards it as Christ-like. This is emphasized when Kihika says, â€Å"I die for you, you die for, we become a sacrifice for one another.”\r\nNgugi wa Thiong’o withal uses the character of Mugo to present and convey the theme of sacrifice, through his death and stagal of Kihika. Initially, the villagers of Thabai ask Mugo to lead the Uhuru celebrations, in recognition of what they take to be his â€Å"heroic sacrifice”, by housing Kihika â€Å"without fear”. This in feature is false, when Mugo was the one â€Å"that betrayed the black people everywhere on the earth”.\r\nFurthermore when Kihika at a Movement meeting in Rung’ei, calls for sacrifice upon compreh curiosity â €Å"the call of a nation in fervor”, Mugo sits in disgust and thinks to himself â€Å"he could not clack valve for words that did not touch him”. This shows that Mugo is not unforced to sacrifice himself for the greater good of Kenya, unlike Kihika. Mugo at the end of the novel opens his heart and repents, and his act of betrayal be ritually cleansed from the earth by his sacrificial death.\r\nTwo more characters that the author uses to convey sacrifice in the book are Gikonyo and Githua. Gikonyo betrays and sacrifices his loyalty to the Movement, by confessing to the oath in the detention camp. He does this, in order to secure a quick exit from the camp, and re-unite with Mumbi and continue their marriage. But this does not occur, as Mumbi betrays Gikonyo, by making love to Karanja the day that she knew that Gikonyo was coming back. Githua represents the ad hominem effects on individuals of British rule, he says his left(p) pegleg was amputated because of Briti sh bullets (though doubt is cast on this later †it is said he lost his leg in a lorry smash). Ginthua emphasises his sacrifice for his people and doesn’t recognize any benefits from the struggle because of personalized misfortune.\r\nThe individual dramas become more prominent as the narrative progresses, entirely the rebellion is its point of reference. Mugo, Gikonyo, and Karanja betray the cause of freedom in their different ways, but they also betray themselves, as does Mumbi. Through the guilty conscience they suffer, they arrive at a point of mind and self-knowledge, and so in the end, the novel offers a first step of sacrifice, regeneration and birth. The connection between sacrifice and birth is first suggested by the title of the novel, which is explained by the credit entry from Corinthian’s at the start of the novel.\r\nThe unveiling of the theme of sacrifice in â€Å"A Grain of Wheat” is put across through a variety of individuals. Kihikaà ¢â‚¬â„¢s selfless sacrifice depicts this article of faith that the unity of the black people is imperative for the republic to move forward. Mugo’s deed of treachery as well as his demise at the end of the book also helps putting across the idea of sacrifice in the novel.\r\n'