NGUGI WA THIONG’O’S FIGHT AGAINST COLONIALISM AND NEO-COLONIALISM IN THE TRIAL OF DEDAN KIMATHI AND THE BLACK HERMIT
ABSTRACT
This research work explores on a Fight Against Colonialism and Neo-Colonialism in Ngugi’s the Trial of DedanKimathi and The Black Hermit. Based on the analysis of the two novels as portrays by the author, colonialism and Neo-Colonialism has done more harm than good to the people of Kenya because it is the cause of the socio-economic crisis and the socio-political problems in Kenya. From the opinion of critics on the review of related literature, the study has shown that colonialism and Neo-Colonial is the cause of racial tension, political conflicts which the native of Kenya have suffered for over the years. From the findings, the researcher recommends that Ngugi’s novels should be taught in all the various schools in Africa as well as the African societies at large for them to see the evil of colonialism and Neo-Colonialism and to eradicate it for the betterment of African societies.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Literature does not grow or
develop in a vacuum. It is a given impetus, shapes, direction and even area of
concern by social, political and economic forces in a particular society. The
relationship between creative literature and these offers forces that cannot be
ignored, especially in Africa, where modern literature has grown against the
gory background of European imperialism and its changing manifestation:
slavery, Colonialism, and Neo-colonialism. Our culture over the last hundred
years has developed against the same shunting, dwarfing background of
European’s people.
There
is no area of our lives which has not been affected by the social, political
and expansionist needs of European capitalism; from that of the reluctant
African, driven by whips and gun powder to work on the cotton plantation of
American. The rubber plantations of the Congo, the gold and diamond mines of
southern Africa, to that of the modern African workers spending his meager hard
earned income to imported cars and other
goods (razor blades and coca cola) to bolster the same western
industries that got off the ground on the backs of his peasant ancestors and on
the plunder of a continent.
The
concerns to which NgugiWaThiong’o gives his attention in the early period were
numerous, he responded to most issues of topical public interest.
However,
viewed in the historical perspective, his looks recorded the beginning of
coherent body of reformist thought which in later years veered considerably
further to the left. They reflect the conciliatory humanist–maralist
orientation which dominated Ngugi’s mood at the time their common themes was to
urge justice and fair play in human affairs. Ngugi wrote to urge the African to
lift themselves above colonialism.
In
his novel, “The Trail of DedanKmathi” the
pre-colonial war of resistance against European intrusion and European slavery,
through the anti-colonial struggle for democracy, to post-independence struggle
against neo-colonialism. The focus of this play is on the peasant and workers
Struggles before and after Constitutional Independence. The play “is not a reproduction
of the farcical trial“ atNyeri. It is rather an imaginative recreation and interpretation
of the collective will of the Kenya peasants and workers in their resistance to
six years of Colonial torture and ruthless Oppression by The British Ruling
Classes and their continues determination to resist exploitation, Oppression,
Discrimination, Colonialism and Neo-colonialism.
1.2
Statements
of the Problem
After
the First World War, the number of white settler in Kenya increased rapidly,
because many of the demobilized Britain solders came to settle there. The fertile
lower lands of central Kenya came to be the greatest attraction for the white
settlers they took over these lands from the indigenous Kenya’s farm owners and
make them to suffer indiscriminately. The white drove the native of Kenya from
the land and still employed them as labourers on their own farms. The native
farmers who form the large part of the African population came to realize that
they were not better than slaves on their own land.Consequently, the above
mentioned problems motivated the researcher to research on the topic –Fight
Against Colonialism and Neo-colonialism in Ngugi’sThe Trail of DedanKimathiand The Black Hermit.
1.3Purpose of the Study.
The
purpose of this study is to investigate NgugiWaThiong’o’sFight Against
Colonialism and Neo-colonialism in The
Trail of DedanKimathiand The BlackHermit.The studywill also discuss the
contribution of NgugiWaThiong’o’sfight to the struggle of East African towards
liberating and fighting for their lost of rights during and after colonialism.
1.4 Significant of the Study.
The
study will be significant to students of English, lover of fiction, and other
good researchers on the problem that played NgugiWaThiong’oover fighting for
the people’s rights as a matter of colonialism and neo-colonialism by the
Europeans.
1.5 Research Methodology
This
research work will be approached mainly on NgugiWaThiong’o’snovels, The Trial of DedanKimathiand The Black
Hermit. The researcher will also add
up materials from other writers, internet source and magazine for more
relevance information on the fighting against colonialism and neo-colonialism
in East African (Kenya).
1.6
Scope
of the Study.
The
scope of this research however, will covers mainly on, The Trail of DedanKimathiand The Black Hermit, regarding critical
analysis of the two novels by NgugiWaThiong’o as well as other African writers
based on Ngugi’sperception.
1.7
Bio-Data
of the Author
NgugiWaThiong’o’
was born at Limuru Kenya, East Africa on 5th January, 1938. He was
born of parent who came from Kikuyu Eribe, a dominant EribeinKenya. His father
was a peasant farmer. His mother was one of the many wives his father married.
He first went to school about 1946 to 1947. He started learning English in
school four to five years later. That was when he was about the age of thirteen.
He attended secondary school in Kenya. After his secondary education in kenya,
he entered the Makerere University, he worked for some months as a journalist
with the Daily Nation Newspaper in Nairobi, the capital of University of Leeds,
where he studied for a higher degree, sponsored by the British Council. He read
literature for his higher degree. In recent time, he had problems and threats
from his home government in Kenya, because some of his looks have roused his
peoples against social injustice perpetrated by their own leadersin post –
dependent Kenya. NgugiWaThiong’o’spublished works include the following .Weep
not Child (1962), the River Between (1964), a Grain of Wheat (1967), Petals of
Blood (1977) and Devil on the Cross (1980). Dramainclude, the Black Hermit
(1968), this time tomorrow (1970) and The Trail of DedanKimathi(1976).
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