Ngugi Wa Thiong’o
Published in 1964, Weep Not, Child by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o tells the story of a young boy growing up during a period of civil unrest between British colonial authorities in Kenya and the indigenous population—a period of escalating tensions and the Mau Mau uprising. The events are seen through the eyes of a child.
As a young boy, Njoroge is full of hope and potential. His ambition is to obtain an education. With family support, he passes the required exams and is the first boy in his village to attend high school. He feels the weight of the village on his shoulders and dreams of his education as a means to better equip him to support his people. Meanwhile, the country suffers from escalating tensions between the indigenous population and the white government; harsh repercussions for workers striking for a living wage; increased brutality; killings; the Mau Mau uprising; disappearances; and torture.
The struggle is multi-faceted. It pits one family member against another. It is a struggle over land appropriated by the white colonists from the original owners. It is a struggle to control resources. It is between Kenyans co-opted by the colonial powers to fight against their own people. It is between Christianity and the indigenous belief systems. It is between those who believe Western education as the only weapon to achieve justice and those who take up arms against the oppressor. It is between those who have hope in the future and those who have lost all hope.
Njoroge is swept up in forces completely beyond his control. He witnesses the collapse of village ties and the disintegration of his family. His father is tortured to death; one brother is incarcerated; and the remaining brothers have been killed. His hopes of an education are dashed, and his one love rejects him. He changes from being a child full of hope and promise to young adult full of despair. The outcome is bleak.
Told in simple, almost rhythmic language, Weep Not, Child is a complex, multi-layered exploration of the deleterious impact of colonialism on every aspect of the lives of the indigenous population. It also shows how the colonizer becomes increasingly brutalized in a desperate attempt to hold on to what he deems is rightly his. For a short, quick read, the novel packs a powerful punch.
Recommended.