Name:  Praful Ghareniya

Roll No: 20

Semester: 4

Paper: -14, : TheAfrican Literature

Topic:An issue of culture and language in A Grain of Wheat

Email Id:prafulghareniya@gmail.com

Submitted by: Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.Department of English.

A Grain of wheat is novel written by Kenyan novelist Ngugi Thiong’o

Published on 1967 as part of the influential Heinemann African writers series

the title was taken from the Gospel according to ST,John,

Ngugi’s uncensored political themes led to his exile from Kenya in 1982, he subsequently

lived and taught in Britain and America.

It is also discuss about to Europe and

the colonizers and culturally distanced from the majority of the people.

In his essay

Ngugi is giving to his opinion on the English language is not able and related to his African experience

Ngugi is say that every language is “a carrier of culture,”

when you are using to English language in their(African) work so automatically promote European culture over their own.

Example: Chaten Bhagat and Arvid Adiga

John Hawley notes that it is “the ‘linguae francae’ that have helped

establish a ‘global village 'have historically implied the subjugation of one community by another” in Africa. Similarly, Ngugi asserts that African writers using English represent “ the final triumph of a system of domination the dominated start singing its virtues” as a result, his vehement opposition to English takes on a nationalist and revolutionary outlook. that it is “the ‘linguae francae’ that have helped establish a ‘global village’have historically implied the subjugation of one community by another” in Africa. Similarly, Ngugi asserts that African writers using English represent “ the final triumph of a system of domination the dominated start singing its virtues” as a result, his vehement opposition to English takes on a nationalist and revolutionary outlook.

John McLeod's claim “use of the English language and the

literary form as the means to create a distinctly national representation.”

is a language with colonial associations?

yes it is language with colonial associations because

Ngugi’s choice on of language to keep it consistent with his view English is to note that A Grain of Wheat is a novel about betrayal

In the novel also explain on two character Mugo and Karanja,

The Revolutionary song of the movement.Gikuyu na Mumbi,Gikuyu na Mumbi ,Gikuyu na Mumbi,Nikihui ngwatiro.

We shall never restWithout land

Without Freedom true

Kenya is a country of black people.

The Revolutionary movement states

“ Let me first of all tell you that I never prayed to God.

I never believed in him. I believe in Gikuyu and Mumbi and in the

black people of this our country.”

Ngugi’s observation that language is a “ carrier of culture.” By discrediting

European language and culture in A Grain of Wheat