1.We are going home
The story is about Esther, a girl who dies while carrying out an abortion of her unwanted
baby. The father of the baby has abandoned Esther after learning of the pregnancy.
Esther's father is angry and bitter, while Kibunja is haunted by accusing eyes that seem to
be staring at him.
The writer introduces a gloomy and desolate (very sac atmosphere in the first 3
paragraphs. The church is “old and desolate” the village is “old and lonely”. The church
and the huts are in a state of disrepair. “All round, the dust lay and tufts of parched grass
appeared here and there”. “The heat of the sun fell heavy on the land”.
This creates a depressing situation appropriate for any funeral, especially when
considering the circumstance that led to her death, and the manner in which she dies.
Kibunja is a haunted man and hence wants to be the last to enter the church since he fears
being noticed. As he enters the church, his appearance causes a stir among the
congregation who stares at him.
He is not willing to meet their eyes and his uneasiness is made worse when he finds
himself seated next to a girl who accusingly asks him why he has come late to church.
At the funeral service he bows his head in “feigned prayer”. This puts him as out of place
since he is not used to saying prayers.
Inside the church, the atmosphere is gloomy. The church is neglected as the walls have
changed colour due to the dirt and dust that have self on the walls. A contrast is created to
show how far the preaches are removed from the congregation.
The front part of the church is different the floor is made of stone unlike the rest of the
floor which is earthen, there is order and cleanliness and a table covered with a beautiful
fine linen cloth.
The detachment is also evident in the way the clergyman acts as he gives the message for
the day. “His lips moved mechanically and the voice betrayed false emotion”. The priest
is putting on an act that he is grieved. The clergyman tells the congregation that death
open the door to eternal rest i.e home. Since everybody will die “we are going home”
eventually. The parents and friends talk well of the deceased which is typical in funerals.
Kibunja's physical discomfort shows the inner suffering he is going through.
The writer criticizes hypocrisy and immorality in society. Esther, Christian, as her name
suggests dies while carrying out an abortion of her unwanted baby. It is also ironical that
as a student nurse Esther should protect and not destroy life. Kibunja's irresponsibility is
evident when he abandons his girlfriend and the unborn baby. The author condemns
immorality. Esther pays for her immorality with her life. While the guilty conscience
which taunts Kibunja suggests that his careless altitude towards sex and his immorality
has led to a great deal of misery. Kibunja is a haunted man who wishes to be the last to
enter the church since he tears being noticed. Unfortunately, he has no escape and as he
enters his appearance causes a stir among the congregation who stare at him. The writer
describes the church, the village and uses nature to create a depressing situation
appropriate for any funeral especially when we consider the circumstances that led to
Esther death, and the manner in which she dies. The church is described as “old and
desolate” and the village as “old and lonely”. The church and the huts are said to be in a
state of disrepair. The heat of the sun is seen to fall heavy on the land. The writer
highlights issues of religion, immorality, guilt, alienation, death, loss, home and escapism
Hypocrisy in churches is depicted in the congregation Esther, a Christian as her name
suggests, dies while carrying out an abortion,. It is hence ironical the preacher should talk
of Esther receiving a reward in heaven. The preacher does not seem to believe in what he
is preaching as he speaks. “Mechanically and his voice betrayed false emotion” death
may be viewed from a literal and metaphorical plane.. it is through Esther's death that the
writer explores the themes of loss immorality, guilt and religion
Irresponsible sexual behaviour among the youth leads to unwanted pregnancies and
consequent deaths. Kibunja who is responsible for Esther's unwanted pregnancy neglects
the responsibility of a father and has to suffer the consequences the guilt that haunts him.
Hence, he attempts to alienate himself from society e.g. the church, burial cite.
Through death Esther's father loses a daughter he loves. The writer explores the
devastating effect of death. Esther's father takes to drinking and hence neglects his
Christian beliefs and values . The issues of Christianity are questioned, whether people
live up to what they confess. Through the preacher, the writer depicts Christian values and
beliefs. This contradicts what the Christians' practice, the preacher included. Death is
viewed as a passage to eternal life for believer. This alludes to virtuous living for
Christians since the good care rewarded with eternal life. The writer uses description and
contrast to explore the themes of alienation. The church is built on a hill while the village
is in a depression. This suggests how the villagers are detached from the church and
Christian values which symbolically imply their alienation from the teacher of the church
and virtues that are propagated by Christian teachings. e.g. Esther, her father and Kibunja.
The contrast between the pulpit and the back indicates preachers alienation from the
congregation hence his preaching is not effective.
The walls of the church which were originally white purity have turned black – a symbol
of voices.
The neglect e.g. the church symbolizes the Christians neglect of their responsibility ie
moral responsibility. The preacher is completely detached from what he preaches and just
goes through the sermons mechanically other examples of alienation.
'Kibunja alienated from society Esther's father from the other Christians, Christian values and from his family – spends time in the bar. Hypocrisy is criticized.
The preacher is hypocritical. Is detached from what he preaches and talks of Esther
receiving a reward in heaven. Esther a Christian carries out an abortion. Kibunja feigns he
is praying. The congregation accepts/condones lying in church Esther's father wants the
congregation to view Esther's death as an act of God.
The congregation hinders at the inappropriateness of the words but chooses to keep quiet.
2.The stranger
The writer presents a deaf acute who is a “stranger” in the land to criticize immorality in
society. He portrays a reverend who fails to live up to the expected moral standards that
befit a man of God. The deaf mute symbolizes moral living, a person who hears and
speaks no evil. The fact that he is a stranger could also symbolize a person who is
different from the rest of the people. The stranger needs no ones permission to settle in the
village. He pitches his tent in the narrator's village and goes about his business of shoe-
mending without seeking anyone's permission. He does not even consult Rev. Kanyua on
whose land he has encroached. The writer seems to make a statement that one does not
need anyone's permission to do what is morally right. The cobbler is in the village to help
a society that is blinded by vices. He does not only mend people's shoes but also their
soles. The badly worn out shoes makes him sympathize with the unreasonable and lop-
sided approach to the roads of life.
The stranger is a symbol of (conscience) person's awareness of right and wrong). When he
lands his eyes on the headman's big boats and stakes his head. All the people around
becomes aware of the headman's worn out boots. This makes the headman self- conscious
because of his short-comings, his imperfection.
The stranger also symbolizes rebellion or defiance against colonialism. This is evident
when he confronts the headman and fights the guards. In this instance the stranger
symbolizes hope. He is a source of inspiration in the struggle against colonialism. The
villagers are happy that the stranger manages to fight the headman and his guards showing
that they identity with him. The stranger comes back to the village even after his nasty
encounter and arrest. He refuses to polish a white man's shoes which could have been
taken as a privilege by someone else. The stranger could not be pinned down to a label
either of tribe or origin. He does not posses an identity card like all other adults in the
village. Hence, the stranger has not been dehumanized by a colonial system that has
reduced people to mere labels. An identity card symbolizes lack of freedom and cruelty of
a colonial government that has damaged people the right of movement. The colonial
government has instilled so much fear in people that although they would have wished to
throw away the identity cards they would not dare do so. The stranger's defiance of the
colonial rule is further evident when the refuses to get the government sign but instead puts
the signs of the cross on his door. Through the Reverend's encounter with the stranger we
get an insight of the Reverend's character. The Reverend is the exact opposite of what is
expected of a man of God. He is a nasty, self-righteous man who does not take time to
weigh or understand a situation that demands patience and understanding. It is ironical
that Reverend who is expected to show love, understanding, care and consideration
towards the vulnerable in society turns out to be ruthless, cruel, mean and selfish. The
Reverend's ability to make rational and moral judgments is marred by selfishness. His
major concern is to evict a stranger who has encroached in his plot. Consequently, his
nasty and wrong judgments that the stranger must be evil. The Reverend's failureto look
at the issue objectively, open mindedly and with a purity of mind denies him the chance to
discover that the cobbler is deaf and mute. The Reverend's behaviour is ridiculed and his
folly heightened by the fact that it takes a young child (the narrator) to discover the shoe
maker's disability. Probably because of his clear conscience, innocence and purity of
mind. The child observes the old man without any hidden motive and hence makes the
correct judgment. The stranger's persistent defiance symbolizes his unshakeable fighting
spirit. The fact that he is dumb could symbolize his unwillingness to compromise with the colonial government.
3.Headman
The headman symbolizes oppression or the colonizers oppressive regime. He orders the
villagers to vacate their homes and claims to be speaking on behalf of the D.O and the PC
justice and order and on her majesty’s government. He carries out the orders and desires of
the colonizer. The Headman is used by the colonial government to intimidate the villagers
to give up the struggle. Hence, he drops leaflets and threatens the villagers with martial
law should they act against the colonial regime. The Headman sets out to go and burn the
stranger's hut when he comes back to the village the second time because he feels it could
be used for oath-taking. He represents the collaborators who are over-zealous in serving
the colonial regime. The headman represents people who have been brainwashed by the
colonizer. He repeatedly talks of “my friend D.O Robinson” with an aim of creating the impression that they are equals. He symbolizes those dehumanized by the colonial régime. The headman has lost an identity and only considers himself important or of self-worth by associating himself with the colonizer. His brutality ie use of excessive force on the villagers and the stranger depicts a person who has lost the feelings of a human being. He allows himself to be used by the colonial government and fails to realize that the colonial regime does not value him e .g. this is evident when he is kicked and slapped by the D.O. the headman represents those who have been morally corrupted by an evil colonial system. He tickles the breasts of the deserted wives and attempts to blackmail the narrator's father into releasing his daughter Wangechi to Reverend Kinyua. He also symbolizes the greedy and the materialistic i.e those who benefit materially from the colonial government e.g. when with the Reverend in the Helicopter, he's busy surveying the farm with most cattle. He steals eggs and
chicken using D.O Robinson's name, the colonial government oppresses the villages
through the headman and the home guards. Through the home guards the people are
driven to forced labour and are constantly threatened. Manyani Detention camp is
constantly mentioned to instill fear in people. The headman is also an oppressed person.
The D.O humiliates him publicly, this clearly indicates that every villager, the headman
includes is a victim of oppression.
The colonizer has planted seeds of dishonesty, corruption, hatred and suspicion. The men
usually bribed the home guards in order for them not to be detained.
They so learned the art of dishonesty in the attempt to save themselves from unfair
arrests. The people in authority exhibit a high degree of corruption e.g. the head takes the
villagers chicken and eggs for himself. Pretending that he is taking them to the D.O. later
in the story, the new headman misuses his position by getting his shoes mended free of
change. There is abuse and abundant misuse of power by colonial agents. Violence is a
common occurrence in the village.
The light of violence is evident through the sound of quintile that pervade the entire place.
Death by the home guard’s gun is common. We also witness violence against a deaf-mate
who is not given a chance to explain his sudden presence in the village. The
D.O also metes out violence against the headman. He slaps and kicks him ruthlessly.
The narrator’s uncles are reported to have been involved in a prolonged and savage fight.
Kairu's death in Manyani seems to have been caused by violence meted against him.
Violence also dominates both films brought to the village and the stories that young
Mwangi reads. It?s no wonder that the young scholar's reaction towards the stranger is
violent. There is more violent language in the story. There are threats to “bomb all” or
“shoot like a dog anyone on sight”. Hypocrisy, immorality and dishonesty are evident in
the Reverend's behaviour. When he elopes with Wangeci without consulting her father.
He also conspires with the headman and tries to blackmail Wangeci?s father into giving
him her hand in marriage.
Reverend Kanyua is not committed to the teachings of the bible as we witness his hostility
and even hatred towards the stranger.
4.The second delivery
The story „The second delivery? explores the relationship between the rich and the poor. Mr.
Mako is dehumanized by his greed for wealth hence; he will not even give a loan to help the man
who makes it possible for the money to come in the milk deliverer. He will not allow the milk
deliver a day off least he lose the day's profit. Mr.Mako exploits and oppresses Ndani because he is aware that the poor man is desperate for the job. The poor conditions Ndani lives in and the fact that he cannot afford to take his wife to hospital suggest the meager salary he is paid by his boss.
Wealth and greed for wealth has made Mako arrogant and inhuman. Mr. Mako does not
recognize people like Ndani as fellow human beings. He arrogantly tells Ndani that he has five
other dairies and hence has no need for the dairy Ndani works for. He also cannot trust a man
who has no money in the bank. Mr. Mako is rude, cruel, selfish and inconsiderate he looks down
upon the poor and totally disregards human live. Mr. Mako's individualism prevents him from
seeing Ndani's desperate situation. His individualist?s nature is evident in the fact that he keeps a gun and uses it at will. And the fact that he only thinks about himself and how to enrich himself.
Mr.Mako exploits Ndani. He uses him selfishly and unfairly for his own profit. Mako wants to
get services from Ndani but he will not give any consideration to Ndani'
s needs. However
desperate they may be. Hence his readiness to dismiss Ndani when he asks him to lend him some
money and recover it from his monthly pay. He also refuses to allow Ndani a day off to attend to
desperate family needs. Ndani works in an oppressive environment. He is not supposed to talk
about his personal needs or even his duties as a husband. He becomes an easy victim of
oppression because he needs the job desperately. Violence is also evident in the story. Ndani
suffers emotional and psychological violence in the hands of his employer. The physical fight
between Mr. Mako and Ndani is fatal. Mr. Mako shoots Ndani in spite of the latter pleading with
him not to shoot. Mr. Mako is arrested as Ndani's remains are taken to the mortuary.
Poverty
We first meet Ndani as he opens the door early in the morning and the author makes us aware that he lives in the slum areas.
Ndani's childish pleasure is contracted with his mature feelings. He is insecure and unsure of
what is going to happen within a few hours. He is weighed down responsibility and he is greatly
worried about the future. Ndani finds the warm air consoling but this is just temporary since the mist clears leaving him exposed to the hand reality that the weather had helped him escape from.
A life of luxury is introduced through advertisement boards that flashes in blue, red, green and white lights that proclaims the purity and quality of commodities that are in the service of men.
This contrasted with the hawkers, food sleeks, newspapers boys and beggars who rub against one
another to draw attention of possible customers. Further contrast is drawn between the quiet
luxurious air, and the discordant noises and the chaotic chanting of traders announcing their
presence. Ndani becomes part of the crowd and this helps him to ease his anxiety. As Ndani
watches the fishermen, he realizes that he is not the only hardworking person who has nothing to show for the hard labour. Pg 44” He was not the only early bird; there were others, perhaps; like him, with unhatched eggs back in their nests”
The mention of “mwezi corner” indicates that the meager income does not carter for the workers
need through out the month. At the diary, the relationship between the master (Mr. Mako who
owns the diary and the servant) Ndani who delivers? milk to the master's customers is seen. Ndani has to bear with the master?s insults since he desperately wantsto keep his job. Ndani has to beg for a day off and a salary advance to enable him take his wife who is about to be delivery of a child to a hospital.
When his boss refuses to grant him permission or assist with same money and instead threatens to sack him, Ndani has no option but to deliver the milk as his boss tells him “there are millions of worthless, jobless creatures wondering gutlessly in the streets who are willing to do anything for a shilling”. Ndani does not want to suffer the same fate.
Ndani has also to bear with the insults of Mr. Mako'
s customers. The author exposed the
poverty found in the slum dwelling area.
The children are half naked the houses are in such bad condition that the child peep through
pigeon holed walls. Children suffer from malnutrition as evidenced by protruding swollen
stomachs. Hunger is so prominent that they stare more on the milk- case and the drinking bottles than on the rider. People in the slum area fight off over milk. Ndani's house is described as a one- roomed, coconut leaf- thatched, earth – floored house. Destruction of poverty is symbolized through Ndani's death in trying to protect his job- his child dies this makes him so bitter that he cannot stand makes provocation any longer.
What are the effects of poverty as well as riches to a human being to the society?
Have an insight of the message being portrayed in the short story and list down all the evils in the characters. Contemporary issues in the play Redemption by David Mulwa address the theme of hypocrisy, misuse of religion and political power. It also deals with the role of youths in the society.
In Francis Imbuga's Shrine of Tears we have the use of symbols in addressing the contemporary
issues. The main character 'Kanaya' is a University student who symbolizes human struggle.
She was the hope of cultural rejuvenation. When she dies it is like it is the end of a vision. Her grandmother Nyamusi dies on the day of her burial. This marks the end of an important
generation. On the day of Kanaya?s burial the rain falls heavily. The rain is symbolic of washing away Kanaya's blood so that it is like sweeping the hopes of Kilima.
Jaye Boge another main character is Kanaya's boyfriend. Boge has a dream that keeps on
recurring. He kept seeing a lone hand pointing a menacing finger at him. The finger would
become larger and larger and then it would be accompanied by a voice of warning. This was a
voice condemning neo-colonialism. Jay Boge was like a prophet who was like a prophet who was
to be used to pass a message to the leaders. There are three voices in the novel-the outside
narrator, the omniscient narrator and the personified narrator. The story is told in the recollection and remembrances. The outside narrator tells the story when he is standing aloof. He gives the description of Jaye Boge as the opinion belonging to another person. The omniscient narrators set the Geographical position of the shrine and tell the day to day of what happens and introduces some characters to the reader. Billy Kanzika is one of the narrators. He is the personified narrator who starts at the beginning and comes at the end.
Titany answered the question on November 11, 2021 at 09:21