Abstract
“The River Between” is more concerned with the Africans’ exploitations by the Whites and the adverse colonization impact on Kenya’s culture. However, this cultural clash brought about by the traditional and colonial interests’ interactions is well illustrated in the novel. The novel “The River Between” by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o is based on the theme of conflict. This article, therefore, demonstrates the sources of conflict and it portrays how the conflict between the Makuyu and the Kameno communities. The article begins with the story of river Honia as a source of conflict between the two communities. The river created a rivalry between the Makuyu people who believed in Christianity whereas the Kameno community believed in traditional gods Gikuyu and Mumbi. Moving on, the article gives conflicts in the novel “The River Between”. One of the conflicts is between an individual Waiyaki and the community. Waiyaki failed to consult the community elders before building up schools for them thereby establishing a conflict. Besides that, the article is also showing out the significance of the novel in the benefit of our societies.
Highlights
The novel of “The River Between” by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o talks about the story of Kenya’s first settlement by white Europeans
The story opens describing the area of two ridges, Makuyu and Kameno and a River Honia running between (Ngũgĩ, 2015)
The novel illustrated the division caused by the Europeans by the fact that the two communities who were affected through their arrival live in opposite ridges and the River Honia separates them
Summary
The novel of “The River Between” by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o talks about the story of Kenya’s first settlement by white Europeans. Ngugi (2015) explained that the colonists imposed new ways of thinking which presented a fundamental model shift in the minds of the local communities. It was either they accepted the modern ways, or they reject it in favor to keep their traditional Kenyan culture undiluted. The river served as a symbolic divide because it united the two villages on its shores and their opposing perceptions on colonialism of the Europeans. It is on an ominous note when the story comes into conclusion.
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