An issue of culture and language in A Grain of Wheat

1. Name: Praful Ghareniya
Roll No: 20
Semester: 4
Paper: -14, : The
African 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.

2.  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,

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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.

6. John McLeod's claim
 “use of the English language and the literary form as
the means to create a distinctly national
representation.”

7. 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,

8. The Revolutionary song of the
movement.
Gikuyu na Mumbi,
Gikuyu na Mumbi ,
Gikuyu na Mumbi,
Nikihui ngwatiro.
We shall never rest
Without land
Without Freedom true
Kenya is a country of
black people.

9. 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.”

10.  Ngugi’s observation that language is a
“ carrier of culture.” By discrediting European language and
culture in A Grain of Wheat