Citation: Abdullahi, N.U. & Saidu, A. (2026). Weaving National Consciousness in Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong’o’s Early Novels: A Digital and Multimodal Analysis. Tasambo Journal of Language, Literature, and Culture, 5(2), 141-152. www.doi.org/10.36349/tjllc.2026.v05i02.016.
WEAVING NATIONAL
CONSCIOUSNESS IN NGŨGĨ WA THIONG’O’S EARLY NOVELS: A DIGITAL AND MULTIMODAL
ANALYSIS
By
Nasir Umar Abdullahi,
Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina
Email: nasir.umar@umyu.edu.ng
Mobile: +2348035137323
And
Abdulhakim Saidu
Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina
Abdulhakim.saidu@umyu.edu.ng
+2348031383596
Fatima Ibrahim Gafai
Department of English and French,
Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina
fatimagafai123@gmail.com
+2348132170746
Abstract
This article examines the
construction of national consciousness in Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s early novels;
Weep Not, Child (1964), The River Between (1965), and A Grain of Wheat (1967)
within the context of Kenya’s anti-colonial struggle. While previous studies
have explored these texts through postcolonial criticism, limited attention has
been paid to how digital humanities and multimodal approaches can
systematically illuminate their linguistic and semiotic patterns. The study,
therefore, aims to integrate postcolonial theory with digital humanities tools
and multimodal discourse analysis to provide a more methodologically grounded
reading of national consciousness in Ngũgĩ’s early fiction. Using Voyant Tools,
a corpus of 93,495 words was analysed to identify recurring lexical patterns
and thematic emphases, which were then interpreted through close reading and
multimodal analysis of cultural symbols, spatial metaphors, and ritual
practices. The findings reveal a sustained emphasis on collective identity,
cultural preservation, and political resistance, articulated through key
lexical clusters, symbolic rituals such as circumcision and oath-taking, and
spatial imagery of land, rivers, and forests. The article demonstrates that
combining computational observation with qualitative literary analysis offers a
more controlled and transparent account of how national consciousness is
articulated in Ngũgĩ’s early novels, contributing to ongoing debates in African
literary studies and digital humanities.
Keywords: Digital Humanities;
Multimodal Discourse Analysis; National Consciousness; Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o;
Postcolonial Literature
Introduction
The question of national consciousness has remained
central to African literary studies, particularly in the analysis of texts
produced during periods of colonial domination and anti-colonial resistance.
African writers have frequently deployed literature as a medium for
articulating collective identity, cultural survival, and political struggle,
thereby positioning the nation as both a historical reality and an imagined
community. Among such writers, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o occupies a prominent place for
his sustained engagement with the cultural and political dimensions of Kenyan
nationalism in his early novels, Weep
Not, Child (1964), The
River Between (1965), and A
Grain of Wheat (1967).
Existing scholarship on Ngũgĩ
wa Thiong'o’s early fiction has overwhelmingly analyzed the construction of
national consciousness through established postcolonial, Marxist, and cultural
nationalist frameworks, with a thematic focus on land dispossession, cultural
conflict, and revolutionary resistance (Lovesey, 2016; Ogude, 1999). While
these studies have provided crucial interpretive insights, their methodology
has tended to rely almost exclusively on close reading and theoretical
exposition (Ong’ang’a, 2023; Sakarya, n.d.). Consequently, there remains
limited systematic engagement with how recurring linguistic patterns and
semiotic resources operate across Ngũgĩ’s early novels to construct national
consciousness at the textual and symbolic levels. This gap persists even as
scholars note the pervasive influence of Ngũgĩ’s ideological “clichés”
(Ong’ang’a, 2023) and his project of “narrating the nation” (Ogude, 1999),
analyses that primarily address thematic content rather than discursive form.
The critical focus has remained on evaluating political rhetoric (Kamau-Goro,
2018) and Marxist aesthetics (Popescu, 2014), or on positioning Ngũgĩ as the
archetypal postcolonial intellectual (Lovesey, 2002, 2016), largely overlooking
a structured analysis of the signifying systems that materially constitute the
idea of the nation within the fiction itself.
This study addresses this gap by combining postcolonial
theory with digital humanities and multimodal discourse analytical approaches.
Rather than replacing literary interpretation, the study uses computational
analysis to support qualitative readings, enabling a more transparent
examination of lexical recurrence, thematic emphasis, and symbolic
representation. By integrating digital observation with multimodal analysis of
cultural practices, spatial metaphors, and narrative structures, the article
offers a more methodologically grounded account of how national consciousness
is articulated in Ngũgĩ’s early fiction. Accordingly, the study is guided by
the following objectives: To identify recurrent linguistic patterns associated
with national consciousness in Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s early novels using digital
humanities tools; to examine how cultural symbols, rituals, and spatial
metaphors contribute to the construction of national consciousness through
multimodal discourse analysis; and to demonstrate the value and limitations of
combining computational and qualitative methods in the study of African
literary texts.
Methodology
This study adopts an
interdisciplinary methodological framework combining postcolonial theory,
digital humanities (DH), and multimodal discourse analysis (MDA) to examine the
construction of national consciousness in Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s early novels.
Rather than treating these approaches as parallel interpretive lenses, the
study integrates them sequentially, allowing computational analysis to inform
and discipline qualitative interpretation. The corpus for the study consists of
three novels: Weep Not, Child (1964), The River Between (1965), and A Grain of
Wheat (1967). The texts were converted into plain-text format and compiled into
a single corpus containing 93,495 running words. Prior to analysis, non-textual
materials such as page numbers, chapter headings, and paratextual elements were
removed to ensure analytical consistency. Standard English stopwords were
excluded using Voyant Tools’ default stopword list in order to foreground
semantically meaningful lexical items. No lemmatisation was applied, allowing
for the observation of surface-level lexical variation across the texts.
Voyant Tools was used to
generate word frequency lists, word clouds (cirrus), trend graphs, and
keyword-in-context (KWIC) displays. These outputs were treated as descriptive
indicators rather than explanatory conclusions. Lexical patterns identified
through frequency and trend analysis such as the prominence of terms related to
peoplehood, land, and named characters, were subsequently examined through
close reading to avoid reductive or speculative interpretation. Multimodal
discourse analysis was then employed to interpret how linguistic patterns
intersect with cultural symbols, ritual practices, and spatial metaphors within
the narratives. This qualitative phase focused on recurrent semiotic resources
such as circumcision, oath-taking, land, rivers, and forests, examining how
these modes contribute to the articulation of collective identity and political
resistance. Postcolonial theory provided the conceptual framework for
interpreting these findings, particularly in relation to national
consciousness, unity, and anti-colonial struggle. By combining computational
observation with contextual literary analysis, the methodology ensures
analytical rigour while acknowledging the interpretive limits of digital data.
National-Consciousness and the
Nation
National consciousness connotes a huge feeling about one’s country, and
at one level and at the same time, it means the people and their total ways of
doing things. For Fanon, national consciousness is the feeling of all the
people in a given state that share important things in common. National
consciousness arises in the people’s will to be able to see that they are all
in “the same boat” and what is good for one is good for all. It enables them to
understand that they should not see themselves as members of separate classes
or races or tribes. Rather, they should understand that their destinies are
bound up with one another (Fanon 1961 119). For him, the nation is passed over
for the race and the tribe. Patriotism hence calls people to understand that
they are part of something bigger than their own small race, tribe or class.
Consequently, national consciousness aims to not only develop the nation in
question, but also preserve the all–around integrity of the country and the
people.
National Consciousness in the Early
Novels
In the early novels, two forms of
national consciousness are predominantly evident: cultural and political
consciousness. In cultural consciousness, Ngũgĩ narrates Kenyan’s profound
cultural attachment to safeguard their cultural ways, inherited from their
forebears, from colonial denigration. In political consciousness, Ngũgĩ
portrays Kenya’s remembrance of the past heroes and their valiant anti-colonial
struggles, Kenyan’s collective struggle against colonialism, as well as the
Uhuru celebrations, as the country marches towards the doors of independence.
What is more, Ngũgĩ also portrays the pitfalls of national consciousness as
theorised by Fanon in his Wretched of the
Earth.
In all three novels, in spite of the British civilising mission in
Kipanga (Weep Not, Child), Kameno (The River Between), and Thabai (A Grain of Wheat), the people
demonstrate their deep predilection for their culture. This is why the adult
and the old tell stories to the young to inculcate moral values into them and,
at the same time, to expose them to their cultural mores and history. Others
encompass songs, proverbs, sacrifices and circumcision. In The River Between, for instance, the Kiama, as a cultural movement,
is established out of national consciousness. The rationale behind its
establishment, as Kinuthia reveals to Waiyaki, is “to preserve the purity of
our tribal customs and our way of life” (Wa Thiong’o 1964 65). It is the
consequence of this that this cultural movement denounces the Christians who
have abandoned the ways of the tribe and further renounce circumcision. Waiyaki,
the novel’s hero, is an example. Despite the young man’s saviour-rivalry with
Kabonyi, the movement’s leader, His indictment by the Kiama, for falling in
love with Nyamburu, a Christian preacher’s daughter, Joshua, and whom he
resolves to marry is an attempt by the Kiama to demonstrate the significance of
the meaning of their cultural ways, which ought not be contaminated with the
western ways, as an expression of national- consciousness. Doing so, thus,
amounts to the denigration of their culture, condemned as savage and barbaric
by the white man, who deemed his culture as superior to theirs. This is because,
in the words of Fanon, “the colonial situation calls a halt to national culture
in almost every field” (Fanon 1961 191). Fanon’s value judgment points to the
cultural superiority of colonialism in Africa, so much so that it condemned the
national cultures of African nations in varying degrees of ways owing to their
seeming primitiveness.
What is more, making circumcision
the famous and prestigious tribal custom of Kenya by Ngũgĩ and as a significant
cultural saga in most of his novels, including the later fictions, points to
this reality. More than an initiation into manhood or womanhood, circumcision
plays another vital role in Kenya’s cultural milieu. It was an “important
ritual of the tribe. It was at the core of the tribe. It kept people together,
bound the tribe. It was at the core of social structure and something that gave
meaning to a man’s life. End the custom, and the spiritual basis of the tribe’s
cohesion and integration would be no more” (Wa Thiong’o 1965 68). Really! Thus,
it is this tribal cohesion and integration emphasised by Ngũgĩ that the
Europeans hoped to bring to an end, for which reason they condemn this
pertinent cultural practice replete with so many meanings for Kenyans. In The River Between, Livingstone is of the
view that “circumcision was wholly evil” (Wa Thiong’o 1965 59). Similarly, in A Grain of Wheat, Teacher Muniu
specifically depicts female circumcision as a “heathen custom” (Wa Thiong’o
1967 85), proscribed by the Bible. By this, Muniu subsequently lost his life
for denigrating this culture and threatening to penalise the young boy when
Kihika later became the Mau Mau leader of the Thabai branch, during the
Emergency. In the words of Fanon, “to fight for national culture is to fight
for the liberation of the nation” (Fanon 1961 187). This, for Fanon's
anti-colonial struggle and resistance to free the colonised nations from the
tightening shackle of colonialism that chained their freedom by the liberation
fighters amounts to freeing the nations from cultural denigration whose
foundation lies in national consciousness. In other words, Fanon concludes
that, “if culture is the expression of national consciousness, I will not
hesitate to affirm that in this case with which we are dealing, it is the national
consciousness which is the most elaborate form of culture” (Fanon 1961 199).
So, Fanon has solved the equation here, as he unveils the interplay between national
consciousness and culture in which each is the expression of the other in a
broader sense.
Furthermore, the remembrance narrative of Kenya’s historical heroes of
the past that spearheaded the liberation struggle under the Mau Mau's national
consciousness motivated. In Weep Not
Child, Jomo Kenyatta and Dedan Kimathiare mentioned. “One night, people
heard that Jomo Kenyatta and other leaders of the land were arrested. A State
of Emergency had been declared” (Wa Thiong’o 1964 63). This is synonymous with
what transpires in A Grain of Wheat
that “the State of Emergency had officially ended, but Jomo Kenyatta and his
five compatriots of the Kapenguria trial were still detained in prison”(Wa
Thiong’o 1967 64). In Weep Not Child,
a boy storyteller tells us that “you see he had written a letter to the police
station at Nyeri. I Deden Kimathi, Leader of the African Freedom Army will come
to visit you at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday” (Wa Thiong’o 1964 67). Subsequently, as
the storyteller relates, Kimathi turns up in a deceptive passion.
Moreover, in A Grain of Wheat,
through Warui, a Thabai village elder, Ngũgĩ narrates the valiant anti-colonial
struggle of some of these leaders and the brutal colonial wrath they
encountered all out of national love for Kenya. These are Waiyaki and Harry
Thuku. Waiyaki challenged the white man owing to his increasing appropriation
of the land, and the elders’ protest attracted the white man’s humiliation and
suppression. “Waiyaki and other warriors took arms” (Wa Thiong’o 1967 12).
Consequently, the Mau Mau leader was arrested and buried alive at Kibwezi.
Similarly, Harry Thuku, imitating Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent anti-colonial
struggle approach through letters which he read to people aloud, denounced such
things as taxation and forced labour imposed by the White man, as well as the
soldiers’ settlement scheme, which had made many homeless. In the long run, the
young Harry was apprehended, and he was forced to leave for exile, all for his profound
attachment to the nation. Aime Cesaire writes, “it is the colonised man who
wants to move forward and the coloniser who holds things back” (Cesaire 1972 25).
The truth for Cesaire is not far-fetched, for in the colony, the colonised vehemently
desired a change of life, and the coloniser wanted him/her to remain what
he/she was and that his/her condition or state would never alter.
What is more, there is also the notion of national unity as an
expression of national consciousness. This is demonstrated in the people’s collective
struggle to challenge colonialism. The formation of the Kiama is a striking
example in The River Between, which,
without doubt, is born out of people’s collective unity, as full membership
qualification is taking the oath of “purity and togetherness of the tribe” (Wa
Thiong’o 1965 98). It is the significance of this unity bound by an oath that
Waiyaki’s mother cautions the young man when he insists on going on with his
romantic relationship with Nyambura. “You must not do it, fear the voice of the
Kiama. It is the voice of the people” (Wa Thiong’o 1965 123). Kiama’s goals and
mission are coherently stated, and according to Franz Fanon, “the collective
struggle presupposes collective responsibility” (Fanon 1961 161). True to
Fanon, the fight for independence by the colonised requires a collective
effort, as an expression of national consciousness. Moreover, we see once more
an expression of national unity as Kiama metamorphosed into the Mau Mau in Weep Not Child and grows stronger in A Grain of Wheat. However, the White
man’s divide and rule to create deep divisions among the Kenyans, which poses a
great threat against national unity and, of course, to the entire anti-colonial
struggle, persists even with the rise of the Mau Mau liberation movement. In Weep Not Child, Boro laments that “all
white people stick together. But we black people are divided. And because they
stick together, they’ve imprisoned Jomo, the only hope we had. Now they’ll make
us slaves. They took us to their wars, and they killed all that was of value to
us...” (Wa Thiong’o 1964 75). Out of deep wrath and at the top of his voice,
Boro shouts, “Never! Never! Black people must rise and fight” (Wa Thiong’o 1964
75).The first-person plural “we” in Boro’s lamentable phrase signifies a
collective responsibility of all Kenyans to their nation. Hence, for the
valiant freedom fighter, only unity and action through the bullet would
liberate them from the baleful grip of colonialism and its suppressive forces.
This dream and call subsequently became a reality when he and other men ran to
the forest and took arms against the Whiteman led by him.
It is in A Grain of Wheat that
the call for unity becomes much stronger, expressing Kenyan’s deep attachment
to their nation. This began long when, in the 1920s, when people collectively
marched in procession to the Governor General’s residence, demanding the
release of the detained Harry Thuku. Prior, he ran to the forest. Kihika
preached for unity repeatedly at the railway platform, calling for people’s collective
response to challenge the Whiteman. Subsequently, he tries to convince Karanja
and Mumbi to comprehend the whole meaning behind his call.
It is a
question, Unity Kihika explained excitedly. The example of India is here before
our noses. The British were there for hundreds of years. They ate the Indians’
wealth. They drank India’s blood. They never listened to the political
talk-talk of a few men. What happened? There came this man, Ghandhi. Mark you,
Ghandhi knows his Whiteman well. He goes around and organises the Indian masses
into a weapon stronger than a Bomb. They say with one voice: we want back our
freedom. The British laughed; they are good at laughing. But they had to
swallow back their laughter when things turned serious. What did the tyrants
do? They sent Gandhi to prison, not once, but many times. The stonewalls of
prison could not hold him. Thousands were gaoled; thousands more were killed.
Men and women, and children threw themselves in front of moving trains and were
run over. Blood flowed like water in that country. The bomb could not kill
blood, red blood of people, crying out to be free. God! How many times must
fatherless children howl, widowed women cry on this earth before this tyrant
shall learn (Wa Thiong’o 1967 88).
Inspired by national consciousness, Kihika’s preaching mission is
designed to stimulate people to unite as Indians did in response to Gandhi’s similar
call to fight for their freedom and that of the nation in India. However, for
Kihika, the Kenyans, as Indians, must dispel their fear of the white man and,
in fighting a course, they must prepare to sacrifice themselves for their
fellow brothers and for the nation at large.
So, when Kihika subsequently becomes the Mau Mau leader of the Thabai
branch, commanding many fighters in the forest to fight the British colonial
masters during the Emergency, the call for unity has not only become a success
but has been translated into action. It is against this background that Fanon
argues that “colonialism had been shaken in its very foundation by the birth of
African unity” (Fanon 1961 128). Indeed, it was the African’s response to the
call for unity by the liberation fighters that threatened and crumbled
colonialism on the continent. Consequently, he argues further that “it is
advisable that every able-bodied citizen can at any moment take his place in
fighting unity for the defence of national and social liberties” (Fanon 1961 163).
In Africa Must Unite, the renowned
postcolonial theorist Nkrumah seems to share a parallel view with Fanon, which
is why he reminds us that “during the struggle for independence we had
emphasised the need for national unity for the attainment of freedom, and for
enormous responsibilities of statehood that would follow. It was a call for a
supreme effort on the part of every citizen” (Nkrumah 1963 76). For Nkrumah,
the call for unity during the anti-colonial struggle had not only resulted in
the attainment of Africa’s independence, but it also showcased the
responsibility of every citizen in this course, fuelled by national
consciousness.
Finally, the use of the plural personal pronoun “We” in the novels stands
for collective responsibility for all and together with its object form “Us”
are associated with national pride of the people. Mumbi’s son symbolises the
new Kenya, and the mother symbolises the new Kenya in transition. The
collective efforts by Gikonyo, Mumbi, General R and Lieutenant Koinandu to
amend the flaws of the past committed during the anti-colonial struggle as
independence approaches, so that the independence celebrations are smoothly
celebrated, devoid of any heartedness of one character to another, are inspired
by the collective love for the nation. Consequently, the stool carved by
Gikonyo for his wife Mumbi, between whom such mistakes occurred, symbolises the
successful beginning of the reconciliation that is to come to those who
offended or were offended and which will further bind the nation together as
independence is about to “romance” it to its bosom.
The Early Novels Through Voyant Tool
This section
presents the results of the analysis of the early novels using Voyant, a digital humanities tool of
analysis. The visualisations presented here collectively highlight
the thematic and linguistic patterns in Ngũgĩ's early novels, which
are deeply rooted in the exploration of cultural and political
consciousness. The frequent use of terms like "Waiyaki,"
"people," and "father" underscores the
novels' focus on individual and collective struggles as a means of
constructing national identity” (Wa Thiong’o 1986 86). The network
graphs and trends reveal how Ngũgĩ weaves together personal
narratives and historical events to explore the complexities
of colonialism, resistance, and cultural preservation. Similarly,
the vocabulary density and readability index reflect Ngũgĩ's
ability to address complex themes in a way that is both accessible
and deeply resonant with the experiences of his readers. By integrating the
following visualisations, this article provides a data-driven
analysis of how Ngũgĩ's early novels contribute to the discourse on
national consciousness, while also demonstrating the value of Digital
Humanities in literary studies.
Figure 1: Words Cirrus in Ngũgĩ's early
novels
The word cloud
(cirrus) in Figure 1 above visually represents the most frequent words in Ngũgĩ's
early novels. Words like "Waiyaki," "people,"
"Njoroge," "man,"
"father," and "felt" stand out. This
suggests that the early novels are deeply concerned with individual
characters (e.g., Waiyaki, Njoroge) and their relationships with their
communities ("people") and families ("father"). The
prominence of these terms reflects Ngũgĩ's focus on cultural
identity and generational conflicts, which are central to the
development of national consciousness. For instance, Waiyaki's struggle to
balance tradition and modernity in The River Between symbolises the
broader tension between colonial influence and indigenous culture.
Table 1: 10 Most Frequent
Words in Ngũgĩ's Early Novels
|
S/N |
Term |
Count |
|
1 |
Waiyaki |
441 |
|
2 |
People |
350 |
|
3 |
Njoroge |
298 |
|
4 |
Man |
295 |
|
5 |
Said |
238 |
|
6 |
Father |
233 |
|
7 |
Felt |
229 |
|
8 |
Come |
225 |
|
9 |
Came |
208 |
|
10 |
Know |
201 |
Table 1 above lists
the 10 most frequent words in the early novels,
with "Waiyaki" (441 occurrences)
and "people" (350 occurrences) being the top two. This
highlights the centrality of individual protagonists (like Waiyaki)
and their connection to the collective struggle of the people. Words
like "man,"
"father," and "said" suggest a focus
on masculinity, patriarchy, and oral storytelling, which are key elements
in the construction of cultural and political consciousness. For example, the
frequent use of "father" may reflect the role of elders in
preserving cultural traditions, while "said" underscores
the importance of dialogue and oral narratives in shaping national identity.
Figure 2: Network Graph
The network
graph in Figure 2 above shows the relationships between key terms or characters
in the early novels. For instance, "Waiyaki" is connected
to terms like "Kiama,"
"circumcision," and "education," reflecting
his role as a cultural and political leader.
Similarly, "Njoroge" might be linked to "family,"
"land," and "colonialism," highlighting his
personal struggles with displacement and identity. These connections illustrate
how Ngũgĩ weaves together individual narratives and collective
experiences to explore themes of national unity and resistance against
colonialism.
Figure 3: Trends Graph
The trends graph in Figure 3
above shows the frequency of certain words or themes over time or across
different sections of the novels. For example, the rise and fall of terms
like "Waiyaki,"
"people," and "land" correspond
to key moments of “conflict”, “resistance”,
or “cultural revival” in the narratives. This could reflect
the evolution of national consciousness in the early novels,
from a focus on cultural preservation (e.g.,
circumcision in The River Between) to political resistance (e.g.,
the Mau Mau uprising in A Grain of Wheat).
Table 2: Vocabulary Density
|
Vocabulary
Density |
0.115 |
|
Readability
Index |
29.215 |
|
Average Words
Per Sentence |
11.4 |
The corpus of Ngũgĩ’s
early novels consists of three novels: Weep
Not, Child, Grain of Wheat, and The River
Between, with 93,495 total words and 10,711 unique word forms. The
vocabulary density (0.115) and readability index (29.215) suggest that the
early novels have a “moderate level of linguistic complexity”, with a mix
of simple and sophisticated language. This reflects Ngũgĩ's ability to
address “complex themes” such as colonialism, cultural identity in a
way that is accessible to a broad audience. The “average words per
sentence (11.4)” indicates a conversational style, which aligns with the
use of oral storytelling and proverbs to convey cultural
and political messages. The frequent use of words
like "Waiyaki" and "people" underscores
the novels' focus on individual and collective struggles as a means
of exploring national consciousness.
Figure 4: Word in Context (Waiyaki)
|
Left |
Term |
Right |
|
Its subject seems to be |
Waiyaki, |
A young boy who is |
|
of clarity for an
increasingly isolated |
Waiyaki. |
It is a young Waiyaki |
|
Waiyaki. It is a young |
Waiyaki |
Who breaks up the fight,
and |
|
Subsequent struggle in the
narrative |
Waiyaki |
Is introduced as a typical |
|
revelation of the prophecy
sets |
Waiyaki |
On a path of growth but |
|
Will later come to haunt |
Waiyaki |
And highlight
intergenerational political tension |
|
Philosophy and using it
against him. |
Waiyaki |
Is told to “Learn all |
|
Human relationships. This
applies also to |
Waiyaki. |
In the wake of the |
|
Over Muthoni’s
circumcision, |
Waiyaki |
Single-minded pursues
education as |
|
His people have been
waiting for. |
Waiyaki |
Becomes a powerful symbol
for |
The examples of "Waiyaki" in context in
Figure 4 above reveal his role as a symbol of hope and conflict in the early novels. Phrases
like "Waiyaki is introduced as a typical young boy" and "Waiyaki
becomes a powerful symbol for his people" highlight his
transformation from an ordinary individual to a cultural and political leader. The context also shows how
Waiyaki's pursuit of education and his struggle to reconcile tradition and
modernity reflect the broader tensions in Kenyan society. For instance, the
line "Waiyaki is told to 'Learn all you can from the white man" captures
the ambivalence of colonial
education, which is both a tool for empowerment and a threat to cultural
identity Bill et al 1989 95). This shows how Ngũgĩ uses
characters like Waiyaki to explore the pitfalls and possibilities of national consciousness.
Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Ngũgĩ’s
Early Novels
Multimodal
Discourse Analysis (MDA) provides a framework for examining how meaning is
constructed through various modes of communication (Van Leeuwen2015), including
language, symbols, cultural practices, and visual imagery. In Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o's
early novels, Weep Not, Child, The River Between, and A Grain of Wheat, the interplay of these
modes is central to the exploration of “cultural and political
consciousness”. By analysing the multimodal elements in these texts, we can
better understand how Ngũgĩ constructs national identity and resistance against
colonialism. Thus, the multimodal analysis of Ngũgĩ’s early novels reveals that
by the integration of language, cultural symbols, visual imagery, and
spatial arrangement, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o’s early novels construct a rich and
multifaceted portrayal of national consciousness. The use of oral
storytelling and code-switching challenges colonial narratives
and asserts the value of indigenous knowledge. Cultural symbols like
circumcision and the Mau Mau oath highlight the role of tradition and ritual in
shaping collective identity. Therefore, visual and spatial
metaphors such as the land, the river, and the forest provide powerful
representations of the struggles and aspirations of postcolonial Kenya.
Language and Oral Storytelling
Language is a
primary mode through which Ngũgĩ conveys cultural and political messages.
In Weep Not, Child, the use
of oral storytelling serves as a means of preserving cultural memory
and transmitting moral values. For instance, the character
of Njoroge is often told stories by his father, Ngotho, which emphasise
the importance of land and tradition. These stories function as a cultural
counter-narrative to colonial education (WaThiong'o, 1964 28), which
seeks to erase indigenous knowledge. Similarly, in The River Between,
the Kiama (tribal council) uses proverbs and songs to assert cultural
autonomy and resist colonial influence (Okpewho210). The Kiama’s declaration
that “circumcision is at the core of our tribe” (Wa Thiang’o 1965 68)
highlights the symbolic importance of cultural practices in maintaining social
cohesion. Recent scholarship has emphasised the role
of code-switching and multilingualism in Ngũgĩ’s works as a
form of resistance. For example, in A
Grain of Wheat, the characters frequently switch between English and
Gikuyu, reflecting the hybrid identities of postcolonial Kenya (Bhabha 2003 65). This linguistic hybridity
challenges the dominance of colonial languages and asserts the value of
indigenous languages in the construction of national consciousness. This
reflects Bhabha’s concept of the third space, where colonial and indigenous
cultures intersect (Bhabha 2003, 37).
Cultural Symbols and Rituals
Cultural
symbols and rituals are another key mode through which Ngũgĩ explores national
consciousness. In The River Between, circumcision is
a central symbol of cultural identity and resistance. The ritual is not merely
a physical act but a multimodal practice that involves songs, dances,
and communal gatherings. The novel portrays the conflict between those who
embrace circumcision as a cultural tradition and those who reject it under the
influence of Christianity. This tension reflects the broader struggle
between indigenous culture and colonial modernity, which is a
recurring theme in Ngũgĩ’s early works. Similarly, in A Grain of Wheat, the Mau Mau uprising is represented
through symbols of resistance, such as the oath-taking ceremony. The oath
is a multimodal ritual that combines verbal pledges, physical gestures, and
communal solidarity. It serves as a powerful expression of revolutionary
consciousness, uniting the characters in their fight against colonial
oppression. The novel’s depiction of the oath highlights the role
of collective memory and ritual practices in shaping
national identity.
Visual Imagery and Spatial
Arrangement
Ngũgĩ’s use
of visual imagery and spatial arrangement further enriches
the multimodal construction of national consciousness. In Weep Not, Child, the land is a
recurring visual symbol that represents both cultural heritage and colonial
exploitation
James 1999 89; Mwangi, Evan15). The novel’s opening scene, which
describes the green hills of Kenya, evokes a sense of belonging and
connection to the land. However, this imagery is juxtaposed with
the barren fields that result from colonial land appropriation,
highlighting the destructive impact of colonialism on the environment and the
people. In The River Between,
the river serves as a visual and spatial metaphor for the divide
between tradition and modernity(Julien1992:90).The river separates the Christianized
village of Makuyu from the traditionalist village of Kameno, symbolising
the cultural and ideological conflicts that characterise the colonial
period. The novel’s spatial arrangement reflects the fragmentation of
Kenyan society under colonialism, while also suggesting the possibility of
reconciliation through dialogue and mutual understanding.
Interplay of Modes in Revolutionary
Consciousness
The interplay
of different modes is particularly evident in the depiction
of revolutionary consciousness in A Grain of Wheat. The novel combines language, symbols, and
visual imagery to portray the Mau Mau uprising as a multifaceted
struggle for liberation, reflecting Fanon’s concept of revolutionary
consciousness in The Wretched of the Earth (1961). For
example, the character of Kihika is depicted as a revolutionary
hero whose speeches and actions inspire others to join the fight against
colonialism. His use of Gandhi’s non-violent resistance as a
rhetorical strategy reflects the influence of global anti-colonial movements on
Kenyan nationalism. The novel also employs visual imagery to depict
the forest as a space of resistance and freedom. The forest is not
only a physical location but a symbolic space where “the characters
reclaim their agency and assert their identity” (Irele 2001:195). This multimodal
representation of the forest underscores its significance as a site
of revolutionary consciousness and national renewal.
Discussion and Conclusion
This study has examined the articulation of national
consciousness in Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s early novels through a combined
postcolonial, digital humanities, and multimodal discourse analytical
framework. The findings reaffirm earlier postcolonial readings that emphasise
collective identity, cultural resistance, and political struggle in Ngũgĩ’s
fiction (Fanon, 1963; Nkrumah, 1965), while also demonstrating how these
concerns are sustained through patterned linguistic choices and multimodal
narrative strategies. Rather than merely restating nationalist themes, the
analysis shows that national consciousness is embedded at lexical, symbolic,
and spatial levels across the novels.
The digital humanities component of the study contributes
methodologically by enabling a systematic identification of recurring lexical
patterns and distributional tendencies within the corpus (Rockwell &
Sinclair, 2016). These computational observations do not function as
explanatory evidence in themselves but serve to support and discipline
qualitative interpretation. As such, the study recognises the limitations of
frequency-based analysis, which cannot capture historical nuance, narrative
irony, or ideological complexity without contextual reading. The cautious
integration of Voyant, therefore aligns with current DH scholarship that
advocates complementary rather than deterministic use of computational tools in
literary studies.
The multimodal discourse analysis further reveals how
national consciousness is constructed through the interaction of language,
ritual practices, and spatial representation (van Leeuwen, 2015). Cultural
rituals such as circumcision and oath-taking, alongside symbolic spaces such as
land, rivers, and forests, operate as semiotic resources that materialise
collective identity and resistance. These findings resonate with postcolonial
arguments concerning the centrality of culture in anti-colonial struggle (Fanon,
1963) and with broader discussions of hybridity and negotiated identity in
colonial contexts (Bhabha, 2012).
This study is limited by its focus on a relatively small
corpus and by the exploratory nature of the digital tools employed. Future
research could extend this approach to Ngũgĩ’s later works or to comparative
African literary corpora in order to examine broader patterns of nationalist
discourse. Nonetheless, the study demonstrates that a critically informed
integration of digital humanities and multimodal discourse analysis can enrich
African literary studies by providing methodological transparency while preserving
interpretive depth. In doing so, it contributes to ongoing debates on how
interdisciplinary approaches can be productively applied to African literature
without displacing its historical and cultural specificity (Ashcroft2003).
References
Ashcroft,
B., Griffiths, G., & Tiffin, H. (2003). The
empire writes back: Theory and practice in post-colonial literatures
(2nd ed.). Routledge.
Bhabha,
H. K. (2012). The location
of culture. Routledge.
Césaire,
A. (1972). Discourse on
colonialism (J. Pinkham, Trans.). Monthly Review Press. (Original work published 1950)
Fanon,
F. (1963). The wretched of
the earth (C. Farrington, Trans.). Grove Press.
(Original work published
1961)
Irele,
A. (2001). The African
imagination: Literature in Africa and the Black diaspora. Oxford
University Press.
Julien,
E. M. (1992). African novels and the question of orality. Research in African Literatures, 23(2),
85–100.
Lovesey,
O. (2016). The postcolonial
intellectual: NgũgĩwaThiong’o in context. Bloomsbury Academic.
Mugo,
M. G. (1991). African
orature and human rights. Institute of Southern African Studies,
National University of Lesotho.
Mwangi,
E. M. (2010). Africa writes
back to self: Metafiction, gender, sexuality. State University of
New York Press.
Nkrumah,
K. (1963). Africa must unite.
Frederick A. Praeger.
Ogude,
J. (1999). Ngũgĩ’s novels
and African history: Narrating the nation. Pluto Press.
Okpewho,
I. (1992). African oral
literature: Backgrounds, character, and continuity. Indiana
University Press.
Rockwell,
G., & Sinclair, S. (2016). Hermeneutica:
Computer-assisted interpretation in the humanities. MIT Press.
vanLeeuwen,
T. (2015). Multimodality. In D. Tannen, H. E. Hamilton, & D. Schiffrin
(Eds.), The handbook of
discourse analysis (2nd ed., pp. 447–465). Wiley Blackwell.
WaThiong’o,
N. (1964). Weep not, child.
Heinemann.
WaThiong’o,
N. (1965). The river between.
Heinemann.
WaThiong’o,
N. (1967). A grain of wheat.
Heinemann.
WaThiong’o,
N. (1986). Decolonising the
mind: The politics of language in African literature. Heinemann.
WaThiong’o,
N. (1997). Enactments of power: The politics of performance space. The Drama Review, 41(3),
11–30. https://doi.org/10.2307/1146596
0 Comments