User talk:Jaynarocha/Matigari

File:Matigari 1998.jpg

About The Author

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o was born on January 5, 1938 in Limuru, Kenya. He is a Kenyan wrier who has produced many short stories, essays, novels, and plays. Having lived through the Mau Mau Uprising, this heavily influenced his work which is often seen to be very political.

His first major play, The Black Hermit, was his break into literary notoriety in 1962. After this, Ngũgĩ went on to write several short stories, one act plays, and more under the same title "As I See It".

In 1967, Ngũgĩ began teaching English Literature at the University of Nairobi until 1977. In July of this year, he published his first novel in ten years, Petals of Blood which showed some of the realities of neo-colonial KenyPaula.clark (talk) 12:47, 20 October 2017 (UTC)a. The backlash from his novel caused Ngũgĩ to be arrested and imprisoned without a trial at KaKamiti Maximum Security Prison. He wrote about his experiences in his memoir Detained: A Writer's Prison Diary, which was published in 1982.

Amnesty International named him a Prisoner of Conscience and we was released from prison in 1978, but was blacklisted from working in the country by the Moi dictatorship. As a result of this, he continued to write and be active in the theatre community.

While he was travelling in Britain promoting one of his plays, he learned of the Moi dictatorship's plans to kill him upon his reentry into the country. He fleed as was pursued from 1982 to 2002 by the Moi dictatorship. In 1986, there was an assassinatino attempt which was stopped by the Zimbabwean security.

When he published Matigari , Dictator Moi thought that character in the novel was an actual person and issued a warrrant for his arrest. When he learned that the man he was searching for was fictional, he had the book arrested. Matigari was not allowed to be sold in Kenyan bookshops between 1986 and 1996 and all of Ngũgĩ's books were blacklisten and removed from all educational institution. Upon returning to Kenya in 2004, Ngũgĩ and his wife, Njeeri, were attacked and nearly killed.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o's works have been translated into more than thirty languages and are still a topic of conversation in university settings.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o has won many awards and recieved many honors including a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize for Literature.

Plot summary

The book starts with a preface that states the book doesn’t take place in any tangible country; the preface instructs that the reader is to imagine the story taking place when and where they choose.

The actual story opens with Matigari hiding his weapons in the ground beneath a fig tree and he makes a promise to himself to make peaceful resolutions. He plans to journey home but wants to find his family.

When he gets to town, he’s shocked by the number of things that have changed since he has been gone. The population has increased considerably and people are no longer being driven around by chauffeurs, but instead, are driving their own cars. He’s on his way to a factory in the city when he’s shocked to discover that people are charging children an entry free to rummage through garbage at a dump. While he’s at the dump, he saves a boy, Muriuki, from a bully, who then shows him where other children stay when they need shelter.

When he tries to get there, children throw stones at him until he is knocked unconscious and a man named Ngaruro helps him by bringing him somewhere he can heal. This is when Matigari tells his new friend how he killed Howard Williams because of his oppressive nature and how he failed when Mr. Howard’s servant, Mr. Boy, saved his master’s life. Matigari escaped and Mr. Williams chased him which led to Matigari being able to kill him in the mountains. Ngaruro also mentions that the factory is owned by a man named Williams who has a deputy named Boy.

Once they reach their destination, Ngaruro leaves Matigari to rest so he can get back to the factory. While Matigari is resting, he is approached by Guthera, who is seeking refuge from policemen. The police find her and she tries to escape but is caught and surrounded by their dog. Matigari rescues her and stands up to the police officers who, shocked by Matigari’s courage, let Guthera go.

Guthera explains to Matigari that she hates the police because they murdered her father who was a freedom fighter. As thanks to Matigari, she decides to stay with him and help him. They start toward where Matigari says his family lives and when they get there, two men stop them and ask to see proof of ownership from Matigari, which he doesn’t have. The two men turn out to be Mr. Williams and John Boys’ sons.

Matigari is imprisoned with other inmates with whom he shares food with, which is reminiscent of the last supper in the Bible. Matigari tells his fellow inmates his story. They have already heard how he stood up to the police and are awed by his presence and tell him their stories. Mysteriously, these inmates are set free and Matigari is hailed to some as angelic and God-like; some even believe he is Jesus because of his ability to escape prison.

Unbeknownst to him, people have been telling his story all over the country which makes him seem even more God-like. Matigari is on his own journey to find the truth and when he asks for help, people don’t recognize him as the legendary freedom fighter and turn him away because he is a stranger. He is then instructed by an old woman to find a group of students who are looking for the same justice and truth that Matigari is. But, once he finds them, they and their teacher are too afraid to help.

After being turned away by the students, Matigari goes to the church and seeks out a priest for advice, who it turns out, is no help because he is under the government’s control. Instead of offering counsel, the priest has Matigari meet with the Minister for Truth and Justice later in the day. At this meeting, the prisoners that Matigari helped escape prison are convicted by judges and others who are loyal to the government in front of leaders from Western countries, and the Minister for Truth and Justice. The Minister announces at this meeting that Mr. Williams’ company had been generous enough to donate shares to the country’s leader and to himself. With this generous “donation”, comes the announcement that the company is now owned by the government and the people.

Matigari then becomes angry and calls the Minister for Truth and Justice unlawful and oppressing, saying that the government only serves to exploit people. Matigari is then made out to be a madman in front of the assembly and he and Ngaruro are sent to a mental asylum. Upon seeing this, the people who are present at the assembly start to protest by singing songs about the revolution which the Minister quickly bans. This causes the government to make stricter laws that are meant to dismiss and eradicate revolutionary thoughts. The people are being more and more oppressed as the government keeps implementing more and more laws.

At the asylum, Matigari decides to dig up his previously hidden weapons and take back his vow of peace. He’s decided and realized peaceful protests aren’t getting him anywhere. Matigari escapes with Guthera and Muriuki and makes plans to take back his house. While on the way to the weapons, the three steal a Mercedes from a couple who are having sex on a back road and threaten to expose them if they talk about what had happened. Later, they discover that the woman in the car had been the Minister for Truth and Justice’s wife. During this time, the police have stated that they are looking for the madmen who escaped from the prison, and they announce that Ngaruro has been killed.

Taking the Mercedes again, Matigari starts back to the tree to get his weapons, but he is chased by the police. Determined to lose them, Matigari continues to drive to Mr. Williams’ house where there is a big crowd waiting for him to return. He drives the car into the front of Mr. Williams’ mansion that then catches on fire as the police try to drive Matigari out of his hiding place. Matigari, Guthera, and Muriuki try to run from the police who are chasing them with dogs.

While trying to cross a river to lose their pursuers, Guthera and Matigari are shot and attacked by police dog. Their bodies are swept away by the river and are never found, which results in legends being passed around that Matigari had survived. Muriuki survived, finds the fig tree, digs up Matigari’s weapons and vows to take up his fight.

Main Characters

Matigari ma Njiruungi

Referred to as Matigari, he is the protagonist of the story. Matigari’s name means “the patriots who survived the bullets. Matigari is in disbelief of the country since the last time he was there. He believes that the country would have been in better shape after the countries fight for their independence. Matigari is a believer in community and feels that everyone is stronger when they can come together as one.

Muriuki

Muriuki lives in the garbage scraps that is also known as the vehicle cemetery. He lives in a Mercedes Benz and takes pride in that thinking he is better than all the other children living in the scrap yard. Matigari stands up for Muriuki when there is an altercation between the two boys over shoelaces. Over the course of the novel Muriuki proves to be a good friend to Matigari. Muriuki gets Matigari out from prison and from the mental asylum. Muriuki carry’s on Matigari’s legacy by digging up the weapons that Matigari buried at the beginning of the novel to keep fighting for a better future.

Ngaruro wa Kiriro

Refered to as simply Ngaruro, he helps Matigari when the boys go after him trespassing in the scrap yard. Ngaruro is known as the leader of the workers. With a strike about to happen,due to the fights for higher salaries and better working conditions for the employees Ngaruro is aware of the exploitation that is occurring at the factory.

Guthera

Throughout this novel Guthera is looked at as a very religious person. This has stemmed from her fathers differences in which he was a rebel. Guthera does not want her virginity taken away so she makes a commitment to herself to never sleep with the police officer.

The Minister for Truth and Justice

The Minister for Truth and Justice is the forefront of the government, he is seen as a totalitarian leader who controls the education system and the media. He believes that the way to solve disputes at the workplace is to make strikes and dreams illegal. The Minister for Truth and Justice stands by his government and feels that he as all the control. He deliberately has sneaky plans, avoids facts he does not want to discuss and tries to manipulate the people in the community.

Other Characters

John Boy - Settler Williams Servant

Settler Howard Williams- White Colonizer

John Boy's Son- Represents corrupt black ruling class

William's Son- Represents corrupt black ruling class

Setting

· Matigari digs a hole under a fig tree and burried his weapons (AK47,sword, pistol and bullets) · Matigari is in hopes that the colonial problems would no longer be an issue now that Settler Williams is dead. · He goes on a search for his people. · He enters a place that seems more built up than when he was previously there. · He contemplates going to the police station to see if they know where his people are, but instead decides to venture out on his own. · He starts by looking at a factory (Anglo-American Leather and Plastic Works) · He sees some children (refers to as my children) running from the factory – One boy Murikui leads him to the scrap yard where the children were going- they pay an admittance fee to get in so they can sort through the scrap looking for items they would like. Many children at the scrap yard stay in the old cars as shelter. · Matigari tries to reach one of the boys in the car but the boy becomes defensive and starts to throw rocks at him. Matigari becomes unconscious. · An employee from the factory (Ngaruro) helps Matigari so he can recover. · Matigari then follows the children out of the scrap yard. Each child carrying out a bundle of “Gains” (Things found in the pit. Ex. Muriuki had a bundle of shoelaces) · Muriuki then leads matigari into “town”, he shows matigari where he and the other children live (in another scrap yard- refered to as a vehicle cemetery in the book) each child has their own vehicle that they live in. Muriuki lives in a Mercedes- Benz, one of the best vehicles in the lot. · Matigari wanted to enter the scrap yard but Muriuki warned him that visitors were not allowed on the lot. · As Muriuki and Matigari stood in front of the scrap yard one boy stood on top of a vehicle and started throwing stones at Matigari, they proceeded to leave and the children started throwing even more stones at him. · Matigari got pretty banged up with having bleeding from the ear, mouth and nose. · An employee from the nearby factory (Ngarura wa Kiriro ) came to Matigari’s aid. · A reference to god is made when the factory employee asks Muriuki why the children are beating up Matigari “Children and madmen hate each other like Satan and the Cross” · Matigari proceeds to take Muriuki to his house that he built and fought over with Settler Williams · Matigari tells Muriuki and Ngarura wa Kiriro his story of defeating Settler Williams · Ngarura wa Kiriro leads Matigari and Muriuki to a restaurant. · Ngarura wa Kiriro then leaves to participate in the strike happening at the factory

· Matigari is surprised that women are now working in bars- Muriuki tell him that women work everywhere now .

· Matigari sees a beautiful woman enter the bar (Guthera) she goes over to matigari and calls him “dad” and flirts with him.

· Guthera dashed off when she sees the police coming, she has been running from the police. The police dogs get to her almost killing her. People look on in laughter and horror.

· Matigari steps in, he is disgusted by the sight in front of him. He shouts out to the crowd asking how can this happen.

· Matigari then gets in an altercation with the police over stepping in.

· The police finally lay off. Everyone is now wondering how Magigari is.

· They enter back into the bar. Guthera appoligizes to Matigari about how she talked to me him inappropriately before the incident and asks him to forgive her. She says she will never forget Matigari · Guthera tells her story to Matigari (growing up she had a large connection with faith: followed the 10 commandments religiously) · Her father was put in jail for carrying bullets in his bible, the only way to let her out of jail was if she would give her virginity to the police officer if not her father would get killed. She refused to have her virginity taken away so they killed her father. Her siblings now became starving and they had no money. Guthera had no option but to go on to the streets and have sex with men for money. The said she would rather do that than willingly give her virginity away to the police officer. Matigari then told his story. Guuthera thought that it would be a nice gesture to take matigari to help him look for his family. He did not know where to start. She suggested the tea/coffee plantations where many women work. He agreed. They started out on their search for Matigari’s wives. They searched up and down the plantations and they didn't find anyone they almost stop for the night until they see horses in the distance. They think that there is now hope so they keep on. They then reach the top of the plantation where Matigari can't believe his eyes. He sees his house. Matigari has a new light over him he finally sees hope for the future.

Themes

Poverty and Exploitation:

This is the central theme in this novel. When Matigari comes back from the mountains, the first thing that comes into his head is the poverty of the ordinary people. The children are exploited because they have to pay an entrance fee to the dump, which grants them the right to rummage through the garbage. Matigari steps in when he sees two boys fighting over a shoelaces, which proves how poor people are when even a cheap shoelaces is considered valuable enough to have them fight over. Matigari realizes that poverty is an essential tool of control for the imperialists, capitalists.

Oppression:

Throughout the novel, the government is presented as an abstract force that oppresses its own citizens. This makes it ironic as it is called "government of the people," when it does nothing to help the lives of the people. In the beginning, Matigari does not help the police because he does not trust them. His thought is later confirmed by two policemen chasing and threatening a woman because she did not want to involve herself in sexual intercourse with them. The radio program "The Voice of Truth" constantly announces new measures to keep the people in line. Other elements of oppression such as sentences without a trial or public trials to scare potential revolutionaries are still all too common in many countries around the world, therefore explaining the author's claim that the story does not have a certain time or setting.

Revolution:

As soon as, Matigari learns that the freedom he fought for has still not reached, he decides to stand up against the oppressors and start a revolution. Even though he is courageous, the majority of people are too afraid of the government because they have informers everywhere, which means that there is an atmosphere of distrust. The people are so focused on a glorified leader figure that they do not realize that they themselves are the key to break the chains of oppression. For example, in the prison the murderer says, "Finding your mouth can't really be all that hard." The murderer does not realize it, his words are a call for a peaceful demonstration, where people are courageous enough to demand their rights. Matigari eventually realizes that is it impossible to stop this situation by remaining peaceful.

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment

This article is or was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Jaynarocha, Emmaclements22, Paula.clark, Suzannebullock.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 20:30, 19 January 2022 (UTC)