This week we read three stories from James Ngugi "Decolonization of the Mind" "Wedding at the Cross" and "Minutes of Glory." "Decolonization of the Mind" is a story dealing with African literature and its impact on English literature, he shows that something is always "lost in translation" when someone is forced to abandon their native language he refers to this as "borrowed tongue." In addition, he points out that no one should ever feel ashamed of their native tongue and that we all should appreciate and respect the different languages and cultures that exist.
"Wedding at the Cross" is about a man who thirst for revenge and power came at a very high price. "Wedding at the Cross" is written like a parable with the characters experiences being intertwined and each
of their actions carry consequences. For instance, when Wariuki changed his name to livingstone he began to lose his identity and the respect of others.
"Minutes of Glory" is a story about a woman who finds her self esteem and respect at the most vulnerable time in her life. Wanjiru is the main character in this story who has self pity and very low self esteem she walks and acts in a constant state of victim hood until she meets Nyaguthu. Wanjiru then changes her name to Beatrice and began to carry herself in a more respectful way "She felt a new power, confidence even" (Minutes of Glory 1454).
All three stories show in some way the complex and difficult situations that arise when a country has been colonized and its people struggle for their independence and identity. Ngugi uses the everyday struggles of common people to illustrate and explain the problems that arise when one culture imposes itself on another.
I like how you refer to "Wedding at the Cross" as a parable. I think you are exactly right about that. You make some good observations about the stories. For your next posting, you need to try to explain how your personal experiences influence your interpretations of the reading.
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