Wanjiru's Research for Self in Ngugi Wa Thiong'o's "Minutes of Glory"
- Owen G. Mordaunt (English Department University of Nebraska Omaha)
Abstract
This paper deals with Ngugi wa Thiong'o's portrayal of the protagonist in his short story "Minutes of Glory". Wanjiru finds herself trapped in an urban setting and is a victim of her situation and low self-esteem. The story is a poignant and touching study of this young woman who is battling with an identity problem and is seeking acceptance in a post-independence setting where women are exploited by men of the New Africa elite. She is regarded as "a wounded bird in flight: a forced landing now and then but nevertheless wobbling from place to place ..." The story affirms female self-realization rather than perpetual self-alienation, and that validates the persistence in attaining her desired goal.
KEY WORDS: Kenya, literature, psychology, short story
How to Cite:
Mordaunt, O., (1992) “Wanjiru's Research for Self in Ngugi Wa Thiong'o's "Minutes of Glory"”, Afrika Focus 8(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/af.v8i2.5836
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