WEEP NOT CHILD

'Weep Not Child' Reviewed by : AYO OMOTOLA
To value the beauty of literary works and rekindle the fire of reading in the minds of students and young ones, book-review is key. It helps to understand the hidden treasure in the belly of book and to fathom or fish-out all, which the author berried. It is a barometer that detects weather the message is clear or misconstrued. And finally it gives readers the opportunity to express their opinions or see their opinions in another person's view.It is a feedback to the writer and an interaction amongst the readers of the book discussed.

WEEP NOT CHILD was written by Ngugi Wa Thiong O. Ngugi is a popular Kenyan writer. A Professor of Eng. & Comaparative Literature at the University of Califonia. He has written so many books, letters and memoirs which has attracted the attention of international scholastic bodies which earned him many awards and accolades.


The book title 'Weep Not Child' alone successfully forms an image of a child, who needs to be comforted and consoled. Before opening the first leaf, your mind is set to read an emotion-arousing book. Weep not child depicts the black days of Kenya, when Kenya was still a British Colony between 1895-1963. For Ngugi to tell the saga effectively in a fictitious way, characters have to come to play. Characters like:
Njoroge
Nyokabi
Kamau
Jacobo
Boro
Njeri
Ngotho
Mwihaki
Juliana and so on.

The very first page captures the picture of a boy Njoroge, who had a vission (Njoroge is the hero of the book). A little boy who must have been looking at his mates going to school with eyes of jealousy. This ambition is introduced by Nyokabi his mother. The news excites him that he has to cooperate with his poor mother to let go of his mid-day meals which means he will go to school many times without goodies even food~not because they care not but could not afford it.

When one's hope is high, he can endure anything. Njoroge wants to restore the land which has been taken away from his ancestors by the whites and the belief is that education is the only tool that could reclaim the lost glory. His ambition is high and his family expects so much from him. So he is so committed to schooling while his brother Boro is pleased with learning carpentry, looking toward the day Njoroge will do the magic.

The irony of the book is that all ambitions were murdered, all hopes trickled off as the violence of the rebellion and horrors of colonialism spring up. Njoroge never become what he wanted, in fact he loses all that have once been giving him joy, the once glorious and bright firmament suddenly turns gloomy as he loses his father to torture and his family in shambles. Only Boro who have been nurturing animosity against the whites could be said to have fulfilled his heneuos desire.

However, the writer was able to use symbolism to pass a crucial message which connotes the fact that all hope is not gone when the stars disappear in the up. She brings a piece of wood burning as a lamp to illuminate her path when searching for Njoroge~ Who is actually contemplating suicide. The peace is restored in the land but people who are interested in his success are no more.