Matigari by Ngũgĩ wa Thiongo | Summary and Analysis

Matigari by NgÃ… ©gÄ © wa Thiongo | Summary and Analysis Matigari is novel written by one of the most famous east African writer NgÃ… ©gÄ © wa Thiongo. The novel Matigari was first written and published in Kikuyu in 1986, which was later translated and published in English in the year 1987. NgÃ… ©gÄ © wa Thiongo, wrote Matigari in Kikuyu so that the messages within the novel can reach the masses of Africa (the poor). According to F.Odun Balogun, Ngugi states that African literature in foreign languages is inaccessible to the vast majority of the African population (Balogun 129). He even renounced his Christian name James and English language and began writing in his native language Kikuyu and Swahili because English to him is a colonial language which undermines the colonized. The novel Matigari takes on the oral form where the narrator can be seen as telling a story to his readers or listeners. For an example the novel starts with a note to readers or listeners Once upon a time, in a country with no name ( Ngugi wa Thiongo ix). However , Matigari oral tradition does not serve, as in the past, but rather is served by the Western novelistic tradition ( Balogun 131). Some of the main issues confronted by Ngugi wa Thiongo in the novel are oppression, colonization, decolonization and neo-colonization. Furthermore it is also about Matigari, the protagonist of the novel in search of truth and justice in his land where the people(masses) are oppressed by their own countrymen who held power( bourgeoisie), a form of neocolonialism. According to Ngugi wa Thiongo, there are only two types of people in the [Kenyan] land-patriots and the oppressors ( Nyame. JR 128). It is clear that this statement is significant because there are patriots and the oppressors in the novel Matigari. Patriots are represented by characters such as Matigari ma Njiruungi, the patriots who survived the bullets( Ngugi wa Thiongo 20), Guthera, Muriuki and Ngaruro wa Kiriro. The patriots love their country and strive for its freedom from the oppressors. They are willing to give up their lives for their beloved land. This is a special announcement. This is a special announcement. The police have shot one of the escaped madmen. He has been identified as Ngaruro wa Kiriro (Ngugi wa Thiongo 135). In the novel Matigari, the patriots firstly fought against the white colonialist (oppressors) who colonized and dominated Africa. The colonizers ill treated the colonized as if they were the other who are looked upon as uncivilized and needed to be con trolled. Much of the narrative of the novel centers on the exploitative relations between the colonizers and the Kenyans, for whom Matigari is a representative( Nyame. JR 129 ).Furthermore these colonizers reaped all the resources of Africa for their own benefits and left the masses to dwell in poverty. For an example, You see I built the house with my own hands. But Settler Williams slept in it and I would sleep outside the veranda. I tended the estates that spread around the house for miles. But it was Settler Williams who took home the harvest.I worked all the machines and in all the industries, but it was settler Williams who would take the profits to the bank and I would end up with the cent that he flung my way I produced everything on the farm with my own labour. But all the gains went to Settler Williams (Ngugi wa Thiongo 21). The protagonist, Matigari ma Njiruungi is a patriot who went to the forest to oppose the colonialists and fight for freedom of his land. He had spend many years in the forests and mountains to hunt down the oppressors so that he could liberate his country and countrymen. Matigaris character represents everyone who toiled under the colonialists and fought in the war of independence (Loflin 90). Armed with his AK47 and other weapons, Matigari spent many years hunting down colonialist Settler Williams and John Boy(Settlers servant). After his victory, he reemerges from the forest to reclaim what was his, especially his house. Matigari felt freedom and liberation was achieved by his country and people from the white settlers. Our main protagonist Matigari even buries his weapons under the mugumo fig tree and girdles himself with a belt of peace believing that full independence was attained from the oppressors. To his utter dismay, though they may have gained independence from the coloni alists, now they are being ruled by African themselves ( bourgeoisie imperialist) who treat their own people badly. Matigari attempts to challenge the new type (neo-colonialism) of oppression peacefully, but failed. He searched for days for truth and justice; but had to succumb to defeat for there is none under the African exploitative regime. For example, He approaches a student, a teacher, and a priest ; all fail abysmally. Their denial of Matigari condemns them as irresolute and complicit with the oppression (Gurnah 171). Finally he resorts to arms and trampled his belt of peace because he realized that justice for the oppressed comes from a sharpened spear (Ngugi wa Thiongo 131). The prototypical revolutionary hero, Matigari, must ultimately abandon his attempts to challenge the current system peacefully(Williams 60). Matigari had to take up arms in order to get back his house again, but now against The Minister of Truth and justice , John Boy JR who are the oppressive elite Af ricans. Guthera and Miuruki are also patriots in the novel Matigari. However they were transitioned from being the oppressed to become patriots with the influence of Matigari ma Njiruungi. Both of them played important roles in helping Matigari to make sure that John Boy JR, will never sleep in my house again (157). Guthera for example, lets go of her eleventh commandment never open my legs for any policemen, these traitors no matter how much they are prepared to pay for the favors( Ngugi wa Thiongo 37) in order to save Matigari from the policemen. This proves that she wants to safe a patriot who is in the path of justice, truth, right and yearns goodness for the country and its people. Furthermore through her narratives we came to know that her father( a Church Elder) was a patriot as well who was arrested and killed for he would not support the oppressors. Guthera was ready to die by going against the traitors and the oppressors with Matigari. She wants to be the vanguard and never wants to get left behind. Guthera states One can die once, and it is better to die in the pursuit of what is right (Ngugi wa Thiongo 139). Thus it is clear in the novel that Guthera too a patriot following the footsteps of Matigari ma Nijuungi. Muriuki is an orphan who lives in the children village(scrapyard) and survived by scavenging rubbish after paying entrance fee. He called an old Mercedes Benz at the scrapyard his house . Muriuki was not the only one,for there were many children parents-less and poor due to the new ruling system after independence which cared less. Muriuki like Guthera joined Matigaris quest in the battle against these oppressing bourgeoisie Africans. It is a world in which the bourgeoisie act criminally within the law (Indangasi 194). Muriuki may have not been under the oppression of the colonizers but he is under the injustices of neocolonialism within Africa. He understands that his land is in absence of justice and Matigari was willing to get it back for them. So Muriuki joins him and becomes a patriot himself. He even called himself and his fellow Children of the village as , Yes. We are the the children of Matigari ma Njiruungi, we are the children of the patriots of the patriots who survived the war (Ngugi wa Thiongo 139). He aided in Matigaris mission by providing him shelter at children village from the policemen and accompanied him alongside with Guthera . At the end of the novel Muriuki was portrayed as picking up Matigaris weapons from the mugumo tree and strapping them to himself . This then establish an understanding that Muriuki will continue Matigaris fight and mission for freedom as a patriot for his beloved country from the heartless oppressors. Hence, even though Matigari and Guthera were never stated as survived or dead in end of the novel,through Muriuki, Matigari ma Njiruungi remains undefeated (Loflin 90). Ngaruro wa Kiriro a factory worker was also classified as a patriot in the novel Matigari. In the first few pages of the novel, we can see that Ngaruro was involved in a strike outside the factory. This is because the workers were not being paid appropriately and were being unjustly treated .Ngaruro, was not afraid to ask for justice. According to the Minister of Truth and Justice, Ngaruro was the first to stood up in public and oppose the presidential decree after the independence. For that he was sent to the mental hospital with Matigari. However before he was taken away, Nagruro shouted bravely ,you may arrest me , but the workers will never stop demanding their rights (Ngugi wa Thiongo 123). Sadly he was killed by the policemen for resisting the power abusing ruling party Kiama Kiria Kirathana(KKK). According to Ngugi wa Thiongo, there are only two types of people in the [Kenyan] land-patriots and the oppressors ( Nyame. JR 128). In the novel Matigari there are two types of oppressors. The first oppressor would be the white colonialist like Settler Williams. The second oppressor in the he novel would be the elite African themselves who misuse power and oppress the poor people. For example, John Boy JR, The Minister for Justice and Truth, His Excellency Ole Excellence and the ruling party KKK who are sell-outs, traitors, parasites, enemies, ogres, and even dogs' (Idangasi 194). The mass of Africa felt that they were out from the frying pan into the fire. Lives and standard of living of the people in the novel after independence did not get better but deteriorated. Children living in old cars, women are prostituting themselves , unjust at working place and corruption within the police enforcements are some of the examples portrayed in the novel. If a person were to question thes e abuses, The Minister for Truth and Justice himself sends the questioner to jail or mental asylum. The establishment of Parratology and newspaper Daily Parratology, were ways to keep the masses under control by the neo-colonial power as well. People who subdue and abide to their unjust laws were called Loyalists (Ngugi wa Thiongo 103). These oppressors having the black skin but white masks behaved like they were the colonialists and ill treated their own people. Sadly after fighting against the colonialists, now Matigari has to continue battling against the neo-colonial power. Having fought against colonial rule, he returns to discover that injustice still exists, albeit in a slightly different form that reflects changed circumstances of neo-colonial society. Settler Williams and his servant John Boy, whom Matigari had fought to death in the forest, have been replaced by their sons, now partners in reaping-what-theydid-not-sow (Gurnah 170). The white colonialist had given a few people(elite) like John By colonial education. Furthermore he was brought up to see his own people through the lenses of the colonialists. Now, this education which instills ideology of the colonizers was given by the oppressors for their own benefits. The elite Africans ,to white colonizers are still collaborating servants , and not much difference from the masses. Through this colonial education, the colonialists retained power over the colonialized land. African leaders is itself a product of a discursive formation and ideological construct specific to the project of mental and psychological colonization of Africans perpetrated by colonialist ideology (Nyame JR 134). Therefore,in the novel Matigari Ngugi states that though liberation was achieved by the Africans from the colonizers , their minds were not decolonized. Ideology of the oppressors still lingers within the leaders and it creates more subordination, poverty, oppression to the Afric an society.According to Ngugi and Maya Jaggi, What is needed is for us in Africa and the Third World to become as conscious of neo-colonial arrangements and their economic, political and cultural implications, and to be horrified by them with the same force, determination and sincerity, as we were vis-al-vis colonialism(Ngugi wa Thiongo and Maya Jaggi 246). For example in the novel, Africans have this strong sense of communal bonds and in the novel Matigari calls almost everyone his child. However, John Boy JR prefers the individual over the term masses because it is primitive. The change of thought within John Boy JR are brought about by colonizers. Our country has remained in the darkness because of the ignorance of our people. They don;t know the importance of the word individual, as opposed to the word masses. White people are advanced because they respect the word and therefore honor the freedom of the individual, which means freedom of everyone to follow his own whims without worrying about others (Ngugi wa Thiongo 48). Thus, the dream of Matigari and others that someday John Boy JR will be the future patriot was dashed. These elite Africans become the neo-colonisers and imperialists , who continue the oppression taught by the settlers. In conclusion, the statement there are only two types of people in the [Kenyan] land-patriots and the oppressors ( Nyame. JR 128) is relevant for the main characters within the novel Matigari are the patriots and the oppressors. However, one must not forget that there are the oppressed Africans depicted in the novel as well represented by the student, teacher and priest who would rather be complacent than fight for truth and justice. They are scared to voice out their opinions for fear of trouble. So they rather ignore and deny Matigari rather than joining him in the battle for freedom and decolonization. Work Cited Indangasi, Henry. Ngugis Ideal Reader and the Postcolonial Reality. The Yearbook of English Studies 27 (1997): 193-200. Web. 3 Mar. 2011. . Loflin, Christine. NgÃ… ©Ã„ ©gÄ © wa Thiongos Visions of Africa. JSTOR 26.4 (1995): 1-19. Web. 3 Mar. 2011. . Ngugi wa Thiongo, . Matigari. Bostwana: Heinemann Kenya Ltd, 1987. N. pag. Print. Ngugi wa, Thiongo, and Maya Jaggi. Matigari as Myth and History: An Interview. Third World Quarterly 11.4 (1989): 241-51. Web. 3 Mar. 2011. . Nyame JR, Kwado Osei. Ngugi wa Thiongos Matigari: and the Politics of Decolonization. A Review of International English Literature 30.3 July (1999): 127-40. Print. Williams, Katherine. Decolonizing the Word: Language, Culture, and Self in the Works of NgÃ… ©Ã„ ©gÄ ©wa Thiongo and Gabriel Okara. Research in African Literatures 22.4 (1991): 53-61. Web. 3 Mar. 2011. .

Conduct Unbecoming by Barry England :: Conduct Unbecoming Military England Essays

Conduct Unbecoming by Barry England Conduct Unbecoming revolves around two important yet very different characters; Drake and Millington. They are both new to the army but have very different views of the regiment. When they first enter ‘the mess’ Drake looks about ‘as a man finally at peace’ Whereas Millington looks with gloom. Drake starts ‘Exactly as I imagined it would be’ whereas Millington launches straight into sarcasm with ‘how very uplifting for you.’ He makes a point that the place ‘haunted his childhood’, showing us that not only does he hate it but he has also been there before. We now know that he already has some connection with the regiment. When Drake says ‘it is like†¦coming home’ Millington replies with ‘isn’t it, though?’ We then find out that Millington’s father was in fact the colonel of the regiment until 1881. Drake obviously is in awe of the regiment and couldn’t be happier that h e’s there. He tells Millington ‘You will find only military honours here. These are past colonels and holders of the Victoria Cross. That is the regimental tradition.’ This shows how dedicated he is (that he’s learnt all this.) He then comments in a rather snobby way ‘I think I should warn you Millington, that while I might, through force of circumstance, tolerate your imbecilities throughout our voyage together, you will find that they are not appreciated here’. Millington then tells Drake â€Å"I have no intention whatever of surviving my probationary period. There is a ship, the Doric castle, which sails for England in almost exactly three months to the day from now. I intend to be on her.† Showing that not only does Millington dislike the place but he has already got a plan, how he is going to get out of the regiment. We discover when Millington comments to Pradah Singh (the waiter) â€Å"I fancy I could do great service to a large whiskey and soda†¦Ã¢â‚¬  showing that he likes his drink, Drake quickly remarks â€Å"We may neither order nor accept drinks until we are properly introduced into the mess.† Drake is showing Pradah Singh how responsible he is and that he has really studied the rules of the regiment. When at last the Junior Sub arrives he asks if they Drake and Millington would like a drink. Millington jumps in with â€Å"†¦Just anything. I’m about to expire.† (More evidence that he likes to drink regularly) but Drake saves him by sucking up to the Junior Sub, saying â€Å"My companion is joking of course.

Health Care System in Korea

Health Care System in South Korea. Health Care system can be defined as the care and service which is been given to any individual by the help of medical and health related professionals. Health care also means to treat, manage and prevent the health of all humans. Health care is an important aspect of life as every individual needs to be healthy, and without health care it is not possible to remain fit. In South Korea National Health Insurance (NHI) compulsorily provides health care.Even the foreigners who reside in South Korea and are registered with the National Health Insurance corporation gets the equal medical benefits and care as the nationals over there get. All the people residing in the country are eligible to health care without considering any nationality or profession. General hospitals, oriental hospitals, public health centre’s and also the private hospitals provides a high quality health services. South Korea is experiencing the sharply increasing life expectan cy. Traditionally people find it a burden to look after the elders in their houses.To tackle with this situation government has launched a Long Term Care Insurance program in July 2008, in almost all the places in South Korea as a Pilot Implementation study. As a result of health financial deficit and increase in the number of elderly population, South Korea is becoming an aging society faster than any other country. Along with the increased number of elders there is a faster increase in the medical expenditure for chronic degenerative diseases, this has become a burden socially. To reduce the burden, especially on the young generation the government is endeavoring, through health care reforms.Increment in the health care facilities and introduction of various other Insurances are the measures undertaken by The MIHWAF. Access to medical care services in South Korea should be addressed due to the regional inequalities. In urban areas there are many private medical facilities located, where as only 79. 7% of population lives in urban areas but there are 92. 1% of physicians and 90. 8% of hospital beds in urban areas. For low income households The Medical Aid Program was launched in 1979 after the promulgation of the Medical Act in 1977.In this program all the expenses on the health care was paid by the government for all those who were not able to afford the expenditures. The Medical Aid Program covered the patients with rare, intractable, and chronic diseases also the children under the age of 18 (after 2004). The government now is facing some difficulties to provide the health care services for the low income people so it has joined hand with the National Health Insurance program for funding the Medical Aid Program. The inequality in the utilization of medical care by cancer patients of south Korea according to the type of medical facilities and survival duration.The cancer patients of high incomes used all the high prices medical services, inpatient and outpa tient care more than the patients with low income. The major tertiary hospitals was very famous for providing better medical care than any other hospitals so all the high income people got them selves treated over there. The inequality in the cancer care expenditure was only in the favor of the high income people as the low income people could not afford it. In conclusion, the income of a person affects the health care system and the facilities they get. Health Care System in Korea Health Care System in South Korea. Health Care system can be defined as the care and service which is been given to any individual by the help of medical and health related professionals. Health care also means to treat, manage and prevent the health of all humans. Health care is an important aspect of life as every individual needs to be healthy, and without health care it is not possible to remain fit. In South Korea National Health Insurance (NHI) compulsorily provides health care.Even the foreigners who reside in South Korea and are registered with the National Health Insurance corporation gets the equal medical benefits and care as the nationals over there get. All the people residing in the country are eligible to health care without considering any nationality or profession. General hospitals, oriental hospitals, public health centre’s and also the private hospitals provides a high quality health services. South Korea is experiencing the sharply increasing life expectan cy. Traditionally people find it a burden to look after the elders in their houses.To tackle with this situation government has launched a Long Term Care Insurance program in July 2008, in almost all the places in South Korea as a Pilot Implementation study. As a result of health financial deficit and increase in the number of elderly population, South Korea is becoming an aging society faster than any other country. Along with the increased number of elders there is a faster increase in the medical expenditure for chronic degenerative diseases, this has become a burden socially. To reduce the burden, especially on the young generation the government is endeavoring, through health care reforms.Increment in the health care facilities and introduction of various other Insurances are the measures undertaken by The MIHWAF. Access to medical care services in South Korea should be addressed due to the regional inequalities. In urban areas there are many private medical facilities located, where as only 79. 7% of population lives in urban areas but there are 92. 1% of physicians and 90. 8% of hospital beds in urban areas. For low income households The Medical Aid Program was launched in 1979 after the promulgation of the Medical Act in 1977.In this program all the expenses on the health care was paid by the government for all those who were not able to afford the expenditures. The Medical Aid Program covered the patients with rare, intractable, and chronic diseases also the children under the age of 18 (after 2004). The government now is facing some difficulties to provide the health care services for the low income people so it has joined hand with the National Health Insurance program for funding the Medical Aid Program. The inequality in the utilization of medical care by cancer patients of south Korea according to the type of medical facilities and survival duration.The cancer patients of high incomes used all the high prices medical services, inpatient and outpa tient care more than the patients with low income. The major tertiary hospitals was very famous for providing better medical care than any other hospitals so all the high income people got them selves treated over there. The inequality in the cancer care expenditure was only in the favor of the high income people as the low income people could not afford it. In conclusion, the income of a person affects the health care system and the facilities they get.

Arm Length and Heigh Investigation-Science

Arm Length and Height Investigation By: Teresa Gebhardt Our Hypothesis is that, there is a linear correlation between arm length and height. We believe from observing our fellow students in class that taller people have longer arms. We tested this hypothesis by measuring the 24 students arm length compared to their height. Testing this hypothesis is important so that we can solve our theory that taller people have longer arms. The control was one single student who measured the majority of the other students.Shoes were removed to ensure accuracy and we made everyone stand straight against the wall, when being measured to prevent imprecise measurements. We used a meter stick to measure arm length and measuring tape to measure height. We converted the inches from the measuring tape to meters so we had an exact unit. We measured from the tip of your longest finger to under the left arm’s armpit. Our sample size was 24 American students from the ages of 18- 21.The replicate measur es we used were measuring the arm length and height of the same subject (student) three times. We then took the average of those three answers, which were sufficiently similar. Our assumptions are that the wall is straight, the floor is leveled, and that we perfected the way to measure. We found that the taller you are the longer your arms are. The average length of my classes’ arm length is 1. 64M and the average height of my class is . 7 M.The data collected shows that arm length increases as height increases. We used a table with 5 columns labeled: Subject, Trial #, height, arm length, average. Our limitations are that we only tested 24 students. The majority were Americans but of different races. We tested boys and girls. We only tested students of the ages between 18-21. My suggestion for doing this experiment again would be to separate males from females to see if sex is a determinant.