World Lit. Survey
Prof. Benander
Ngugi: Minutes of Glory
Written by Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Minutes of Glory strives to focus attention on the life of a barmaid are she battles with her identity and the scrutiny of colonial Nairobi. Ngugi's story is built upon a woman named Beatrice who is struggling to keep a job. Beatrice is described as a dark and full of flesh, having form, but yet filled out. However, Beatrice is not seen as a beauty queen, she is often over looked by all the men looking for instant satisfaction. Throughout the story, Beatrice is traveling from town to town and working at whatever bar will higher her. Unfortuately she is eventually gives up her profession and settles for a bed making job at the Treetop Bar in Ilmorog. While making beds, Beatrice happens upon a costumer whom she befriends and begins to meet with on a regular basis. After many meetings, Beatrice becomes board with the mans stories and begins to work up enough courage to steal from the man. Upon stealing the mans money, Beatrice enters the city and spends the majority of the money perfecting her image and creating a completely new air about herself. Beatrice personally experiences the power of being a woman for the first time. However, her glory is short lived when the man she stole from, comes with the police to arrest her.
The aspect of this story that jumped out at me, is the fact that Ngugi created a story in which being a barmaid was a suitable and exceptable occupation; the women have a sense of dignity and poise. Ngugi creates women who are working to make an honest living, doing a job that many would consider degrading.
The next aspect that i found interesting, is that fact that Beatrice's co-worker was given a name. Nyaguthu, was Beatrice's rival, she often ruled the floor and established her dominance as the men's favorite. However, readers learn that the reason for Nyaguthu choosing the occupation of a barmaid is due to her over protective parents. Nyaguthu was burnt out on all of the rules and regulations of the Christian life. She simply wanted to be free. I feel that the author is trying to make the point that if people are pushed too far and the rule are too strict, then the only response is conflict and rebellion. Nyaguthu is basically kicked out of her family because she couldnt and didnt choose to follow the Christian traditions. This caused her to have a major attitude which in turn was the source of her power and influence.
Ngugi wishes for readers to understand the sense of pride that Beatrice lacks. Beatrice is always looking down on herself, she is never proud of being dark black or proud of being African. She is always trying to make herself lighter and trying to transform herself into what she thinks the general public will like. This identity struggle is what Ngugi wishes to combat, the colonization of the mind.
In addition, Ngugi wishes to bring attention to the belief that colonizatoin equals wealth. This is evident by all the men that are seen at TreeTop bar. They are all wealthy, power, colonized men. Ngugi wants readers to simply be proud of who they are. Embrace the fact that they are African and that there is no need to conform to the colonization of other.
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