A Grain of Wheat

E517975

A Grain of Wheat is a landmark Kenyan novel by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o that explores the moral and political complexities of the Mau Mau uprising on the eve of Kenya’s independence.

All labels observed (2)

Label Occurrences
"A Grain of Wheat" (1967 novel) 1
A Grain of Wheat canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf novel
alsoKnownAs "A Grain of Wheat" (1967 novel)
linked to: A Grain of Wheat
author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o
countryOfOrigin Kenya
criticalReception studied in universities worldwide
widely acclaimed
genre African literature
historical novel
political novel
postcolonial literature
hasAdaptation stage adaptation
influencedBy Kenyan independence struggle
Mau Mau rebellion
linked to: Mau Mau Uprising
literaryMovement African nationalism literature
postcolonialism
literarySignificance key text in African postcolonial canon
landmark work of Kenyan literature
mainTheme betrayal
collective responsibility
colonialism
loyalty
moral ambiguity
nationalism
sacrifice
narrativeTechnique flashbacks
multiple perspectives
nonlinear narrative
notableCharacter General R
Gikonyo
Kihika
Mugo
Mumbi
Thompson
originalLanguage English
plotFocus Mau Mau resistance against British colonial rule
preparation for Uhuru celebrations
revelation of a betrayal within the community
publicationYear 1967
publisher Heinemann
series African Writers Series
settingPeriod Mau Mau Uprising
eve of Kenyan independence
settingPlace Kenya
rural Kenyan village
titleOrigin biblical metaphor of a grain of wheat dying to bring forth life

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o notableWork A Grain of Wheat
A Grain of Wheat alsoKnownAs "A Grain of Wheat" (1967 novel)
linked to: A Grain of Wheat