Review of Dreams in a Time of War

In a world directed by economic power and wealth, honest, critical, and dissenting voices that challenge the popular capitalist hegemony are often disparaged and ridiculed. Such are the works of professor Ngugi wa Thiongo, a Kenyan literary icon. His authentic voice on the evils of colonialism and the corrupt neo-colonial Africa has made his books lie in the inaccessible corners of libraries in Kenya and across the globe. Fortunately, passionate readers with a concentrated desire for knowledge find these books that redeem them from ignorance. You learn about the hidden narratives of the African struggle for independence, the unwillingness of brazen colonial powers to face their brutal colonial past, and the true heroes of the African independence struggle.
 "Dreams in a Time of War" is Ngugi's autobiography. Unlike most of his books, which tackle most of the abovementioned themes, "Dreams in a Time of War" depicts how turbulent events affect young, innocent children and how they capture these events and struggle to understand them.
 A Child's State of Confusion
 Landowners to squatters
 A child's state of confusion is the primary theme in "Dreams in a Time of War." Several traumatic events happen in Ngugi's life as a young boy that we only see him trying to process as an adult when writing this piece.
 Ngugi's father, a landowner in Limuru, suddenly becomes a squatter. Their neighbor, an African Catholic Christian convert, grabs their land. There is nothing that Ngugi's father can do to win his land back, yet everyone knows the land belongs to his father. Ngugi does not understand how society cannot solve open land theft straightforwardly. All he hears is that times have changed, and those that possess title deeds are the owners of the land. He chooses not to concern himself with the matter.
 Christianity vs. African Traditional Religion
 Young Ngugi is torn between Christianity and African Traditional Religion. Their neighbor is a Christian (a catholic father). His uncle, his father's eldest brother, their other neighbor, is a staunch believer in traditional African practices. Ngugi's father scoffs at both Christianity and traditional African practices. Thus, Ngugi has the free will to choose his spiritual path. He wanders between the two spiritual paths while failing to pledge allegiance. There is a time he gets baptized and adorns the Christian name "James." There is a time he undergoes the Traditional African rite of circumcision that graduates him from a child to a man. Most of these activities he does since others are doing them.
 African Independent Schools vs. Colonial Government Schools and Missionary Schools
 Ngugi notices a difference in knowledge that teachers provide him depending on the type of school he attends. While at the African independent schools, he can speak his native language, Gikuyu. History teachers also teach them about Mekatiliti of Giriama, Wayaki wa Hinga of Gikuyu, and Koitalel Arap Samoei of the Nandi, African leaders who organized their tribes to repel the British invasion of their country for several years. At government and missionary schools, history teachers talk about Ludwing Kraft, Rebman, and Vasco da Gama, European explorers and colonizers that prepared the way for the invasion of Kenya. When the African independent schools are closed, Ngugi is saddened that his only dream of getting an education is stopped. He only wants an education, so he moves to a colonial government school. His dream as a child is to get an education. That is all that matters to him.
 Family Separations and Divisions
 When Ngugi's family experiences separations and divisions, he does not know whose side he should take. When Ngugi's father chases his mother away from home, Ngugi stays back with his brother. Ngugi knows his father's compound is his home. However, when his father asks him to stop playing with his children (his other siblings), Ngugi leaves with his brother and follows their mother. Ngugi never thought the fight between his parents would reach him, down the family order, and result in his father disowning him.
 During the state of emergency, Ngugi's beloved stepbrother, Wallace, joins the Kenya Land and Freedom Army. He has another stepbrother that works as a police informer that sells the secret of the Kenya Land and Freedom Army. Ngugi also has a stepbrother that fought for the British empire under the King's African Rifles in World War II. He often fears what might happen when these three brothers with different allegiances to the colonial government meet. He cannot decide who is wrong or right in the struggle between freedom and slavery.
 When the colonial government evicts Ngugi's grandmother from her home in Elburgon, she comes to Limuru to stay with them. Ngugi can see apparent strife between mother and daughter (his grandmother and mother). He feels that his grandmother is always stern with his mother. Ngugi's grandmother never appreciates anything her mother does. He knows something is not right but lacks the knowledge and power to solve it.
 A child's Biased Love Towards the Mother
 "Dreams in a Time of War" reveals how children develop biased love towards the present parent, which is usually the mother. Mothers are caregivers in most families. They spend much time with their children and develop strong bonds with them. These bonds of love become so great that they make children elevate their mothers to an angelic, pure, and godly status. Such is the relationship between Ngugi, the character, and his mother. The fact that Ngugi chose to write "Dreams in a Time of War" as a dedication to his mother infers that he would likely be biased.
 Conflict Between Mother and Father
 Ngugi assumes that his father is in the wrong when he fights with his mother. Ngugi assumes that the stresses resulting from his father's loss of wealth and property have driven him to beat his mother. However, there are many background occurrences in this relationship that Ngugi ignores that can cause a couple to fight and even break up.
 Ngugi's mother is a hard-working woman who can force the land to yield. When her husband loses his land, it dramatically affects her too. She no longer has the pride, confidence, and motivation that one gets working on her property. Thus, this loss of land might have contributed to her disputes with her husband since she is uncomfortable with it. Additionally, Ngugi's grandfather (his mother's father) is wealthy, with vast lands and cattle. Most children want to do better than their parents. Thus, her husband's failure to surpass her father in wealth could have caused Ngugi's mother to be upset with him. Ngugi's mother also had a daughter who had fallen in a fire and died of severe burns. Maybe this traumatic incident still haunts both parents and causes them to fight. Finally, Ngugi's father has four wives. Only Ngugi's mother left him. Thus, it is unfair for Ngugi to claim that the heat of financial stresses made his father change; otherwise, the other three wives would have abandoned him too.
 Conflict Between Mother and Grandmother
 Ngugi believes that his grandmother is unappreciative of his mother's effort to care for her. One can gather from the story that when Ngugi's grandmother separated from his grandfather, Ngugi's mother followed his father to Limuru, and her mother remained in Elburgon with Ngugi's aunt. Ngugi's aunt lived with his grandmother taking care of her. It might be that Ngugi's grandmother always held it against Ngugi's mother for choosing Ngugi's grandfather over her. Maybe Ngugi's grandmother resented the great love Ngugi's mother shared with her father (Ngugi's grandfather) that happened to leave her for another woman. Ngugi's grandmother's resentment towards her daughter is quite understandable based on her life experiences.
 Strength in Unity
 "Dreams in a Time of War" stresses the common saying that unity is strength. The book is set in a blustery colonial Kenya where the struggle between freedom and slavery is rife. In such trying times for the oppressed people (Kenyans), unity among the people emerges as the most effective way of ensuring survival and fighting oppression.
 Refuge
 The people of Limuru help Ngugi's family settle there after they come from Murang'a, where they escape pestilence. The people of Limuru are very compassionate and empathetic. They welcome Ngugi's uncle (his father's brother) into their community and give him adequate land to farm and live with his family. Later, when Ngugi's father also moves to Limuru after finding life hard in Nairobi, his brother welcomes him to Limuru. Ngugi's uncle gives his father adequate land to farm and live in with his family. Here, we find two brothers that pestilence forced out of their homes finding refuge and life support in a new community far away from home.
 Domestic Violence
 Ngugi's mothers help one another stop their husband from battering one of them. Ngugi's father beats his wives on rare occasions. During such occasions, the other wives, not facing his wrath, always stop him by making loud cries in the compound to invite people to stop him from beating his victim to a pulp.
 Advancement of Education
 Africans start African independent schools to help meet the educational needs of African children that the colonial government neglects. They start schools like Manguo, where children are taught to be proud of their heritage. Ngugi attends Manguo Primary School. Since African independent schools face staff shortages, Africans build the African Teachers College at Githunguri to train teachers for their schools. When Alliance high school sends Ngugi an admission letter, his half-brothers donate money to raise his tuition fee. Njoki, his sister, buys him a pair of shoes. Here we see a large African population that the colonial government neglects their need for empowerment through education. They come together to start their schools and educate their children.
 Conclusion
 "Dreams in a Time of War" has well captured the puzzles children face growing up. It shows that children react to tempestuous events depending on how grownups react. Children also follow the norms of society to wade through life without trouble. This excellently-written novel also shows that children develop love bias toward the parent who spends a lot of time with them, their caregiver. Children develop a strong bond with the ever-present parent and take her side in any conflict she faces. Moreover, "Dreams in a Time of War" reveals that unity is the only way an oppressed society can redeem itself from the claws of slavery and suffering.
 Besides these solid psychological themes emanating from this simply perfect work, there is evidence of adult bias in the novel. "Dreams in Time of War" is a novel whose prime character is a child (the young Ngugi). However, an adult Ngugi that is experienced, knowledgeable, and decisive has written it. Thus, the novel has lots of logical deductions on the puzzles the young Ngugi face. It would be better had the novel been written by the young Ngugi to portray better his thinking, emotions, and reactions to events.
 Overall, "Dreams in a Time of War" is a significant literary piece worthy of your time. It helps you know the life of the legendary writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o. It also helps one understand a child's psychology. Moreover, it helps you understand the brutal colonial history of Kenya and the ignored participation of Africans in significant world events like World War II. Grab your copy.