John Thompson Character Analysis

John is a British administrator and Margery’s husband, as well as Karanja’s employer in the present timeline of the story. John primarily exists for the author to explore arguments in favor of British imperialism. After John meets two thoroughly Westernized African students at Oxford, he becomes convinced of the great moral cause of colonialism, viewing it as a modernizing and purifying force upon a savage, primitive world, inspiring him and his wife to move to East Africa to participate in colonization. In this manner, John is the antithesis of Kihika, his moral opponent, believing that the moral argument favors colonialism and not revolution. However, despite John’s moralism, he proves to be a ruthless overseer, even causing the deaths of eleven prisoners in a detention camp that he oversees, suggesting that there can be nothing moral about colonialism. When news of the deaths makes international headlines, John is publicly excoriated and demoted to working a menial job in Githima. Like many of the male characters, John projects an image of power but is actually weak and indecisive. After the Kenyans win their independence, John’s defeat is complete and he becomes utterly disillusioned with his life, colonialism’s great purpose, and even his wife, before they both leave Kenya for good. Although Karanja fawns over John Thompson, John himself hardly takes any notice of Karanja.