A Grain of Wheat

by

Ngugi wa Thiong’o

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Mugo Character Analysis

Mugo is the primary protagonist and a villager of Thabai. Mugo’s parents die when he is young, leaving him destitute in the care of an alcoholic aunt who abuses and demeans him throughout his childhood. As an adult, Mugo is isolated and alone, purposefully keeping himself detached from the world around him and the struggles of his village, embodying the natural desire to be independent and free of the problems of one’s community. However, despite Mugo’s wish to be alone and unbothered, he is drawn into the Movement when Kihika comes to him for shelter from the British. Although Mugo does not wish to be involved or even to help, he is too passive and indecisive to resist, and afterward becomes a key figure amongst his people and symbol of resistance against the British, even though he secretly betrays Kihika to his death. This dissonance between Mugo’s perceived heroism and his secret guilt over his treachery becomes a key aspect of his character. Despite his reticence and weakness, the villagers insist on making him their hero and his status within the community grows until he has been made into a mythical figure. Although Mugo spends most of the novel trying to run from his duty to the community, he ultimately finds the courage to confess his crime and accept the consequences: a death sentence. Although Mugo is responsible for heroic Kihika’s death, the villagers are so moved by his bravery to sacrifice everything for the sake of the truth that they venerate him as a hero once more. However, Mugo is still executed, privately and with dignity. In his confession and death, Mugo is redeemed of his crime, demonstrating the redemption that may be found through owning one’s guilt and willingly accepting the punishment, as well as by accepting one’s responsibility to their community in spite of their personal desires.

Mugo Quotes in A Grain of Wheat

The A Grain of Wheat quotes below are all either spoken by Mugo or refer to Mugo. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Colonialism Theme Icon
).
Chapter 3 Quotes

[Mugo] had always found it difficult to make decisions. Recoiling as if by instinct from setting in motion a course of action whose consequences he could not determine before the start, he allowed himself to drift into things or be pushed into them by an uncanny demon; he rode on the wave of circumstance and lay against the crest, fearing but fascinated by fate.

Related Characters: Mugo
Page Number: 24
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6 Quotes

“Many of us talked like that because we wanted to deceive ourselves. It lessens your shame. We talked of loyalty to the Movement and the love of our country. You know a time came when I did not care about Uhuru for the country anymore. I just wanted to come home.”

Related Characters: Gikonyo (speaker), Mugo
Page Number: 67
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

A big lump blocked Mugo’s throat. Something heaved forth; he trembled; he was at the bottom of the pool, but up there, above the pool, ran the earth; life, struggle, even amidst pain and blood and poverty, seemed beautiful; only for a moment; how dared he believe in such a vision, an illusion?

Related Characters: Mugo, Mumbi
Page Number: 146
Explanation and Analysis:

“It makes his life more interesting to himself. He invents a meaning for his life, you see. Don’t we all do that? And to die fighting for freedom sounds more heroic than to die by accident.”

Related Characters: General R. (speaker), Mugo, Githua
Page Number: 147
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12 Quotes

The man who had suffered so much had further revealed his greatness in modesty. By refusing to lead, Mugo had become a legendary hero.

Related Characters: Mugo
Page Number: 171
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

“I despise the weak. Why? Because the weak need not remain weak. Listen! Our fathers fought bravely. But do you know the biggest weapon unleashed by the enemy against them? It was not the Maxim gun. It was the division amongst them. Why? Because a people united in faith are stronger than the bomb. They shall not tremble or run away before the sword.”

Related Characters: Kihika (speaker), Mugo
Page Number: 186
Explanation and Analysis:

“But what is an oath? For some people, you need the oath to bind them to the Movement. There are those who’ll keep a secret unless bound by an oath. I know them […] In any case how many took the oath and are now licking the toes of the whiteman? No, you take an oath to confirm a choice already made. The decision to lay or not to lay your life on the line for the people lies in the heart. The oath is water sprinkled on a man’s head at baptism.”

Related Characters: Kihika (speaker), Mugo
Related Symbols: The Oath
Page Number: 187
Explanation and Analysis:

I am important. I must not die. To keep myself alive, healthy, strong—to wait for my mission in life is a duty to myself, to men and women of tomorrow. If Moses had died in the reeds, who would ever have known that he was destined to be a great man?

Related Characters: Mugo (speaker), Kihika
Page Number: 191
Explanation and Analysis:
Harambee Quotes

Courage had failed [Gikonyo], he had confessed the oath in spite of his vows to the contrary. What difference was there between him and Karanja or Mugo who had openly betrayed people and worked with the whiteman to save themselves? Mugo had the courage to face his guilt and lose everything. Gikonyo shuddered at the thought of losing everything.

Related Characters: Mugo, Gikonyo, Karanja
Related Symbols: The Oath
Page Number: 241
Explanation and Analysis:
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Mugo Quotes in A Grain of Wheat

The A Grain of Wheat quotes below are all either spoken by Mugo or refer to Mugo. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Colonialism Theme Icon
).
Chapter 3 Quotes

[Mugo] had always found it difficult to make decisions. Recoiling as if by instinct from setting in motion a course of action whose consequences he could not determine before the start, he allowed himself to drift into things or be pushed into them by an uncanny demon; he rode on the wave of circumstance and lay against the crest, fearing but fascinated by fate.

Related Characters: Mugo
Page Number: 24
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6 Quotes

“Many of us talked like that because we wanted to deceive ourselves. It lessens your shame. We talked of loyalty to the Movement and the love of our country. You know a time came when I did not care about Uhuru for the country anymore. I just wanted to come home.”

Related Characters: Gikonyo (speaker), Mugo
Page Number: 67
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

A big lump blocked Mugo’s throat. Something heaved forth; he trembled; he was at the bottom of the pool, but up there, above the pool, ran the earth; life, struggle, even amidst pain and blood and poverty, seemed beautiful; only for a moment; how dared he believe in such a vision, an illusion?

Related Characters: Mugo, Mumbi
Page Number: 146
Explanation and Analysis:

“It makes his life more interesting to himself. He invents a meaning for his life, you see. Don’t we all do that? And to die fighting for freedom sounds more heroic than to die by accident.”

Related Characters: General R. (speaker), Mugo, Githua
Page Number: 147
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12 Quotes

The man who had suffered so much had further revealed his greatness in modesty. By refusing to lead, Mugo had become a legendary hero.

Related Characters: Mugo
Page Number: 171
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

“I despise the weak. Why? Because the weak need not remain weak. Listen! Our fathers fought bravely. But do you know the biggest weapon unleashed by the enemy against them? It was not the Maxim gun. It was the division amongst them. Why? Because a people united in faith are stronger than the bomb. They shall not tremble or run away before the sword.”

Related Characters: Kihika (speaker), Mugo
Page Number: 186
Explanation and Analysis:

“But what is an oath? For some people, you need the oath to bind them to the Movement. There are those who’ll keep a secret unless bound by an oath. I know them […] In any case how many took the oath and are now licking the toes of the whiteman? No, you take an oath to confirm a choice already made. The decision to lay or not to lay your life on the line for the people lies in the heart. The oath is water sprinkled on a man’s head at baptism.”

Related Characters: Kihika (speaker), Mugo
Related Symbols: The Oath
Page Number: 187
Explanation and Analysis:

I am important. I must not die. To keep myself alive, healthy, strong—to wait for my mission in life is a duty to myself, to men and women of tomorrow. If Moses had died in the reeds, who would ever have known that he was destined to be a great man?

Related Characters: Mugo (speaker), Kihika
Page Number: 191
Explanation and Analysis:
Harambee Quotes

Courage had failed [Gikonyo], he had confessed the oath in spite of his vows to the contrary. What difference was there between him and Karanja or Mugo who had openly betrayed people and worked with the whiteman to save themselves? Mugo had the courage to face his guilt and lose everything. Gikonyo shuddered at the thought of losing everything.

Related Characters: Mugo, Gikonyo, Karanja
Related Symbols: The Oath
Page Number: 241
Explanation and Analysis: