A Grain of Wheat

by

Ngugi wa Thiong’o

Wambui Character Analysis

Wambui is a notable village elder who also tries to convince Mugo to lead. Wambui is good friends with Warui and has also participated in the fight for freedom for her entire life. As a young woman and even as an old woman, Wambui collaborates with the Mau Mau, smuggling messages and weapons to them in the forest. Wambui serves to demonstrate and tell of the power of women to act and succeed where men have failed, especially in times of revolution, believing that many of their achievements could not have been made without the essential help of women. Like Warui, Wambui is disappointed both by Mugo’s confession and by Uhuru, seemingly disenchanted with life after all her long, hard years of struggle.

Wambui Quotes in A Grain of Wheat

The A Grain of Wheat quotes below are all either spoken by Wambui or refer to Wambui. 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 13 Quotes

[Wambui] believed in the power of women to influence events, especially where men had failed to act, or seemed indecisive […] Let therefore such men, she jeered, come forward, wear the women’s skirts and aprons and give up their trousers to the women.

Related Characters: Wambui
Page Number: 175
Explanation and Analysis:
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Wambui Quotes in A Grain of Wheat

The A Grain of Wheat quotes below are all either spoken by Wambui or refer to Wambui. 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 13 Quotes

[Wambui] believed in the power of women to influence events, especially where men had failed to act, or seemed indecisive […] Let therefore such men, she jeered, come forward, wear the women’s skirts and aprons and give up their trousers to the women.

Related Characters: Wambui
Page Number: 175
Explanation and Analysis: