03/04/2026
Dreams in a Time of War: A Childhood Memoir by Ngugi wa Thiong’o, conveys a consistent theme of faith during British colonial rule and acts of violence amongst the Kenyan people. At the beginning of the memoir, wa Thiong’o emphasizes the importance of education and expresses his gratitude to his brother, Kabae, for sparking his desire to learn and receive his teaching. However, throughout the memoir, he acknowledged the barriers to receiving an education which was deemed impossible for a family of his socioeconomic background. Promising to keep the pact that he created with his mother, wa Thiong’o consistently expresses his gratitude throughout the book to indicate the sacrifices of his mother’s marketplace earnings. His mother uses her funds to pay for his uniform, tuition, and extracurricular activity fees to send her son to school. For example, “I could not bring myself to break the pact regarding the school that I had made with Mother. I could not abandon my dreams. The train would have to pass me by!” (78) When his mother offers him and his little brother a train ride to visit relatives, wa Thiong’o declines the offer, feeling his commitment to his mother could be tainted.
