The story takes place in Kenya. Kenya was a British colony since 1895. It later gained its independence in 1963. During the colonial period, the British government encouraged the settlement of European in Kenya and promoted education in the country by British missionaries in order to spread Christianity. As a result, western cultures and ideas were immerged in the country. After the period of colonization, people gained a hybridized identity: they carried both the African identity and the western identity as people tended to cling themselves to western lifestyle and thoughts which they believed to be superior. In the short story Minutes of Glory by James Ngugi, the author reveals that people in the society tend to accept and recognize those who bear a certain western characteristics whereas they incline to neglect those who are ordinary black. Some of the hybridized individuals no longer have confidence on themselves and are no longer certain of their identities. The search for recognition from others therefore becomes an essential key for one to gain his self-confidence and self-recognition. This brings out the theme of the story – Existentialism.

As a result of the colonial rule by the British government, western ideas and values are immerged in the African society. Being affected deeply by the western ideas, the black African has a new form of identity as they tends to cling themselves to the western values—the hybridized African identity. They are hybridized as they are neither transformed as a complete Westerner nor a complete African. Having both identities’ characteristics, they are thus called the hybridized African. Because of the class distinction between the upper and lower class and the lack of education among the girls in the society, many people lack confidence on themselves. Therefore, they want to gain recognition from others in order to gain self-confidence. Being recognized and gaining self-recognition is very important for everyone as it recognizes one’s existence in the society.

The author describes Beatrice as someone who is either ugly or someone who cannot be called beautiful: an ordinary black girl. As she is not beautiful, she cannot attract enough customers and no man is interested in her. This depresses her and she does not have enough confidence on herself, she always questions herself ‘What do they have that I don’t have?’ (Ngugi, P.1446, line 15-16). She wants to gain recognition from her clients; she wants them to bring her gifts, smiles and love as what they bring to other girls. As she is not fashionable enough and does not resemble white European women, she gains no recognition from her hybridized clients who prefer western white girls to traditional black girls. Other barmaids who wear western cosmetics and fall into good fortune by their ‘big men’ (Ngugi, P.1449, line 19) also look down upon on Beatrice. Being neglected and unaccepted by different groups of people, she transforms herself into a completely different western girl by stealing money from the lorry driver and buys herself fancy western costumes and accessories. Such an illegal act, however, helps her to gain recognition from the men and the barmaids who used to look down upon her and despised her. The client’s lascivious eyes and the barmaid’s staring eyes give her self-confidence and self-recognition. These recognitions approve her existence, which leads her to her ‘Minutes of Glory’ that is described in the latter part of the story.

As people in the society have a hybridized identity and are affected by the influx of western ideas, the rich people are wealthy to gain European-resembled girlfriends and sleep with the barmaids who carry western cosmetics and accessories. ‘They always went for a girl with an Ambi-lightened skin and head covered with a wig made in imitation of European of Indian hair’ (Ngugi, P. 1447, line 21-23) The rich men believe that going out with a girl who resembles European give them pride and status as they have the feeling of black-self hatred in their hearts. As a

Some topics in this essay:
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