“A Meeting in the Dark” by James T. Ngugi is a story about a young man’s struggles to break free from the oppression caused by his father. John, the main character, is faced with conflicts mainly stemming from his Christian background. His father, Stanley, serves as the village preacher whom he fears because of his authoritarian nature; John obliges to every order of his father out of fear, not sincerity. Their dysfunctional relationship coupled with the forbidden relationship between John and Waharu cause conflicts which become irreparable.
First and foremost, this story presents a conflict between religion and rationality. Stanley’s overprotective fostering of his son leads his wife to wonder if his intentions on their son are either helpful or damaging. Stanley and his wife, Susana, had been living life normally, until he had converted. Suddenly, everything changed; happiness had b
This story takes a look at how good intentions can lead to unhappiness and unnecessary oppression. John is so fearful of his father because not following his wishes would disappoint him. His character is also in question because while he isn’t strong enough to rebel against Stanley, he also refuses to cut ties with Wamuhu. John’s idealistic nature forces him to delay the inevitable with Wamuhu, because, while he continues to hope that everything will work for him, he also knows in the back of his mind that nothing fruitful would ever come out of their relationship. It’s ironic that the very thing Stanley had wanted his son to avoid through intense overprotection became the probable cause of his son ending up on the similar path he had previously taken. Unable to fully resolve his dilemmas and faced with seemingly impossible situations, these conflicts ultimately drive John to insanity.
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