Petals of Blood : Key info
Petals of Blood is a notable literary work by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Petals of Blood.
Key info
Key Facts:
- Writer: Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o (1938–2025)
- Full Title: Petals of Blood
- Written Time: 1971–1976
- First Published: 1977 (Heinemann Educational Books, London)
- Genre: Postcolonial Novel / Political Allegory / Social Realist Fiction
- Tone: Critical, Revolutionary, Reflective, Tragic
- Structure: Three Parts – “Walking,” “Toward Bethlehem,” and “To Be Born”
- Language: English (later translated by Ngũgĩ into Gikuyu)
- Narrative Technique: Third-person omniscient; realist style with symbolic elements
- Point of View: Multiple perspectives focusing mainly on Munira, Wanja, Karega, and Abdulla
- Time Setting: Post-independence Kenya (around late 1960s–early 1970s)
- Place Setting: Ilmorog, a rural village that grows into a town
- Symbolism: Fire (purification and destruction), Theng’eta drink (exploitation), Land (identity and power)
- Major Conflicts: Rich vs. Poor; Tradition vs. Modernity; Idealism vs. Corruption
- Significance of Title: “Petals of Blood” symbolizes beauty born from suffering, hope rising through pain and sacrifice.
