"This Time Tomorrow" Analysis Notes

PLAY DETAILS

Title: This Time Tomorrow

Playwright: NgugiwaThiong'o

Setting: Kenya, after independence

Year of Publication: 2007

Publisher: Kenya Literature Bureau

INTRODUCTION OF THE PLAY

The play follows the life of one family which lives in the slums. The slums and this poor family are all the outcomes of colonialism, Emergency and independence struggle. This family together with other slums dwellers are facing the challenges from the authority which do not want them in the particular place and the challenge of life hardship in these slums. These people make their living in these slums by selling and buying things from Uhuru market which is also in the slums.

In the play, Njango, the main character faces the challenge of raising her daughter, Wanjiro, who is in danger of falling in love with a man from another tribe and other dangers of modernity. So, as a single mother, Njango is afraid to lose both her daughter, the land and the business. Finally, she loses everything. Njango asks herself: "Where will Wanjiro and I go when they drive us from here? Where to set up a new trade to earn us bread and water?" - pg 48/49.

CONTENTS

This analysis will cover the following areas:

(1) ANALYSIS OF THE FORM

(i) Title

(ii) The plot of the play

(iii) Setting

(iv) Characterization

(v) The style of the play

(vi) Language

(2) ANALYSIS OF CONTENT

(i) Themes

(ii) Conflict