The Cross

The Cross upon which the Devil is crucified and then saved is a symbol of the incomplete process of decolonization and independence. While the peasants believe that they have won freedom through political independence, the Devil resurges—as did Christ, according to Christian theology—and rises again in a new form: neo-colonialism.

National Dress

Throughout this novel, national dress is referred to as a symbol of the cultural resistance of a nation against its colonial and imperial oppressors. When Warĩĩnga wears national dress to the tea part at Gatuĩria’s parent’s house, she participates in an act of resistance against cultural imperialism, which dictates that the ways of the west are best.

Suits

Throughout this novel, suits are used as symbols of capitalist ideology. The capitalist businessmen wear suits in order to communicate their status and wealth, and to demonstrate their abilities...