Unity

When Kihika talks about Kenyan independence, he says that what is needed is unity. Unity is the strength of the people against the weapons and strength of the British. The novel explores the idea of unity, extending it to include community in individuals' personal lives as well as political lives. The opposite of unity is isolation, and focusing on the self instead of focusing on the community. Mugo ultimately destroys himself through his own isolation. He has no family or sense of an extension of himself into the community of Thabai and Kenya. Mugo only wants to be left alone. However, no man is an island. No man can exist only for himself, because he must live in the world.

Mugo does not realize that he is in the same position as the other black people of Kenya. He is part of the community, whether he wants to...