Structure

Wainaina basically tells his story in a linear timeline. He begins with his childhood as a seven-year-old in 1978. The story concludes in 2010 when the people in Kenya are voting on a new constitution.

There are a few deviations from the linear line of the story. For instance, in Chapter 25 Wainaina goes back to 1960 to tell the story of his mother’s life. Again in Chapter 33, Wainaina goes back in time to detail a portion of his life before he concludes his story.

Climaxes in Wainaina’s life come when his mother’s family is able to reunite in Uganda for Wainaina’s grandparents’ sixtieth wedding anniversary. The second high point in Wainaina’s life hinges on this reunion. The first piece of writing that he has published and receives payment is a story he wrote about this reunion. Wainaina later goes on to win the Caine Prize...