The River Between Literary Elements

Novel; Allegory

20th-century, pre-independence Kenya

Third-person omniscient narrator

Tone: optimistic, meditative, sincere, nervous

Mood: foreboding, tense, lonely

Protagonist: Waiyaki. Antagonists: Joshua; Kabonyi

While Waiyaki tries to reconcile the two rivaling ridges by providing education, Kabonyi and the elders of his tribe work against his ambition because they want to defend their own interests.

The climax occurs when Waiyaki is accused by the people of breaking the oath. He had just made a case for himself and defended Nyambura; there is a moment where things might seem to go well for him, but then the people turn on him and seal his fate.

1. When Muthoni and Nyambura go up the hill after getting water from the river, Muthoni's barrel falls off and rolls back down to the river. Nyambura thinks this is a bad omen, and, indeed, Muthoni's plan to become a circumcised member of her tribe fails because she dies of her infected wound shortly after. (27)
2. Chege sees what happened to Muthoni as a warning to the hills.
3. The narrator writes that Waiyaki did not stop to think what taking the oath might mean to him, foreshadowing his eventual downfall

When Muthoni reveals to her sister that she plans to get circumcised, Nyambura warns her of her father Joshua, who "will be very cross" with her. This is an understatement because Joshua later becomes furious and disowns Muthoni because of her disobedience. (25)

1. The head missionary Livingstone may be an allusion to the pioneer missionary David Livingstone, who explored Africa in the late 19th century.
2. There are many allusions to Christianity—God, Jesus, sin, redemption, prayer, etc.
3. "...giving unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's" (32) refers to Jesus's words in the synoptic gospels
4. Joshua thinks of the sufferings of Job, a biblical figure whom God tested by making his life miserable

See separate Imagery section of this ClassicNote.

Joshua preaches that traditional practices such as circumcision are a cardinal sin, yet the Christians allow circumcised people to convert. In fact, Muthoni points out that Joshua and his wife are both circumcised.

1. Both Waiyaki and Joshua are seen as saviors by their followers. Both share the same enthusiasm and dedication for their cause.
2. Waiyaki thinks to himself while he is pain, "Livingstone in his way was like Chege...standing for the other side...no...confusing the two" (46); the two men parallel each other as visionary leaders.

N/A.

1. The story starts with the description of the sleeping ridges, which illustrates how secluded the people were, not caring about anything outside of their lands, with no desire to move forward. This ideal of keeping things the same is emphasized by the personification of the river, which "went on in the same way, never hurrying, never hesitating. People saw this and were happy." (1)
2. "And there the ancient tree stood, towering over the hill, watching, as it were, the whole country." (15)
3. "Yet the hopes and desires kept haunting him. They had followed him all life" (71)
4. "The moon was also awake. Her gaze was hard and looked brittle" (73)