Comparaison between Ngugi Wa’Thiong novel A Grain of wheat and Yasmina

khadhra’s Ce que le jour doit a la nuit

Review of the Literature :

As all literary creations, the two selected novels , namely A grain of wheat (1967) and

Ce que le jour doit a la nuit(2008) have generated a substantial amount of critical analysis

from various perspectives and points of view. This critcism has varied over time, as numerous

scholars have extensively analyzed them.

By reviewing each novel independently, it can be observed that A Grain of wheat has

been thoroughly scrutinized from multiple perspectives, such as the historical context,

feminist, colonial, psychoanalytical, literal and more. This work has evoked highly

contrasting responses from critics and has been the focus of numerous critical essays.

According to Tej N. Dhar in his article, Ngugi’s Retrospective Gaze: The Shape of

History in “A Grain of Wheat” (2007) Ngugi's engagement with history in A Grain of Wheat

He takes a firm stance on what truly defines Kenya's history, challenging the leader-centered

nationalist historiography through the lens of the Mau Mau forest fighters and their

relationship with peasants and workers. He argued that :

A direct consequence of Ngugi’s gaze is that he sees the history of

Kenya only through the common people, the peasants, and their
brethren, the Mau Mau, whose misrepresentations were known to
Ngugi, as can be seen in his response to Fred Majdalany’s book on their
activities.

Balew Demissie (2009) asserted in his analysis of Ngugi wa Thiong'o's novels, The

River Between and A Grain of Wheat, that the representation of female characters is shaped by

the prevailing ideology. According to Demissie, the women portrayed in A Grain of Wheat

oppose the dominant ideology and provide support, either openly or covertly, to the Mau Mau

fighter group. These women endured torture, suffering and death during the Movement.
Conversely, the white female characters in the novel are depicted as beneficiaries of the

prevailing ideology, living a luxurious life with their own cars, villas, beautiful houses and

pets. Demissie suggests:

As for the dominant ideology,A Grain of Wheat represents female

characters in three types. First, Kenyan women are alienated from their
land by the colonizers and this reality makes them poverty stricken and
deceased. Second, they are represented as victim of colonizers' politics
and the novel illustrates their mistreatment and anguish. What is more,
white women instead of black women are flattered in the land of Kenya.

Yahya Koroma (2020) argues in his article "Cohesion in African Narrative" that A

Grain of Wheat by Thiong'o is a masterpiece that effectively depicts themes of colonialism

and racial discrimination, as well as the emotions of the African people. Alongside earlier

critics, Koroma praises Thiong'o's portrayal of the Mau Mau movement and figures such as

Jomo Kenyatta. Additionally, Thiong'o skillfully employs symbolism throughout the work.

Another critic seeks to determine whether A Grain of Wheat should be considered as

work of historical fiction or entirely fictional. As a novel explores themes from Kenyan

society, including the country's struggle against British colonialism, the book employs literary

techniques to present its historical content. Barungi Celestin andTwagirumukiza Gratien

(2022) argue that :

By analyzing the elements used while creating fiction such as

characterization, plot, theme, setting and style and what they represent, it was
found that they correspond to events that happened in Kenya. The flashbacks
used in the novel when the author wanted to present the past of Kenya in his
setting of struggle for independence showed that there are also real events

Also :

This is supported by the real characters, dates and their corresponding events
happened in Kenyan society. The characters, Jomo Kenyatta, Thomas Robson,
District officer Thompson and their correspondent actions in the novel are
trustworthy. The dates from the novel are the real dates in the history of
Kenya.
 The conclusion they reach is that the novel portrays the genuine history of Kenya in a

literary format.

As far as Ce que le jour doit a la nuit is concerned, Yasmina khasra’s novel has been

the subject of considerable criticism from both African and non-African reviewers.

Hammouche-Bey ,Omar Rachida and RiGHI Chakib, in their 2015 article titled

"Image De Trois Femmes dans le Roman de Yasmina Khadra ce que le Jour Doit à la Nuit,"

analyzed the portrayal of the three female characters in the novel. The first character, the

mother of Younes who is depicted as an Algerian woman living in a rural society during the

1930s and is subject to the patriarchal system that governs her life. Germaire, the second

character, serves as a reminder of the alliances between Algerians and the French during the

same period. Lastly, Emilie plays a crucial role in the novel by revealing important

information that provides tangible evidence of the characters' experiences. Although these

three women never meet, they span time and bring different moments in the history of Algeria

to life. The scolars came to conclusion where they assert that :

L’auteur fait passer un message d'ouverture et de tolérance à des

moments ou l’on pense avoir tout perdu. Enfin ce roman-témoignage
est le miroir dans lequel s’est reflétée l’évolution de la condition
féminine dans un pays ou les destins se font et se défont au gré du vent
avec des mots qui voient.

The Egyptian critic delves into the mode of narration employed in Yasmina Khadra's

What the Day Owes the Night. For them the text is structured as a bildungsroman, tracing the

growth of the protagonist alongside the societal transformations. The critic observes that the

narrator, Jonas, is a narrator-focalizer as the events are filtered through his internal

focalization where Jonas tells the story in accordance with his personal beliefs and

observations. Dr. C. Arunprabu1S., Dr. K. Kaviarasu and Dr. S. Poornima writes also :
 What the Day Owes the Night reveals the psychological contemplation
of Jonas who strain towards understanding the cultural and ethnic
differences.

Furthermore, during the post-colonial period, Algerian writers reworked the history of

colonialism as a response to the historical and political discourse propagated by the colonizing

power. Yasmina Khadra was one such writer who wielded his pen to address the significant

conflicts of his time . He primarily explored the theme of history as a unifying force across

different peoples. Bourahla Hana and Benzid Aziza also adopt this approach in their article

where they say : «Yasmina Khadra a eu recours à l’écriture de l’Histoire comme un arrière-

plan et une toile de fond pour montrer que le multiculturel existait depuis longtemps et on

pouvait le vivre harmonieusement, mais la révolution algérienne a eu lieu à cause des

inégalités entre les différents habitants du même territoire ». Khadra's experience of living

between two cultures has given him a unique perspective on the world, which he has reflected

in his writing. He has used his literary talent to promote a deeper understanding of the

complexities of the human condition and to foster greater empathy and compassion between

different cultures. The two scolars reclaim that :

Ce que le jour doit à la nuit constitue un terrain riche de l’interculturel:

arabe/musulman, musulman/chrétien, et colonisateur/colonisé.