The title-deed

Throughout the play, the title-deed symbolizes Kiguunda’s pride and desire for independence. The first description of Kiguunda’s home notes that “on one of the walls there hangs a framed title-deed for one and a half acres of land,” underlining the centrality of this title-deed to the family (3). The title-deed also illustrates the fragility of Kiguunda’s independence; when, for example, Kioi and his group visit the home, “one of them causes the title-deed to fall to the ground” (42). When Kiguunda begins to fall prey to the influence of the elite, he replaces the title-deed with a board that reads “Christ is the head of this house, the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation,” symbolizing his capitulation to religious influence and loss of independence (75).

Church and religion

The elite frequently employ religion as a way to mark belonging to...