Author(s): Shailja, Dr. Geeta Phogat

Abstract: The majority of African authors' books are reflections of their diverse societies or groups. Similarly, Ngugi eloquently depicts the culture and traditions of his rural Kenyan society in The River Between. The book takes place in Central Kenya in the 1930s, a time before the country became independent from colonial rule. The novel's themes—a fight for leadership and the impact of European culture and religion on Africans—are described in a very realistic manner. One may argue that the novel could have been set in any other African nation because tales of power struggles and cultural and religious conflicts are typical of European settlers in Africa. To critically examine, analyse, and evaluate Ngugi's work's values and contribution to literature is the primary goal of selecting to critique it for study. African writers and critics have differing opinions on what exactly constitutes African literature. Most African authors search for appropriate definitions of "African Literature" because of this. The quest for a new national narrative is what may be called the story of The River Between. The conflict in The River Between occurs between the various members of a community when they come into contact with a new, foreign philosophy. This foreign ideology quickly interferes with the society's main ideological paradigm as it makes its way into the intellectual fabric of the society, upsetting its equilibrium. We can see how the tribes and villages in the story were living in a state of social harmony and stability because everyone wholeheartedly accepted one particular set of beliefs and practises and adhered to it, even though we may not be able to read it explicitly in the text.

Keywords: Socio political dynamics, European settlers, social harmony, Ideology.

Article Info: Received:15 Mar 2025; Received in revised form: 12 Apr 2025; Accepted: 18 Apr 2025; Available online: 26 Apr 2025

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.102.49