British Colonization
There is implied tension between British colonizers and the native Kenyans throughout the story, and this provides the backdrop to the events that unfold. John and his family have embraced British culture, and also the British class system, so much so that John's father looks down on Wamuhu because she is a non-Christian and because her family follows the traditions of their tribe. John has attained what is termed a "white man's education," meaning that he has gone as far as he can in the Kenyan educational system and is now traveling to college. John and Stanley both believe that education is the key to his future and to the betterment of both his life and that of his family members. However, the story questions the merits of this perspective by portraying Stanley as a harsh and dictatorial figure who has been brainwashed by Euro-centric notions of success.
Paralysis
Though the story only takes place over a period of 24 hours, the narration provides such an in-depth look at John's experience that the narrative appears to slow down. Indeed, John's inaction and inability to make a decision about Wamuhu lengthen the story, so much so that Wamuhu grants John one more day to decide what he will do. John's indecision and paralysis throughout the story emphasize the fear he has of his own father, Stanley, as well as the dilemma he faces between Euro-centric ideals and tribal life.
The Self and Community
John is a markedly selfish character, in that he sees Wamuhu's pregnancy as a threat to dismantle the bright future he has ahead of him. It is his selfishness that eventually brings about his own demise – the narrator implies that his murder of Wamuhu will result in its own form of punishment for John – and he looks down at other people in the village who have not received the same level of education that he has. John is effectively torn between two communities: that embodied by his father, characterized by an idealization of white culture, and that embodied by Wamuhu and her family, who maintain their tribal traditions and reject Christianity. While John himself is to blame for the murder of Wamuhu, it is the tension between his allegiances to these two communities that drives him to his manic outburst.
