The River Between

The Honia River is a symbol of ideological division, as it flows in between the two rival communities. However, it also serves as a place that unifies them, as the people, animals, crops, and plants depend on its water. Moreover, both communities perform their rituals there: while the Christians baptize the faithful in the river, the tribes on the other side celebrate the ritual of circumcision.

When Chege tells his son Waiyaki that he is the last of his line and that he is supposed to fulfill the prophecy of saving their people, Waiyaki "felt as if a heavy cloud was pressing down his soul." The simile emphasizes how Waiyaki feels crushed by the immense weight of the burden which his father put on him. Waiyaki will labor under this burden for the entire text. Even while he is proud of his accomplishments, he cannot help but dwell on the prophecy and wonder whether or not it really pertains to him.