Petals of Blood

Simile:

Wanja’s perception of Europeans' naked bodies is brought out through the particular comparison to the skin of pigs. When a woman she knew bragged of marrying a European, she explained, “I could not tell her that I thought of Europeans as naked bodies like the skin of pigs" (131). The use of this simile enhances imagery while at the same time showing how Wanja finds the bodies of Europeans disgusting and unnatural; it also shows just how much she needed money if she was going to engage with such creatures.

Metaphor:

Munira is initially less than pleased when Karega shows up for the first time, and he has to will himself to be a chivalrous host when he really wants to pursue Wanja that night. Yet as Karega talks and begins to reveal some of his and Munira's shared past, Munira admits: "I just felt strange inside: here I was, embers of curiosity stoked to a glowing intensity by his revelations" (53). The metaphor of fire is appropriate given what an important motif fire is in the entire text, but it is specifically powerful here because we can imagine a small, glowing ember that begins to glow with more intensity when stoked; this allows us to understand what is happening to Munira as he listens to the young man before him.

Symbol:

The exhilarating and enervating drink that Nyakinyua prepares is a symbol of the spirit that sustains and nourishes revolution, particularly against the rule of the imperialists. Since the colonial government had made thenge'ta illegal because this group viewed it as a resistance and a rebellion on the part of local Africans, the fact that the locals drink it is thus a symbol of rebellion. It helps the characters interrogate themselves and their place in the world, and it places the beauty and horror of their past and present realities in stark relief. Yet, as any strong drink or strong passion can wane or be corrupted, it does not always have a positive effect; indeed, Theng'eta is a mixed bag as it pertains to Ilmorog's new profile.

Allegory:

The events in Petals of Blood are set in Ilmorog, a place that represents the events happening on a larger scale—that is, the events happening at a national level. Ilmorog is thus used allegorically to represent the country (Kenya) since, at the time of the novel, the country was undergoing a transitional process. The struggles of the villagers to carve out a place in a rapidly modernizing country, the confusion navigating the new political and economic system, and a sense of discombobulation and fragmentation in society are visible in Ilmorog and the country as a whole.