A Meeting in the Dark: Culture Clash
‘A Meeting In the Dark ’ also examines culture clash. John is going to college, although he has doubts about the taking on of the lifestyle of the educated Kenyan which is quite remote from his village life. He is also in conflict with his father, a fanatically Puritan Christian who rules him with a rod of iron. His mother is a traditionally minded woman who tells him the story of the Imru, the beautiful young man who is really an evil spirit with a second mouth hidden beneath his hair. John himself is such a one, a young man with two mouths for his two cultures, driven to a most terrible crime by his inner conflict.
The point of the whole story, in my opinion, is to demonstrate several effects of a "clash of two cultures". First of all, the whole John Story. Due to the extrem pressure forced upon him by his father and his society he only saw one way out of the dilema: Bribing her. (then accidently killing her "during the process") This does not that much show a "coward" but, in my opinion, a young man already being corrupted by western ideals. (Money = solution to everything). Second of all, the relationship of his father and hsi mother. Before Stanley became a christian the relationship was alot better I believe. You can see that in his behavior towards his wife's telling of storys to their son. Third of all, the changes to the very fabric of the community. E.g. the way boys have to treat girls. They have to meet in the dark (as the title also impleys) since they musn't be seen by the (let's call them)
The point of the whole story, in my opinion, is to demonstrate several effects of a "clash of two cultures". First of all, the whole John Story. Due to the extrem pressure forced upon him by his father and his society he only saw one way out of the dilema: Bribing her. (then accidently killing her "during the process") This does not that much show a "coward" but, in my opinion, a young man already being corrupted by western ideals. (Money = solution to everything). Second of all, the relationship of his father and hsi mother. Before Stanley became a christian the relationship was alot better I believe. You can see that in his behavior towards his wife's telling of storys to their son. Third of all, the changes to the very fabric of the community. E.g. the way boys have to treat girls. They have to meet in the dark (as the title also impleys) since they musn't be seen by the (let's call them)