Binyavanga Waina Analysis

Binyavanga Wainaina’s memoir details his childhood and perspective growing up in Kenya with his sister and brother. Through his memories, he describes the diversity and livelihood of Kenyan culture along with the destructive disputes between the tribes. Accordingly, it becomes evident that many people had a lasting influence on him within his lifetime. For example, Wainaina’s family members were very influential to the person he has become including June Wanjiru Wainaina, also known as Ciru. She is Wainaina’s younger and very intelligent sister and she plays a very influential role in Wainaina’s life; his admiration for his sister is evident even within the opening scenes of the memoir (Wainaina, 3). The two siblings develop a very close relationship growing up and often misbehaved and joked together. Her presence in his life is fundamental to carve out the person he is because she allows and encourages him to be himself, influences his educational success, and help him grow up and realize his own potential. It is essential to mention

Eventually, he discovered that, “I am a writer. I am now a published writer. I am going to call Mum, call Baba, and tell them that my story, about us in Uganda, will be online for them to read” (Wainaina, 176). After his own success and achievements, he wanted to call his family in hopes that they will finally be proud of him for making something of his life. Though it is too late to make this connection with his mother, he began to love the work he was doing and finding a purpose in his life along with fixing broken relationships with his family (Wainaina, 183). Ciru played a very influential role in Wainaina’s life and affected who Wainaina grew up to be. He held very high standards for himself due to his relationship with Ciru, which causes him to push himself and become successful in his work, enough to come home to his family with