(06-06-2017, 05:17 PM)Boniface Mkuya Wrote: A theme is the main idea in the work of art. Several themes can be analyzed from this play. Among the themes in the play “This Time Tomorrow” are protest, tribalism, poverty, conflict, building the future, illusion, environmental sanitation and awareness.
 
    PROTEST: Means disapproval of something which is unjust. Protest dominated in the whole play of “This Time Tomorrow”. People at Uhuru market protested against the city council which planned to demolish their slums. People also protested against introduction of new cultural ways of life based on Western culture.
        HUMILIATIONOR DEHUMANIZATION: The government humiliated people by destroying their slums at Uhuru market. People protest against the government order to demolish their slums. Njango was among those who protested. Njango says” City council or no city council, i am not going to move from this place”. The shoemaker says ‘’It is not that I do not want to move but the government should give me the place to go-------why should I move from here? ---I only wanted to be left alone. It shows that people were against the decisions made by the city council.
    WESTERNCULTURE: The old generation oppose the changes brought by Western culture while the young enjoy adapting western ways. For example, Njango opposes the new dressing style. She asks her daughter” You want to dress like white people”?
        CONFLICT: The writer also managed to show the theme of conflict with great success. Conflict can be a source of disunity, enmity and underdevelopment. In this play, the conflict has been shown in the following areas: The conflict between the slum dwellers and the city council; the conflict was the result of the city council to demolish the slums at Uhuru market. People did not support the city council campaign of demolishing the slums. Conflict between the young and the old; the old generation (Njango) opposes all the changes brought by introduction of new cultural practices. On the other hand, the new generation like changes and want to look like white people. For example, Wanjiro wants to marry a man from another tribe. This is against their culture. She also wants to wear long heeled shoes like European women and also smoke Cigar. She also wants to go to school like her brother. All these are opposed by her mother (Njango).Conflict between the police officer and the stranger; the police officer arrested the stranger for causing violence and civil disobedience. When arresting the stranger, the police officer says” In the name of our new republic, you are arrested----! Follow us! Intra-personal conflict; Wanjiro is not happy for not been sent to school. She is also not happy with life in the slums. She wants to wear nice dresses like other girls but her mother is poor and cannot afford to buy nice dresses for her daughter.
    COLONIAL LEGACY: The playwright proves to us that there are still some elements of colonialism in African countries. People have not seen changes even after the achievement of independence. People are landless and jobless. The land has remained in the hands of few people. The national cake is enjoyed by the minority. The new generation likes dressing like white people. Wanjiro says "I want a frock. And shoes-high heels-so that I can walk like a European lady".