IN THE HOUSE OF THE INTERPRETER chronicles young dislocated and displaced Ngugi's pursuit of education under difficult circumstances. His brother, mother and sister in-law are incarcerated, his home is razed to the ground; he now calls a village near a colonial guard post, home. Though he enjoys life at the prestigious Alliance High School, a dark cloud hangs over him as confrontation with colonial forces looms. Ngugi interrogates the changes that occur around him and the world beyond, seen sometimes through the eyes of Carey Francis and others at Alliance. The boldness of citizens as confrontations move from the bush, to England and eventually to the streets of Nairobi, in the struggle to free the nation, does escape him either.