Limuru is one of the towns mentioned in Wa Thiong’o’s short story.
The picture above shows Limuru town Nightlife, which I chose because it shows the place where Beatrice worked. Again, bartending and human services were usually offered at night, as described in the story. Although other towns such as Eastleigh are mentioned in the story, they did not have a considerable impact on Beatrice, as did Limuru. According to Wa Thiong’o, Beatrice moved from one beer hall to another in the city either out of her own choice or after being fired without notice. Although she could have moved to a different town, she stuck with Limuru, implying that this city had a significant impact on her life.
Beatrice’s life was not easy, and she contemplated quitting and returning home at some point. However, she quickly dismissed the idea and remained working, albeit disinterested. Nyaguthii, one of Beatrice’s workmates, mentioned that after running away from home, she went to Eastleigh. However, she moved from Eastleigh, a bigger city, to Limuru to work as a barmaid. This points to the importance of Limuru and the availability of opportunities. Lastly, it is mentioned that when she had enough of Limuru, she left and found a better job at Ilmorog. Although she felt close to her dreams, she was imprisoned at Ilmorog, an event that had not happened at Limuru. Essentially, Limuru shaped her life as a barmaid and gave her new perspectives of life, though with negative consequences.