Themes and Quotes

The Power of Storytelling

The power of storytelling is an important part of history. In Homegoing this theme is primarily exemplified on the Ghanaian side of the family.

“We believe the one who has the power. He is the one who gets to write the story. So when you study history, you must ask yourself, Whose story am I missing? Whose voice was suppressed so that this voice could come forth? Once you have figured that out, you must find that story too. From there, you begin to get a clearer, yet still imperfect, picture.” (226-227). -Yaw

Symbol: The black stone necklace makes its way through Effia’s lineage and leads to the characters telling stories and recalling the history of their family. When we reach Marjorie’s chapter, they story of the stone and her family is told: “It [the stone] had belonged to Old Lady and to Abena before her, and to James, and Quey, and Effia the Beauty before that. It had begun with Maame, the woman who had set a great fire…” (267).

Freedom in America: Who Is Really Free?

The theme of what true freedom is as an American is something that is not only focused on throughout history, but it is also focused on in modern day. In Homegoing this theme is prominent on the American side of the family’s lineage.

On Kojo’s experience of freedom:

“They’d heard it all, but hadn’t they earned their freedom? The days of running through forests and living under floorboards. Wasn’t that the price they had paid?” (126).

A more modern story of African American “freedom” is exemplified through H’s Chapter:

“Mm-hmm. See, that’s what I thought. You was young. Slavery ain’t nothing but a dot in your eye, huh? If nobody tell you, I’ma tell you. War may be over but it ain’t ended.” (158).  -H’s Cellmate

 

Abby Christopher 2018

 

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