Reina Yates Lane CIS Introduction to Literature Formal Essay 1 12 April 2024 Title “For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others” (Mandela). Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi explores the complexity between being physically free and being mentally free. One of the largest themes in Homegoing is freedom. Can one be truly free from slavery if the trauma and stories have been passed through them? In the first half of the book, it is apparent that the struggles the characters face are more about being enslaved and trying to escape physical bondage. In the second half of the book, the theme switches to a topic more similar to mental freedom, and being freed from generational trauma.
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In many parts of Homegoing, the reader can see recurring themes of uncertainty, this is a reflection of current society. Wondering about a family history is something that many people experience. Especially African Americans as a result of slavery. Their history has been erased. Esi and Effia’s stories are polar opposites. Effia’s language and stories are passed down more accurately because she wasn't ripped from her home like Esi was. It is evident that the difference between the two bloodlines is significant. Towards the middle of the book, the theme switches to generational trauma, and the influence it has on the characters in the time is more similar to this one. In Kojo and H’s chapters, police brutality and systemic racism become more prevalent. “But still, whenever a boat was robbed, all the black dockworkers were rounded up and questioned. Jo was tired of it. He was always jumpy around police, or anyone in uniform” (Gyasi 111). Because of Kojo being used to being racially profiled by police, he became apprehensive about even being near people in uniform. This is still visible in current …show more content…
Accessed 12 April 2024. Gyasi, Yaa. Homegoing: A Novel. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2016. “The Origins of Modern Day Policing.” NAACP, https://naacp.org/find-resources/history-explained/origins-modern-day-policing. Accessed 12 April 2024. “13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865).” National Archives, 10 May 2022, https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/13th-amendment. Accessed 12 April
In many parts of Homegoing, the reader can see recurring themes of uncertainty, this is a reflection of current society. Wondering about a family history is something that many people experience. Especially African Americans as a result of slavery. Their history has been erased. Esi and Effia’s stories are polar opposites. Effia’s language and stories are passed down more accurately because she wasn't ripped from her home like Esi was. It is evident that the difference between the two bloodlines is significant. Towards the middle of the book, the theme switches to generational trauma, and the influence it has on the characters in the time is more similar to this one. In Kojo and H’s chapters, police brutality and systemic racism become more prevalent. “But still, whenever a boat was robbed, all the black dockworkers were rounded up and questioned. Jo was tired of it. He was always jumpy around police, or anyone in uniform” (Gyasi 111). Because of Kojo being used to being racially profiled by police, he became apprehensive about even being near people in uniform. This is still visible in current …show more content…
Accessed 12 April 2024. Gyasi, Yaa. Homegoing: A Novel. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2016. “The Origins of Modern Day Policing.” NAACP, https://naacp.org/find-resources/history-explained/origins-modern-day-policing. Accessed 12 April 2024. “13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865).” National Archives, 10 May 2022, https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/13th-amendment. Accessed 12 April