Characters in the book homegoing

She holds a ba in english from stanford university and an mfa from the iowa writers workshop, where she held a deans graduate research fellowship. Pdf homegoing book by yaa gyasi free download 300 pages. Maame is referred to in passing in the books first two chapters specifically, the ones named after her two daughters, effia and esi. In addition to the terms literal meaning, discuss what symbolic meanings or associations the title might have in terms of a. How do the characters relationships with their parents influence the way that they raise their own children. Effia marries james collins, the british governor in charge of cape coast castle, while her halfsister esi is held captive in the dungeons below. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The other will be captured in a raid on her village, imprisoned in the very. Homegoing discussion guide the seattle public library.

Winner of the penhemingway award and the national book critics circles john. Winner of the pen hemingway award and the national book critics circles john. Homegoing is the debut historical fiction novel by yaa gyasi, published in 2016. Her first novel, homegoing, was a sunday times bestseller, won the national book critics circle award for best first novel and was shortlisted for the penrobert w. Marcus is sonny and amanis son and the final descendant of esi in the novel. Homegoing has many, many, many strengths, and perhaps just one weakness. Are there any characters in the novel who defy this characterization. The point isnt to set these concepts in opposition to each other, but to break down the barrier between them altogether. If, in this light, homegoing disappoints, gyasis readers will have to learn to do what her characters do. A novel of breathtaking sweep and emotional power that traces three h. But her voice is remarkably confident and assured, spanning generations and centuries. Homegoing characters from litcharts the creators of. Yaa gyasi was born in ghana and raised in huntsville, alabama.

And as a breakout novel by yaa gyasi, one can only imagine what other topics this promising stanford creative writing major graduate has in store for us. Two half sisters, effia and esi, are born into different villages, each unaware of the other. Historical fiction enthusiasts will love homegoing by yaa gyasi. Do the characters views of their parents change or evolve as they grow up. Homegoing is a wonderful book that takes its readers and its characters on numerous journeys in terms of time, location and emotionally. Homegoing by yaa gyasi teachers guide books on tape. Homegoing study guide contains a biography of yaa gyasi, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Homegoing by yaa gyasi book club discussion questions. By its conclusion, the characters tales of loss and resilience have acquired an inexorable and cumulative emotional weight. Homegoing quey and ness summary and analysis gradesaver. The unhealed ruptures of slaverycourse through homegoing, the hypnotic debut novel by yaa gyasi, a stirringly gifted young writer, that contemplates the consequences of human trafficking on both sides of the atlanticthe west african chapters are the heart of the book, a deep channeling of multilayered humanity. Free download or read online homegoing pdf epub book. Summary of the book important people character analysis analysis of the themes and authors style about the author with instaread, you can get the key takeaways, summary and analysis of a book in 15 minutes.

Ive wanted to be a writer my whole life, so this is really the fulfillment of a long dream, she says during a call to her home in berkeley, california. Select reading group questions for homegoing by yaa gyasi are provided courtesy of vintage books. Why do some of the characters have to change or give up their names. Maybeth is a quiet and pretty young girl troubled by an overwhelming shyness. Author interview yaa gyasi, author of homegoing bookpage. Each chapter of homegoing introduces a new character, which means readers are subjected to endless amounts of backstory seamlessly integrated albeit wearisome. The strengths are found in the story, and in the writing. Effia forced into a marriage with a slave trader who treats her horribly. Just as we never know about how it all turned out for the characters, sadly neither would the characters have often known how it all turned out for their families. Homegoing is not a book that flatters white people, but neither is it a book about sweet, virtuous black people at the mercy of a racist world. What is a homegoing and where does it appear in the novel.

An emotional, beautiful, and remarkable book, homegoing should definitely be on your summer reading list. The creators of sparknotes homegoing characters from litcharts. It won several awards including being one of oprahs favorite books of 2016. In the novel homegoing by yaa gyasi of which you can read a full summary in the enotes. Note to teachers note to teachers yaa gyasis homegoing is a sweeping exploration about what happens to the descendants of two african sisters separated at birth. Homegoing, the wildly ambitious debut novel by a 26yearold writer named yaa gyasi, tackles some 250 years of history on two continents. Told through compelling chapters that follow the generations, the novel creates many opportunities for considering the legacy of enslavement for those of african descent. The main characters in homegoing are effia otcher, esi asara, and their descendants. The story follows an africanamerican family through many generations. Her shyness and difficulty performing in front of others have resulted in her being held back in school and in the perception of her peers and teachers that she is mentally retarded. Homegoing summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. The chapters on quey and ness are the first to show the effects of parenting by other main characters in the book.

The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are cobbe otcher, effia otcher. Yaa gyasis novel, homegoing, is a marvelous debut, particularly given the authors youth gyasi is 26 years old. Analyze the characters who were physically enslaved ness, h, and ones who were attempting to escape. Each chapter builds on the lives of those displaced, or made to disappear, and. Homegoing is the story of esi and effia, two halfsisters unknown to each other in 18thcentury ghana. Why do you think that the author chose the word homegoing. The following version of this book was used to create this guide. Analysis and discussion of characters in yaa gyasis homegoing.

The main characters in homegoing are effia otcher, esi asara, and their descendants effia otcher married james collins, the governor of the cape coast castle, a notorious. Effia and esi, africa and america, asante and fante, black and white, slavery and freedom, history and the present, fire and water. Courtney on audible, in your library under my books, in the title column, there is a link simply called pdf which is a link to the family tree. This book could easily be a lifetime achievement, and instead it is just the beginning of what i imagine will be an amazing body of work. Where do we find examples of this elsewhere in the book. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Homegoing study guide contains a biography of yaa gyasi, literature essays, quiz questions. Effia otcher married james collins, the governor of the cape coast castle, a notorious slave trading center. How do characters practice resistance in the novel. Maame is the ancestress of all the other chapter characters, her bloodline descending down the two separate family lines over decades and contents until, in the novels final chapter. Although most of the characters in homegoing are black, the whites and africans who populate this. Suggested fiction and nonfiction reading lists are from librarians at the seattle public library.

The last of these is echoed in the books striking cover, designed by peter mendelsund. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading homegoing. One will marry an englishman and lead a life of comfort in the palatial rooms of the notorious cape coast castle. Both quey and ness have clearly been shaped by their parents, especially their mothers. The first edition of the novel was published in june 7th 2016, and was written by yaa gyasi. While effia lives in luxury in the cape coast castle, unbeknownst to her, her half. Maame is the mother of the two female characters whose situations and actions set the two familynarrative lines in. Subsequent chapters follow their children and following generations.

Yaa gyasis homegoing opens in the eighteenth century in what is modernday ghana, where a character named effia is sold by her parents to an english governor. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 300 pages and is available in hardcover format. Each chapter in the novel follows a different descendant of an asante woman named maame, starting with her two daughters, who are half sisters, separated by circumstance. Characters all characters effia esi quey ness james kojo jo abena h akua crazy woman willie yaw carson sonny marjorie marcus james collins maame baaba cobbe otcher abeeku badu. Homegoing, by yaa gyasi yaa gyasis debut novel traces the terrible impact of slavery on generations of an african family, beginning with two sisters in 18th century ghana one. In homegoing, many of the main characters names show their connection to akan culture and to other characters in the book. With characters you wont be able to forget, and stories that will haunt you long after you turn the last page, homegoing is stunning a truly heartbreaking work of literary genius. Homegoing characters, themes, and quotes moving fictions. Parentchild relationships will be a major theme throughout homegoing. Yaa gyasi sounds a bit unnerved by the prepublication buzz surrounding her stunning first novel, homegoing, and the changes its enthusiastic early reception portend for her life. Powells books interview yaa gyasi, author of homegoing.

Yaa gyasi was born in mampong, ghana and raised in huntsville, alabama. Each chapter in the narrative focuses on the experience of a single character, making the book almost as much a series of short stories as it is a novel. This is summary and analysis of the book and not the original book. This study guide consists of approximately 81 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of homegoing.