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THE girl who can - Literature Notes
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Ama Ata Aidoo, is a Ghanaian author, poet, playwright and politician. As a novelist, she won the Commonwealth Writer's Prize and established the Mbaasem Foundation, in Accra, to promote and Support the work of African Women Writer's. (more) |
PLOT
Adjoa, a seven year old girl, reflects on how adults react to her questions. Her grandmother, Nana, either berates her or is amused by her and tells everyone about their conversation. Adjoa is particularly perturbed, however, by the fact that no one ever tells her the issue, regarding the question, that she is berated for. Nana's preoccupation with Adjoa's skinny legs is also a point of concern for Adjoa. Her mother, Maami is hurt by Nana's critique of Adjoa's legs, and often tries to diffuse conversations about it, but Nana never notices these attempts, or the hurt feelings that the discussion causes. The discussion of Adjoa's legs would often end at the mention of Adjoa's father and Maami's subsequent deflated spirit. Nana's proccupation with Adjoa's legs, in turn, led to Adjoa's desire to see legs that had Nana's stamp of approved, legs that "have meat on them with good calves to support solid hips ... to be able to have children." (Aidoo, 135). To date, the only adult legs that she had seen were Nana and Maami's because women generally wore long wraparounds that hid their legs. Adjoa then reflects on the differing attitudes to education in her home. For example, Maami thought that an education (www.bulbsoup.com) was integral to ensure that Adjoa had a good future while Nana believed that it was a waste of time to educate women. Nana's attitude changes swiftly, however, when Adjoa is picked to run for the junior section of her school in the district games. She began to see Adjoa's legs in a new and positive light and even adjusted her attitude to school attendance, seen in her ironing of Adjoa's uniforms. She was exttremely proud when Adjoa won every race, as well as the cup for the best all round junior athlete. Nana even carried Adjoa's gleaming victory cup home on her back.
Adjoa, a seven year old girl, reflects on how adults react to her questions. Her grandmother, Nana, either berates her or is amused by her and tells everyone about their conversation. Adjoa is particularly perturbed, however, by the fact that no one ever tells her the issue, regarding the question, that she is berated for. Nana's preoccupation with Adjoa's skinny legs is also a point of concern for Adjoa. Her mother, Maami is hurt by Nana's critique of Adjoa's legs, and often tries to diffuse conversations about it, but Nana never notices these attempts, or the hurt feelings that the discussion causes. The discussion of Adjoa's legs would often end at the mention of Adjoa's father and Maami's subsequent deflated spirit. Nana's proccupation with Adjoa's legs, in turn, led to Adjoa's desire to see legs that had Nana's stamp of approved, legs that "have meat on them with good calves to support solid hips ... to be able to have children." (Aidoo, 135). To date, the only adult legs that she had seen were Nana and Maami's because women generally wore long wraparounds that hid their legs. Adjoa then reflects on the differing attitudes to education in her home. For example, Maami thought that an education (www.bulbsoup.com) was integral to ensure that Adjoa had a good future while Nana believed that it was a waste of time to educate women. Nana's attitude changes swiftly, however, when Adjoa is picked to run for the junior section of her school in the district games. She began to see Adjoa's legs in a new and positive light and even adjusted her attitude to school attendance, seen in her ironing of Adjoa's uniforms. She was exttremely proud when Adjoa won every race, as well as the cup for the best all round junior athlete. Nana even carried Adjoa's gleaming victory cup home on her back.
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SETTING
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CONFLICT
Nana is the source of conflict in the story. She confounds Adjoa because she never explains what is wrong with Adjoa's statements, or why she laughs at them. Her disdain for Adjoa's long, skinny legs also brings discomfort to Adoa.
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CHARACTERS
Adjoa
Nana
Maami
Adjoa
- Adjoa is an observant little girl who really thinks about what is happening around her and to her.
- She is also a very perceptive little girl who, despite being told that her long skinny legs were problematic, simply knew that "surely, one should be able to do other things with legs as well as have them because they can support hips that make babies." (Aidoo, 137)
- Her perceptive nature was further seen when she states that she never articulated her views about her legs because she knew that she would be laughed at.
- Adjoa is also well adjusted, as seen in her surprise that her running was a big deal. She was simply going about her life in a contented manner.
Nana
- Nana is Adjoa's grandmother.
- Nana is a traditional older woman who believed that a woman's primary role is to procreate, as a result, she is concerned about her granddaughter's long skinny legs that cannot support child bearing hips.
- Her traditional nature also does not allow her to view school as a necessity for her granddaughter, or for any woman.
- She is unkind. This unkindness is seen in how she treats both her daughter and her granddaughter. She overrides Maamie's views and shuts her down if she attempts to defend herself, and laughs at Adjoa without explaining why.
Maami
- Maami is Adjoa's mother.
- Maami is a 'soft' woman who loved her daughter.
- Her love for Adjoa is seen in her defense of her daughter attending school and her long, skinny legs, in the face of a mother who intimidated her.
THEMATIC TABLE
THEMES
Love and Family Relationship
Adjoa's family unit appears to be close knit, however, upon close inspection the reader sees that there are cracks that highlight some level of dysfunction. The first crack is seen in the fact that Maami is infantilized by Nana, leading to Nana's constant disregard for her daughter's opinions. The harshest thing that Nana does is literally shutting down Maami, when she attempts to defend the size of Adjoa's legs, by bringing up Adjoa's father. The swift cessation of any additional arguments or discussion, on Maami's side, indicates that this is a very sore spot for Maamai, so it seems cruel of Nana to use it against her daughter. This dysfunction carries over to Nana's relationship with Adjoa as well. Adjoa does not like the fact that her grandmother does not communicate (www.bulbsoup.com) about the reasons behind her either reprimanding or laughing at Adjoa's responses to queries. There is, however, also a functional side to this family, which is seen in Maami's constant defense of her daughter, against Nana's attacks.
Women in Society
According to Nana, as implied by her attitude towards Adjoa's legs, women are meant to bear children. The result of this belief is that little girls are teased if their legs are too (www.bulbsoup.com) skinny to carry childbearing hips and they are not sent to school. Maami attempted to argue in favour of educating women because she "felt she was locked into some kind of darkness because she didn't go to school. So that if I, her daughter, could learn to write and read my own name and a little besides - perhaps be able to calculate some things on paper - that would be good." (Aidoo, 136). This quote implies that Maami felt that her lack of education has her at a disadvantage, but the 'norm' is that women should not be educated because you do not need an education to be a mother, which is the singular expectation of women, at the very least it is the singular expectation of Nana.
Childhood Experiences
Adjoa lives with her mother and grandmother and her small world revolved around experiences that she has with them. She is, for example, preoccupied with the fact that she does not understand her grandmother's reactions to what she says, Nana either laughs or berates her. Adjoa is also struggling to understand Nana's preoccupation with her long skinny legs, observing her mother's tentative attempts to defend her. These are the experiences that she is having, as a child in Ghana.
Love and Family Relationship
Adjoa's family unit appears to be close knit, however, upon close inspection the reader sees that there are cracks that highlight some level of dysfunction. The first crack is seen in the fact that Maami is infantilized by Nana, leading to Nana's constant disregard for her daughter's opinions. The harshest thing that Nana does is literally shutting down Maami, when she attempts to defend the size of Adjoa's legs, by bringing up Adjoa's father. The swift cessation of any additional arguments or discussion, on Maami's side, indicates that this is a very sore spot for Maamai, so it seems cruel of Nana to use it against her daughter. This dysfunction carries over to Nana's relationship with Adjoa as well. Adjoa does not like the fact that her grandmother does not communicate (www.bulbsoup.com) about the reasons behind her either reprimanding or laughing at Adjoa's responses to queries. There is, however, also a functional side to this family, which is seen in Maami's constant defense of her daughter, against Nana's attacks.
Women in Society
According to Nana, as implied by her attitude towards Adjoa's legs, women are meant to bear children. The result of this belief is that little girls are teased if their legs are too (www.bulbsoup.com) skinny to carry childbearing hips and they are not sent to school. Maami attempted to argue in favour of educating women because she "felt she was locked into some kind of darkness because she didn't go to school. So that if I, her daughter, could learn to write and read my own name and a little besides - perhaps be able to calculate some things on paper - that would be good." (Aidoo, 136). This quote implies that Maami felt that her lack of education has her at a disadvantage, but the 'norm' is that women should not be educated because you do not need an education to be a mother, which is the singular expectation of women, at the very least it is the singular expectation of Nana.
Childhood Experiences
Adjoa lives with her mother and grandmother and her small world revolved around experiences that she has with them. She is, for example, preoccupied with the fact that she does not understand her grandmother's reactions to what she says, Nana either laughs or berates her. Adjoa is also struggling to understand Nana's preoccupation with her long skinny legs, observing her mother's tentative attempts to defend her. These are the experiences that she is having, as a child in Ghana.
TECHNIQUES
Juxtaposition - Nana and Maami's views are juxtaposed in this story. Nana has traditional views that dictate that a woman's primary role is to procreate, therefore, she does not need to be educated based on her role. Maami, as a victim of this belief, feels the opposite. She states that maybe her daughter, Adjoa, can have babies later in her life and just maybe, her education could be prioritized.
Irony (situational)- It is ironic that Nana, who initially sees no value in Adjoa's long, skinny legs, ends up being proud of Adjoa, based on a strong talent that exists because of those very same skinny legs. This fantastic change in attitude is seen when she carries Adjoa's victory cup on her back. Even her initial attitude to Adjoa's attendance to school changes. She is now ironing Adjoa's school uniform because school now has value; it is the place where Adjoa has the opportunity to run.
Juxtaposition - Nana and Maami's views are juxtaposed in this story. Nana has traditional views that dictate that a woman's primary role is to procreate, therefore, she does not need to be educated based on her role. Maami, as a victim of this belief, feels the opposite. She states that maybe her daughter, Adjoa, can have babies later in her life and just maybe, her education could be prioritized.
Irony (situational)- It is ironic that Nana, who initially sees no value in Adjoa's long, skinny legs, ends up being proud of Adjoa, based on a strong talent that exists because of those very same skinny legs. This fantastic change in attitude is seen when she carries Adjoa's victory cup on her back. Even her initial attitude to Adjoa's attendance to school changes. She is now ironing Adjoa's school uniform because school now has value; it is the place where Adjoa has the opportunity to run.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Where is the story set?
2. What major problem does Adjoa have?
3. What are Nana's two responses to Adjoa?
4. What is Adjoa's main issue with these responses?
5. What were Nana and Maami discussing, from the day that Adjoa was born?
6. What was Nana's opinion of Adjoa's legs?
7. Why is Nana so concerned about Adjoa's legs?
8. What always stopped the 'leg' argument between Nana and Maami?
9. What was Adjoa's wish, based on the discussion about her legs?
10. How did Maami and Nani's views differ about education?
11. What changed Nana's views about Adjoa's legs and her school attendance? Provide evidence for this change.
12. How do we know that Nana was proud, at the end of the story?
13. Identify the narrative perspective, or point of view, of the story.
1. Where is the story set?
2. What major problem does Adjoa have?
3. What are Nana's two responses to Adjoa?
4. What is Adjoa's main issue with these responses?
5. What were Nana and Maami discussing, from the day that Adjoa was born?
6. What was Nana's opinion of Adjoa's legs?
7. Why is Nana so concerned about Adjoa's legs?
8. What always stopped the 'leg' argument between Nana and Maami?
9. What was Adjoa's wish, based on the discussion about her legs?
10. How did Maami and Nani's views differ about education?
11. What changed Nana's views about Adjoa's legs and her school attendance? Provide evidence for this change.
12. How do we know that Nana was proud, at the end of the story?
13. Identify the narrative perspective, or point of view, of the story.
Contributors: Leisa Samuels-Thomas
Singh, Subraj. 'The Creek' in A World of Prose, edited by Hazel Simmons-McDonald and Mark McWatt. (UK) Hodder Education, 2017.
Singh, Subraj. 'The Creek' in A World of Prose, edited by Hazel Simmons-McDonald and Mark McWatt. (UK) Hodder Education, 2017.
