Literary Dynamite --- Podcast #1

Yaa Gyasi’s 2016 historical fiction work Homegoing is a tale of two alienated Asante sisters, one who becomes enslaved and one who marries a slave trader, and the collaterally damaged generations that follow them. In following the stories of these characters, Gyasi makes visceral statements about the unbending truths of colonization, slavery, and the dehumanizing effects of these systems. In this episode of our podcast, we dive in depth to types of figurative and literal languages and images in the book and how they affect the storytelling. We talk about nuanced epithets, metaphors, connections. Observing that certain images and constructs appear in motifs, we investigate both their literal and hidden figurative meanings.

Types of figurative language: simile, metaphor, conceit, allusions, hyperbole, personification, metonymy

Mango -- image of vitality, exuberance → used to describe Effia and Esi

Desperation ---> described as the “fruit of longing”

The word “fire” is used both figuratively and literally ---> Effia has a “fire” inside of her (passion) but was also born on the night of a huge fire that ravaged her family’s yams.

Words used to describe women are minimizing: meek, servile, obedient

Words used to describe men are aggrandizing: big, strong, warrior

Black stone ---- gift to Esi and Effia from mother ----> black stone may represent the importance of ancestors and hope → Esi refuses to lose it throughout her course of enslavement

Storytelling is a big aspect of social identity. In the book, some important stories are told in order for characters to impart an important point (Fiifi with the birds, page 53) or simply just for entertainment (Anansi, page 30)