Ama Ata Aidoo’s "No Sweetness Here and Other Short Stories" is a collection of eleven short stories. In it, Aidoo portrays the influence and effect of the post-colonial impact on Africa, culturally, economically and politically. These stories are created independently of each other. However there are several thematic features that create a connection between them. Among others, the most important are their focus on female characters, although male characters are also present and play an important role. Aidoo also demonstrates the disillusionment that came out of the failure of the national struggle after independence.
In her short stories, Aidoo’s primary concern is to focus on the condition of women in the historical period covering the Ghanaian post-independence. Aidoo portrays these women, living in very poor conditions in the rural and urban sections of the country. They are trying to improve their lives through various precarious jobs. Aidoo also demonstrates the corruption and greed of the national bourgeoisie, in variably showing through her female characters, the strength, honesty and fight for an honest living.
An additional common feature between these stories is related to the theme of alienation; the alienation between men and women, the sense of alienation experienced in the city by those who leave their village to visit it, but mostly the alienation created by the African characters’ obsession with coming up to western standards of modernity.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- PART ONE: POSTCOLONIALISM AND AFRICAN LITERATURE: THEORETICAL FRAME WORK
- A. Postcolonialism
- 1. As a Political Movement
- 2. As a Literary and Critical Movement
- 3. Postcolonial Literary Theory
- B. Postcolonial African Literature
- 1. African Literature
- 2. Ghanaian Literature
- PART TWO: AMA ATA AIDOO'S NO SWEETNESS HERE AND OTHER STORIES
- A. An African Literary Figure
- 1. Ama Ata Aidoo: Elements of Biography
- 2. Aidoo: As a Women Writer
- B. Ama Ata Aidoo's Works
- 1. The Plays
- a. Dilemma of a Ghost (1964)
- b. Anowa (1970)
- 2. The Novels
- a. Our Sister Killjoy (1977)
- b. Changes (1991)
- 3. The Oral Tradition
- PART THREE: THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SHORT STORIES
- Introduction
- A. "Everything Counts"
- B. "For Whom Things Did Not Change"
- C. "In the Cutting of a Drink"
- D. "The Message"
- E. "No Sweetness Here"
- F. "Two Sisters"
- G. "The Late Bud"
- H. "Something to Talk about on the Way to the Funeral"
Objectives and Key Themes
This monograph explores the thematic landscape of Ama Ata Aidoo's short story collection, "No Sweetness Here and Other Stories." The work aims to analyze the stories through the lens of postcolonialism, examining the impact of colonization on Ghanaian society, particularly on women's lives. The monograph delves into the struggles, resilience, and strength of female characters navigating the complexities of post-independence Ghana.
- The Influence of Postcolonialism on Ghanaian Society
- The Role of Women in Post-Independence Ghana
- The Conflict Between Tradition and Modernity
- The Theme of Alienation
- The Impact of the Oral Tradition on Aidoo's Storytelling
Chapter Summaries
The introduction provides an overview of Ama Ata Aidoo's "No Sweetness Here and Other Stories," highlighting the collection's exploration of the post-colonial impact on Africa. The first part delves into the theoretical framework of postcolonialism and its application to African literature, particularly in the Ghanaian context. The second part focuses on Ama Ata Aidoo as an African literary figure, exploring her biography and her significant contributions to Ghanaian literature through her plays, novels, and engagement with the oral tradition. The third part, which constitutes the core of the monograph, delves into a thematic analysis of each short story in the collection. The analysis centers on the central themes of the stories, exploring the experiences of women, the conflict between tradition and modernity, and the impact of colonialism on Ghanaian society. The final chapter examines the conclusion of the collection.
Keywords
This monograph focuses on key concepts such as postcolonialism, African literature, Ghanaian literature, gender roles, women's experiences, oral tradition, colonialism, and the themes of alienation, tradition, and modernity. It also highlights Ama Ata Aidoo's significant contributions to the literary landscape of Ghana and her exploration of the complexities of post-independence society.
- Quote paper
- Najwa Bouyarmane (Author), 2006, Ama Ata Aidoo’s "No Sweetness Here and Other Stories". How colonialism still affects Africa’s culture, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/903250
