-
Essay / A review of the book “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi
Imagine being away from home, forced to do something you didn't want to do, unable to chart your own path in life. This was the case of Esi and Effia, two half-sisters both from Ghana but who never met. One was captured as a slave while the other married an Englishman. In Yaa Gyasi's book Homegoing, he presents many examples of racism, slavery, and systematic oppression. A book like this will give you a worldwide rush of emotions due to the events that are unfolding: anger, fear, sadness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In one of the events that happened, Esi had been sexually assaulted. “When he finished, he looked horrified, disgusted by her. As if he was the one who had something taken away from him. One act of injustice that was demonstrated took place when Esi was raped by a soldier in a women's prison. The systematic oppression they faced shows how the soldier did not view Esi or the other women in the women's prison as human and instead treated them like animals. She was objectified but still had to remain strong: “Weakness is treating someone like they belong to you. Strength is knowing that everyone belongs to themselves,” she discusses slavery and the way whites viewed African Americans as if they were inferior and unworthy of respect. They would use this as an excuse to continue to dehumanize African Americans. This simply shows how racism has been used to justify brutal acts of violence. Additionally, slavery and race played a huge role in this book. “If no one tells you, I will tell you. The war may be over, but it is not over. Even after the end of the Slavery War, racism remains an ongoing war that African Americans face daily. “The prisoners who worked in the mines almost all looked like him. Black, once slave, once free, now slave again. He had to work in a coal mine where he and other African Americans would always have to fear death or brutal beatings. This also shows how corrupt the imprisonment was. the people H worked with were former slaves, this shows how racially based this system was, after all, most of the time it was black men who were sold into it. Due to systematic oppression, even after being free, many still lived in fear. “Free man. Half of the former slaves in Baltimore bore this name. Tell a lie long enough and it will turn into the truth. (Gyasi 112), many like Kojo moved north after escaping and were now "free slaves" and many gave their last names as freemen, but if they live in fear, they do they feel free? Fearing enslavement or having their children captured, people would try to migrate as far north as possible. The acts of racism and segregation were clear: “He was called 'boy' by every other snotty-nosed white kid in sight. " (Gyasi 244) In some cases and lack of opportunity and education led people like Sonny's father (Willie) to believe that they could not do more for themselves, and for Willie to lead them to a life of dependence. Keep in mind: This is just a sample.Get a custom paper from our expert writers now.Get a custom essayIn conclusion, you can see the many effects of.