Our Sister Killjoy
Longman | |
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Our Sister Killjoy: or Reflections from a Black-eyed Squint is the
Summary
Our Sister Killjoy is about a young African woman named Sissie who goes to Europe to "better" herself (with European education) as described by her African counterparts. The novel revolves around themes of
Aidoo is critical of Africans' adulation of Europeans. The first thing Sissie notices upon going into the town in Germany are shiny and glittery material possessions. Aidoo critiques the way some Africans buy into the notion of white superiority, by turning to Europe when they are looking for the "best," whether in education or material possessions. The orientation toward Europe and the investment in whiteness begins in Africa and continues and is reinforced when Africans migrate to Europe. After colonialism, places such as Ghana and Nigeria are left with European institutions and frameworks and they continue to operate within them post-independence. Aidoo positions "Our Sister" as a radical to stand in strong opposition to those black people whose minds do not seem to be filled with thoughts of their own, such as Sammy, the first black person we are introduced to other than Our Sister.
While in Germany, Sissie befriends Marija. Although speaking different languages, they build a strong understanding. As Sissie's time in Germany nears an end, Marija makes a pass at her. Sissie has mixed emotions, never having been attracted to a woman before, and it makes her think deeply about same-sex relationships. The book is notable in the history of queer African literature in that it challenges the popular idea that homosexuality is a Western idea, alien to Africa. Sissie fantasizes about a lesbian relationship, and does not reject the idea of a relationship with Marija.[6]
Later in the novel, Sissie goes to England and is surprised at the number of Africans she sees. She is shocked at their "wretched living conditions"; they live in basement flats and wear ugly, worn-in clothing. Sissie is shocked at the women who, had they been in Africa, would have worn the most beautiful, luxurious clothing, and have now ruined their own beauty. Sissie describes their position in England as "running very fast just to remain where they are".[7]
Structure
This section possibly contains original research. (December 2017) |
The book is split into three different sections and, in its form, the novel switches between two voices: verse and prose. Some portions of the book are structured as poetic verse. These sections sometimes suddenly interrupt the prose sections; in one way, this draws out the plot more slowly, but it also allows the reader to gain a sense of Sissie's inner thoughts and the main themes of the book. The verses tend to have an angry tone, are more retrospective, and generally serve to fill in the gaps and comment on the themes of colonialism and diaspora. The parts to the book that are in prose are used in a more standard way to give basic information about the characters and the plot. Switching unexpectedly between the two voices also creates a sense of tension that reflects the tension Sissie feels during her time in Europe.
References
- World Literature Written in English, Volume 17, 1978 - Issue 1, pp. 55–57; via Taylor & Francis Online.
- ^ "AMA ATA AIDOO: ONE OF THE AFRICA'S OLDEST BEST AUTHOR, FEMINIST, ACADEMICIAN, AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LITERARY GIANT AND INTELLECTUAL GHANAIAN FIGURE". kwekudee-tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.ca. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ Faith Pullin, British Book News; quoted in Hans M. Zell, Carol Bundy & Virginia Coulon (eds), A New Reader's Guide to African Literature, Heinemann Educational Books, 1983, p. 128.
- ^ Annie Gagiano, "Our Sister Killjoy" (review), LitNet.
- ^ "Our Sister Killjoy: Characterizing Immigration/Emigration". www.postcolonialweb.org. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ISBN 9780415306515. Retrieved 2022-07-05.
- ^ Aidoo, Ama Ata. Our Sister Killjoy: Or, Reflections from a Black-Eyed Squint. London: Longman, 1988, p. 89.
Further reading
- Megan Behrent, "Ama Ata Aidoo: Our Sister Killjoy"; "Our Sister Killjoy: Characterizing Immigration/Emigration"; "Our Sister Killjoy: Critiquing Nationalism": "Aidoo: The 'been-to' in Our Sister Killjoy", African Postcolonial Literature in English, Brown University, 1997.
- Gay Wilentz (1991), "The Politics of Exile: Ama Ata Aidoo's Our Sister Killjoy", Studies in 20th Century Literature, Vol. 15: Iss. 1, Article 12. .
External links
- "Our Sister Killjoy" at The Complete Review.