Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Anowa Online Commentary

Thank you for your willingness to explore new kinds of oral and written literatures, and particularly for shattering your cultural lenses and being open to the texts' teachings.

In addition to our classroom discussion, we're holding a blog discussion on Ama Ata Aidoo's play Anowa this week. Please post your commentary as a "Comment" to this blog item. Remember: your commentary may either initiate a discussion thread or continue an existing one. Commentaries, whether initiating or continuing threads, must comport to all other assignment parameters. Due date: Friday, 1/29/10, at 5pm EST.

61 comments:

  1. Commentary #2 - Anowa

    In Ama Ata Aidoo's play "Anowa" the old man says:

    "Some of us feel that the best way to sharpen a knife is not to whet one side of it only. And neither can you solve a riddle by considering only one end of it."

    I feel as though the men in this play were portrayed as much more thoughtful, peaceful, and relaxed then the women. Badua is consistently complaining of her daughter, Anowa, and the fact she has yet to settle down and marry. When Anowa confronts Osam and Badua about her engagement to Kofi Ako, Badua does not approve and becomes so riled up. Despite the fact that Badua is causing a fuss about her daughters engagement, Osam refuses to become invovled. Why is it that the father decides to stay out the situation despite Badua asking for his opinion? Because it is womenly duties? At the end of Phase 1 the old man says the excerpt above to the old woman who is judging Badua and Anowa on their relationship and current situation. Osam seems to be trying to make peace and tell the old woman to leave it be and that it is not their concern. Is this supposed to show how "neurotic" women can be? Or how men are the peace makers?

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  2. Commentary #2 "Anowa" by Kelsey Brennan

    In the very beginning of the story, Badua makes a comment about her daughter Anowa getting married and having kids, that was very alarming to me. "A woman like her should bear children, many children, so she can afford to have one or two die," (72). It was quite difficullt for me to shatter my cultural lens after reading this statement and having to imagine overcompensating the number of children you want to have, knowing that due to illnesses and malnourishment, poor healthcare in general, some of your kids are going to die early on. Could this cultural norm of losing your children to death and therefore causing parents to be very protective be a reason why Badua is so insistent on Anowa marrying someone she approves of?

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  3. Nicki Underwood

    In "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo during the final scene, the old man says, "And yet no one goes mad in emptiness, unless he has the disease already in his head from the womb. No. It is men who make men mad. Who knows if Anowa would have been a better woman, a better person if we had not been what we are" (124)? I really like this line because of who is saying it, as well as the lesson it teaches. The play, much like the "Account of Things in Yucatan" by Diego De Landa shows the changes within a culture. Though they are different in cases of circumstances, looking beyond that to the ideas of slavery represented in the play, and how Anowa sees it as wrong can be compared to invasion and progress and to the ultimate lesson of "Anowa" which is to avoid greed and harsh and quick capitalism for the protection of our fellow man.

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  4. One of the most striking features of the play "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo is the character transformation that Kofi Ako undergoes. One of the key fears that Anowa's family has regarding their marriage is Kofi's humble beginnings. In phase two, Kofi demonstrates how cares for Anowa when he says, "What I know is that you if you stay out longer in this weather, you are ging to be ill. And I can not afford to lose you," (Aidoo, 83) and yet he refuses to take another wife. Instead, he takes slaves so that she will have less work to do, but in the end it is the wealth he acquires with these slaves that eventually corrupts him and turns him against Anowa. It's Kofi's transformation of character from a devoted husband to an uncaring, cold-hearted man that eventually his death, as well as Anowa's.

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  5. Anowa
    By: Ama Ata Aidoo

    One of the things I do not understand in the play “Anowa”, is why Anowa is so restless? Kofi Ako asked Anowa, “…they all say the same thing. Anowa, what makes you so restless? What occupies you?” (Aidoo 97). I thought it may have been because she does not bear any children, but then her personality was to constantly work and to keep moving, I did not think that a child would subdue her hard laboring ways.

    Aidoo, Ama Ata. The Dilemma of a Ghost and Anowa. Longman Publishing Group: New
    York, 1985. Print.

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  6. Commentary # 2 Emily Bunner

    In the play "Anowa" the character Kofi Ako says "You know what? I like you and the way you are different. But Anowa, sometimes you are too different" (Aidoo 90). In each culture we define what is "normal" and what is "abnormal". While those definitions vary among cultures, the them is universal and, in everyday life each person gravitates towards the "normal" people. If we rid the world of the stereotypes of normal and abnormal than the world would be better because people who are different wouldn't feel like outcasts and in extreme cases wouldn't resort to suicide to rid themselves of that feeling of being an outcast.

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  7. Commentary 2 - Anowa
    By Courtney Versfeld
    "Any mother would be concerned if her daughter refused to get married six years after her puberty." (70) This remark is made by Bandura about her daughter Anowa. By making such a statement it tells me that marriage is a major attribute for this particular culture. Much like any parent from any culture, they too are concerned with the well being of their child and their future but it would seem that Bandura is merely concerned with Anowa refusing marriage with little regard to her daughter's feelings. However, there seems to be a contradiction made as Bandura says, "Besides a woman is not a stone but a human being; she grows." (70)

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  8. Meredith Sizemore, Commentary #2

    As the Old Man said in the Prologue, "Anowa is not a girl to meet every day" (67). In this way, Anowa was both revered, misunderstood and rejected both society, showing the reader how this particular society has a hypocritical view on women. At the beginning of their relationship, Kofi Ako adored Anowa and how she was different from all other girls; he admired her free spirit. Whereas, Badua, Anowa's mother, was constantly fretting about what a disappointment Anowa was. Therefore, I believe this play is making a commentary of how women and viewed and their struggle to find their place in society.

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  9. Amy Kline
    Anowa by Ama Ata Aidoo

    I think that it's funny that Osam and Badu are trying to convince Anowa to get married but at the same time they are showing her that they can not get along themselves. "Will that shut you up?" and "Badua breathes audibly with exasperation. She begins pacing up and down the courtyard, with the ladle in her hand"

    Like many of you have already said, marriage is valued in their culture and the parents are not concerned about Anowa's feelings or her independence. You would think that they would try to convince her that marriage in somewhat enjoyable instead of a constant battle.

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  10. Natalie French
    January 28, 2010
    "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo

    In his play "Anowa," Ama Ata Aidoo reveals his distaste for greed and wealth and his belief that it can ruin a person's life. Aidoo demonstrates this when Anowa states, "Kofi, are you dead? [Pause] Kofi, is your manhood gone? I mean, you are like a woman. [Pause] Kofi, there is not hope any more, is there? [Pause] Kofi...tell me, is that why I must leave you? That you have exhausted your masculinity acquiring slaves and wealth?" (121). A man's manhood is a major source of pride across many cultures. So, the fact that Kofi Ako's greed results in a loss of his manhood, demonstrates Aidoo's disdain for greed and wealth. It is also an idea that can be understood, universally, across many cultures.

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  11. Jordan Smith
    1/28/10
    "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo

    At the beginning of the story Badua is upset with Anowa's decision to marry Kofi Ako because she believes that he will never amount to anything, and they will live in poverty. Badua tells Anowa, "But remember, my lady---when I am too old to move, I shall still be sitting by these walls waiting for you to come back with your rags and nakedness" (Aidoo, 77). However, the plot takes an interesting twist and Kofi turns into a great profiteer, and is one of the wealthiest men in the land. Still part of Anowa's mother's prediction comes true, because she is not happy in her marriage. Anowa would have been much happier begging on the streets than living comfortably because of the work of slaves.

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  12. Katelyn Bledsoe
    1/28/10
    "Anowa" By Ama Ata Aidoo

    At the end of the story the old woman states, "But it is nature who is endowed with enough powers to be a mother or a father," (Aidoo, 79). Anowa's mother struggles with the idea that she is the reason for her daughters behavior, however the quote suggests otherwise- that it is beyond Anowa's parents control. Through out the story the mother and father both reflect at times that they could not control Anowa, which according to Aidoo would make sense since because only nature would be able to handle Anowa's "behavior problems." If this idea was understood and agreed upon by Anowa's community, her actions would be understandable and her parents feelings would be different.

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  13. Danielle Kuykendall
    1/28/10
    "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo

    In Ama Ata Aidoo's play "Anowa", the role of woman is a significant theme. "Someone should have taught me how to grow up to be a woman. I hear in other lands a woman is nothing. And they let her know this from the day of her birth. But here, O my spirit mother, they let a girl grow up as she pleases until she is married. And then she is like any woman anywhere: in order for her man to be a man, she must not think, she must not talk," (112). Anowa struggles in the society she lives in because she is different. Her family regards her as an outcast due to her differences and her independence. Anowa would rather work alongside her husband than bear children and purchase slaves to do her own work. It is important to recognize the different roles woman play in societies around the globe, as well as how defying social norms and expectations can prevent you from being accepted in society.

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  14. Kelsey Souleret
    Commentary: Anowa

    I do not think that Kofi Ako undergoes a character transformation throughout the play. At the beginning of the play, Badua calls Kofi Ako a “good-for-nothing cassava-man” (pg. 77), describing him as lazy and indolent. During the play, Kofi illustrates these characteristics by buying slaves to run his business for him, even though Anowa protests against it. Although Kofi’s social status changes, his lethargic tendencies remain with him. Even at the end of the play, when Kofi is an extremely rich man, he allows his slaves to do all the work and even chooses to be carried through the streets instead of walking.

    Source: Aidoo, Ama Ata. The Dilemma of a Ghost and Anowa. Longman Publishing Group: New York, 1985. Print.

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  15. In "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo it is just amazing to see how different cultures can be and their varying beliefs. It seems that in this play for a person to think differently and to act differently than the norm automatically means that the person is in fact sick, or a "witch" of some sort as Anowa is often suggested to be. The main character Anowa, had no problem to speak out against traditional view as she states, "And tell me, when did I enter into a discussion with you about that? I shall not feel happy with slaves around... Kofi, no man made a slave of his friend and came too much himself. It is wrong. It is evil.(90)" Anowa could see the wrong in this act which many people of her culture did no care to think twice about. In addition to her speaking out, it was interesting to have the old man speak against the old woman at times...especially considering in the play the men typically played the stubborn characters more stuck on tradition.

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  16. Carrie Barbagallo
    In Anowa by Ama Ata Aidoo, Badua says, "Any mother would be concerned if her daughter refused to get married six years after her puberty" (70) about her daughter Anowa early in the play. I found this comment to be nearly absurd, to get married during your early adolescent years seems incredibly young to me, considering my culture and the things I know. In so few years, a child must grow into a woman, learning all of the cultural norms and expectations; she must learn how to live independently and find a man to marry. When Badua is complaining to her daughter about her choice, she says, “you want to behave like the girl in the folk tale” (75) which brings me to think that, like in the Maasai culture, the people in Yebi learn from listening to folk tales of what you should or should not do.

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  17. Soyoung Choi
    January 29, 2010
    "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo

    In Ama Ata Aidoo's play "Anowa", I did not like kind of way of Badua says since beginning because she talks really women has to be like this or like that. Something is locked in rule. She is not seeing new things unlike her daughter, Anowa. In my experience, I understand somewhat kinds of mothers like Badua because I still do have people who has old thinking like her in my country. But I do not want to say I am agree with the way of Badua's thinking. Women and men are the same. The strongest disagree sentence is in the middle of second phase, "A good woman does not have a brain or mouth" (Aidoo 93). Does it mean woman can not think and talk what they want?

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  18. Aly'ssa Quinn

    Commentary #2 Anowa

    In phase one of Anowa, I found one of the most interesting parts to be the end where the old man and woman are speaking. I thought that like the Maasai culture we studied, the Yebi also value elders and that they learn from oral folk tales as well. Although, different from the Maasai who revere women mostly in their culture (like the grandmother storyteller), it seemed here that the men are possibly valued more highly. They seem to be more level-headed, thoughtful, and simply laid back. Also, the ridiculousness of Badua and her complaints about Anowa's marriage as well as the role of the old woman lead me to believe this. It is interesting to see how women are viewed and their importance in different societies and cultures.

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  19. Kerry Laub

    In "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo, I believe Anowa was not just restless due to her lack of child-baring ability. I believe the pressure that her mother constantly put on her to get married, and then her disapproval of her choice of a husband and poisoned Anowa. Yes, not being able to bare a child for her husband put a huge strain on their relationship and did not make Anowa feel like she could complete her duties as a wife. But, I believe that without the support of her mother to prosper in her marriage with Kafi Ako had an underlying effect on her overall well being. She was troubled all through out her marriage to Kafi Ako, but because her mother did not support her life decisions, Anowa said she would never return to them. In the end when her marriage had fallen apart, she could not return home and had no place to go. I believe that if her relationship was not so poisoned with her mother, she could have returned home instead of drowning herself.

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  20. At the beginning of Phase Two in Ama Ata Aidoo's "Anowa" when Anowa and Kofi are walking along the highway in a thunderstorm and until the end of the play, I am reminded of "The Sun and the Moon." Like "The Sun and the Moon," their relationship seems less like a traditional husband-wife one and more like a man and his helper: "Wherever we go, people take you for my sister at first. They say they have never heard of a woman who helped her husband so" (87). Though he doesn't physically beat her, Kofi becomes like the Sun in his treatment of Anowa; he seems to emotionally beat her. And instead of having their "battle scars" seen in the sky, theirs are seen in the town's "stories and legends" (123).

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  21. Commentary # 2
    January 29, 2010
    Marlee Newman

    Though I agree with Erin, that Kofi became emotionally abusive to Anowa, within the context of the society, Anowa failed as a wife. Her restlessness, her refusal to compromise or accept her husband's decisions, her inability to bear children, all mark her as an oddity in society. And her "strange ways" once attracted Kofi to her, for he too was slightly outside the views of normal society (his desire for only one wife, etc). But eventually they became too much for him, and trying to make her happy overtaxed him, it seems. He says "O God, Anowa why did you have to destroy me too?" (115). This is not a happy story for either of them.

    Aidoo, Ama Ata. The Dilemma of a Ghost and Anowa. Longman Publishing Group: New
    York, 1985. Print.

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  22. Commentary #2
    Emily Collins

    An interesting point that Ama Ata Aidoo makes in his play, ¬Anowa is that her father, doesn’t seem too concerned with marrying off Anowa which is demonstrated through the entire beginning of Phase One with the discussion between Osam and Badua about their, at the time, unmarried daughter. In one point of the argument, Badua exclaims, “I want my child/To be a human woman/Marry a man,/Tend to a farm..A woman like her/Should bear children/Many children,/So she can afford to have/One or two die…” (Aidoo 72) which explains her obsession with having her daughter married off and producing children. Why the difference of obsessions between the father and mother with getting Anowa married off to a prosperous man? Throughout the text, Aidoo plainly shows the difference of men and women’s jobs, expectations or responsibilities in this culture and how many men back away or don’t take interest in what is considered a woman’s responsibility such as marrying off the daughter or worrying about producing offspring with another man in their culture.

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  23. Hey this is Jeremy Lugg

    From the very beginning of the play Anowa, written by Aidoo, it is easy to see that Marriage is a very important thing to the characters. From the first line on page 70 Anowa's mother Badua makes this point saying, "Any mother would be concerned if her daughter refused to get married six years after her puberty."(p.70)Because of this it’s easy to tell that she wants her daughter Anowa to get married. However shortly after this point Anowa announces her engagement to Kofi Ako, telling her parents that Kofi Ako asked her to marry him and she said yes. Even though her mother had just been worrying about her daughter not wanting to get married Badua is now upset with her daughter’s choice and is against the marriage. Would you not be happy if your daughter got engaged? Is this disagreement by her parents a good sign or a bad sign? I believe that this is just her parents showing her their love. They want what is best for their daughter, that means not just settling for the first guy who asks you to marry him. I believe this action shows the theme of love and the importance of family in this play.

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  24. Commentary 2
    Tian-Hao Wang
    January 29, 2010

    I agree with the point that Erin made about the possible similarity between the characters Anowa and Kofi in Ama Ata Aidoo's "Anowa" and that of "The Sun and The Moon." Kofi is described physically as "tall and so broad. You really look like a huge something. There is too much of you" (83) which is similar to The Sun which depicts himself as this strong masculine figure. Anowa is similar to The Moon because of her personality where she won't be looked down upon and will fight back. This is seen between Anowa and her mother who vehemently objects to her marriage, and Anowa refuses to back down resulting in a large verbal fight between Anowa and Badua.

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  25. Rebekah Wilkins
    Jan. 29th, 2010
    Commentary #2
    "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo


    Within the play, "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo, the one thing that stirked me the most when reading this was about Anowa and Kofi Ako's discussion/ arguement about their differences; especially with the discussion of hiring additional help. With Kofi Ako wanting the extra help and explaining that everyone is doing it, Anowa puts in her input about how this is morally wrong, inputing: "I shall not feel happy with slaves around...Kofi, no man made a slave of his friend and came to much himself. It is wrong. It is evil." (Aidoo 90) In the end, the subject was dropped and the players moved on. This reminded me a lot about when reading "The Girl Who Married a Crow", based on how when the truth has been discovered, it is automatically covered up and rejected to not have the truth be told about the situation at hand and to move on with the process. It also shows a female's bold and truthful come to light without fear or shuddering presentation. Althought these are two very different arguements from the two stories, it reminded me that women have a strong hindsight to see things more than just a disguise or phase, it gets right to the human of things.

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  26. In the play [i]Anowa[/i], by Ama Ata Aidoo, the protagonist Anowa does not only defy the stereotypical gender role in Ghana, she digresses from what is "normal" in the culure as she brings up the many questions. Kofi Ako tells Anowa that she has no need to work as he has slaves to do the labor as well as the domestic duties. Anowa retaliates with a tone of anguish "As though our people are horses!...We do nothing from the crow of the cock to the setting sun...Is this what we left Yebi for? Ah, my husband, where did our young lives go" (Aidoo 67), showing her discontent with her current situation. She questions the use of slavery - though probably not in the way we questioned it - in a way that seems to bring up a cultural issue of why they enslaved their own people and for what purpose; they have lost touch with who they are, both culturally speaking and individually speaking since Anowa and Kofi Ako have no need to do anyhing.

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  27. Ingred Centeno
    GENG 239, Brown
    Commentary #2

    The main character in Ama Ata Aidoo’s play "Anowa" comes across as a stubborn, hard working, and sometimes rebellious woman named Anowa. Her husband at one point gets impatient with her and tells her she needs to stop working so hard all the time because wherever they went, people thought she was his sister at first (p. 87). This was interesting to see because socially a woman wasn’t supposed to help her husband with work as much as Anowa did. People in her village, including her mother, were critical of the fact that she hadn't settled down to have children even though she had been married for years. As part of a tight knit community, I think these comments greatly affected Anowa, to the point where she wasn't willing to ever go back to her village or permanently settle anywhere else. She had hurt feelings, from the very beginning when her mother disapproved of her choice for a husband, to when she probably felt alienated because everyone always mentioned how different she was.

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  28. Kayla Hirschmugl
    GENG 239 MWF 12:20
    Michelle Brown
    January 29, 2010

    There were many themes that were present while reading the short play, Anowa by Ama Ata Aidoo. Yet the theme of the role of a woman in the Ghanaian culture during this period of time stood out to me the most. One quote by Anowa herself explains their views perfectly, "Someone should have taught me how to grow up to be a woman. I hear in other lands a woman is nothing. And they let her know this from the day of her birth. But here, O my spirit mother, they let a girl grow up as she pleases until she is married. And then she is like any woman anywhere: in order for her man to be a man, she must not think, she must not talk," (112). This concept was very hard for me to wrap my head around and remember that my cultural lens has been broken. I believe so strongly in gender equality. The thought of having this idea constantly drilled into your head from the day you were born is unimaginable to me. To listen to the way women were constantly talked down to was overwhelming. Although Anowa was a little crazy I actually admire the way that she didn't just give into the cultural norms or her society, but hey, It would have eventually drove me crazy too.

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  29. In the play "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo, there are a few different opinions as of why Anowa and Kofi Ako could not have children. "Some say he lost his manhood because he was not born with much to begin with," (123). "Others say he had consumed it acquiring wealth, or exchanged it for prosperity," (123. There were also other reasons that blamed Anowa of this instead of Kofi Ako's inability to produce children. Throughout the story I assumed that it was always Anowa's fault. What are your opinions?

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  30. In the short play, “Anowa ,” by Ama Ata Aidoo the Old Woman makes extremely harsh remarks about Anowa such as, “She is a witch, she is a devil, she is everything that is evil” and “I wonder what a woman eats to produce a child like Anowa. I am sure that such children are not begotten by normal natural processes” (101). While reading these statements I was shocked by how judgmental the Old Woman was about Anowa’s decisions to defy her parents’ request not to marry Kofi Ako. It is pretty easy to see the importance of family and social norms in this society just by the snide comments by the Old Woman.

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  31. Zach Reichard
    Geng 239
    Commentary 2

    In the play “Anowa” the character Kofi Ako says to Anowa “they all say the same thing. Anowa, what makes you so restless? What occupies you?” It is hard to come from a culture such as the one we live in today, and fully understand why native peoples did the things they did. In a world where women are a huge part of society today, it is strange to read about a culture where if a woman thinks differently or out of line, she is considered to be sick or have something wrong with her. Kofi calls Anowa “too different.” Different from what? Who is to say what too different is? Or even what the “norm” is. Different from what? What is the benefit to everyone acting exactly the same?

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  32. In the short play "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo, Anowas father Osam is discussing with Anowas mother Badua Anowas recent prospect of marrying a boy who is considered unacceptable by Anowas mother. He says, " I thought if Anowa came to tell you she was going to get married to Kwefu Ananse, or indeed the devil himself, you would spread rich cloth before her to walk on. And probably sacrifice an elephant"(75). I found this statement made by the father so humorous because he has listened to his wife whine and worry about Anowa getting married the whole play and when Anowa finally finds someone who she likes her mother is just as upset as she was before. Osams joke helps show how he has no say in deciding his daughters future and is merely tormented by the fighting that has occurred between his wife and daughter. The gender roles are much different than in todays society where the father is usually much more protective of his daughter and would be like Badua rather than Osam. The difference in culture relates to our discussion about Griottes(the wise old story telling women) who were very influential in educating the young children of the Massai.

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  33. Rabab Hashmi
    GENG 239
    January 29, 2010

    In the play Anowa by Ama Ata Aidoo, the societal expectations from women are clearly brought out. Although Kofi Ako had always been attracted to Anowa’s “uniqueness” and individuality, he too seems frustrated by the end. He tells her, “Have joy in our overflowing wealth. Be happy with that which countless women would give their lives to enjoy for a day” (99). Even Kofi Ako is determined for Anowa to display the stereotypical qualities of women. This emphasizes the well established norms which society had for women, and how far Anowa was from following these norms. The stage directions after Kofi Ako’s speech display Anowa’s character very well “[Anowa’s answer is a hard grating laugh that goes on and on even after the lights have gone out on them” (99). This suggests an almost mocking tone, which stresses upon Anowa’s dislike of the cultural norms.

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  34. jmudebate@gmail.com

    Tuba Ahmed


    Towards the beginning of the first act, as Ato attempts to explain his marriage, Nana consistently cuts him off, desperately wanting to know whether Ato is trying to tell the family that “your [Ato’s] wife is a slave” (Aidoo 18). Upon Ato’s reponse that it was in fact her ancestors that were slaves, Nana interrupts to assert that Ato must not “talk with the foolishness of… [his] generation” (Aidoo 18). The exchange between Ato and Nana alludes to a generation gap and a deep cultural divide. The “Us versus Them” complex comes into play as Ato’s family weeps upon hearing that his wife is somehow connected to the institution of slavery. In this situation, every one is quick to jump to conclusions and make their own assumptions regarding what must be the truth, as opposed to learning what is the truth. The scene with Ato and his Nana suggests that tribal connections and kinship is vitally important, as Ato’s family cannot fathom a world in which an individual may be separated from these two elements. The lack of cultural context and understanding foreshadows future complications and misunderstandings.

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  35. Annie Armstrong
    Commentary on Anowa by Ama Ata Aidoo
    1.29.10

    In response to Sara's post:
    In Anowa Osam, while talking about his daughter's marriage says, "You know that if I so much as whisper anything to do with Anowa, you and your brothers and uncles will tell me to go and straighten out the lives of my nieces" (75). This makes me believe that the culture they live in is matrilineal, meaning Anowa's mother and her mother's brothers will deal with her marriage and her father would thus deal with Anowa's female cousins, his nieces. After seeing how Osam acts, because of our experience in our culture, we may think that he does not care about his daughter's marriage and that he see it as only a woman's responsiblity. This isn't so because he has his own duties as to marriage, they simply lie elsewhere than what our culture teaches us and he will become involved when one of his nieces time comes for her to marry.

    Aidoo, Ama Ata. The Dilemma of a Ghost and Anowa. Longman Publishing Group: New York, 1985. Print.

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  36. In "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo, the thing that struck me the most was the character change in Kofi. In the beginning, Anowa goes against all of her mother's advice to not "marry this fool, this good for nothing cassava man" and stays with Kofi. However, I believe that it is not Kofi that changes throughout the book, but it is actually Anowa. I believe this story is actually warning young people about the way that "love" (or what is percieved as love) can blind a person from their lover's flaws or in this case, terrible personality type.

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  37. Sheri Carey
    Geng 239
    1/29/10

    Commentary #2

    In Ama Ata Aidoo's play, "Anowa", the character Osam says, "My wife, people with better vision than yours or mine have seen that Anowa is not like you or me. And a prophet with a locked mouth is neither a prophet nor a man. Besides, the yam that will burn, shall burn, boiled or rosted" (73).

    I think what Osam is trying to tell his wife is that she needs to stop trying to find her daughter, Anowa, the perfect husband and just let Anowa decide for herself who she wants to marry. I believe that he is saying that if Anowa makes a mistake in what path she takes in life then her mother should let her make it so that she can learn from it. Whatever will be, will be, regardless of what anyone says.

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  38. Katie Lynch
    Commentary 2
    In Anowa, when talking about Anowa’s strange ways the mother says “…and has never been back sense. I have always feared her”(pg 91). The mother, along with the rest of the village, is frightened by the fact that Anowa does not follow their standards of living, she hasn’t had kids yet, she hasn’t returned home, and her spirit is “restless”. Because of her strange ways she is treated as an outcast, the same way the Mayans were treated as outcasts by the Spanish because they were “different”.

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  39. Commentary #2 Anowa
    In Anowa by Ama Ata Aidoo, societal norms regarding the behavior of women are clearly demonstrated. After Anowa and Kofi argue about the owning of slaves Kofi says, “How is it you can’t feel like everybody else does...I wish I could rid you what ails you, so I could give you peace” (99). Since Anowa didn’t act like a typical woman in society he thought she was sick when she just had her own opinions. He wanted her to be like the stereotypical women in their society and think how everyone else did. A few lines later Kofi also says, “Be happy with that which countless women would give their lives to enjoy for a day” (99); even he wanted Anowa to be like the typical women accepted in their society.

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  40. Liz Wilson
    1/29/10

    While reading "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo, the theme that was present throughout the entire play was the belief that being different or unconventional was wrong. Anowa was her own person, but was thought to be a "witch" throughout the entire play. The belief of her culture was such that being different was unheard of, and each person had the same expectations that they were to fulfill during their life. The only crime that Anowa ever committed was being different, but her husband wants nothing to do with her towards the end of the play even though she has done nothing wrong. Kofi Ako often states "I don't understand you"(114)because he hasn't known any other woman like Anowa. I believe that the person who committed the real crime was Kofi Ako, who basically sold his soul for riches and wealth. Even though Anowa "goes around wild"(70) while she is young as well as while she is old, she never lost her spirit whereas Kofi Ako did.

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  41. Anne Marie Moore
    Commentary 2

    At the end of the play Anowa the old man states " A good husband would himself want advice from his wife, as the head of a family, a chief, a king, any nobleman has need of an advisor." This quote really stuck out to me because in western culture in many works of literature the male is the opressor, the female the one fighting for their rights. It was interesting for me to see the male being portrayed as the advocate for the female and it made me wonder how this particular culture viewed gender differences. Agreeing with the first post I think the men in this story are portrayed as more logical and peaceful characters.

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  42. Natasha Bauer
    GENG 239 BROWN
    Anowa Commentary
    Janurary 29, 2010

    My take on this piece is that I finished it very surprised. I personally found it very difficult to analyze Anowa's character..It was very static for large portions of the play, but then she would break out into these philosophical fits. Her dynamic character was very hard to pick apart. The constant suggestions that she was a witch kept seeping back into my mind, did the playwright intend for the reader to assume that she was in fact an evil witch? I almost wish that the playwright further elaborated your character, especially in the concluding final dramatic pages. This was not the only aspect of the play that was peculiar. The typical dynamic between Anowa and Kofi Ako from the beginning already seemed to defy typical social constraints that their culture had instilled historically. For one, Kofi Ako had no intent to have another wife, nor was he repelled by Anowa’s peculiar and very abnormal ways, especially in her incapability to produce a child. However he makes it clear that he is well aware of his tolerance, as he describes everything he should be able to do, but can’t. For example, he exasperates that he should be able to beat Anowa endlessly, but can’t lay a finger on her. For such a strong desire to be with each other, we honestly see very little romance between the two to even convince us of their love. Their unique love felt very awkward for me the entire play. I feel like the playwright had so many serious themes and intentions for this play that she unfortunately did not fully elaborate to the needed extent on the relationships between the characters. Surprisingly the only relationship I felt was properly defined was that between Anowa’s parents. It was clear that just like any western couple, African’s couples go through just as much turmoil in a marriage. I thought that was an interesting parallel that the playwright wanted to draw. As do subtle characteristics of Anowa’s relationship with her husband. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the play. I found it very intriguing. But for the most part, I felt the parallels the playwright intended to draw between societal expectations (with slaves and such), or the characteristics of relationships both could have been further elaborated; because the end defiantly throws the reader of guard. Why would Anowa kill herself if she was constantly giggling and content in her ways?

    Aidoo, Ama Ata. The Dilemma of a Ghost and Anowa. Longman Publishing Group: New York, 1985. Print.

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  43. Caitlin Fontanez
    Geng239

    In the play "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo, there are many obvious themes in the play. One major theme is the idea of male supremacy and woman oppression. I agree strongly with Kayla Hirschmugl’s position on gender equality. In addition to her response and quote, if you read a few lines above the quote states, "But I shall not cry. I shall not let him see tears from my eyes. Someone should have taught me how to grow up to be a woman. I hear in other lands a woman is nothing. And they let her know this from the day of her birth." (Aidoo 112). The line “But I shall not cry. I shall not let him see tears from my eyes,” (Aidoo 112) I believe is a contradiction to the overall theme. Although, throughout the play women are perceived inferior to men, Anowa tries to be stronger than most women by refusing to show her emotion. This to me was a strong part of the play displaying Anowa’s uniqueness from the average woman during this period.

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  44. Most readers can easily relate to both Anowa and Kofi at various points in the play. I do not think I am putting myself on the line by saying that most readers agree with Anowa when she says about slavery that "It is wrong. It is evil." Not only that, but to Anowa, slavery is so wrong and evil that people need not to be told this by another but rather is something that "one can think out for oneself." At the same time that we agree with Anowa's view of slavery, we like the idea of working to make money so that we can afford services and products that will make our lives easier and more enjoyable. The difference is that nowadays, we no longer wish to purchase another human being but merely a service he/she offers or a product that a group of people have produced, which seems much more ethical than the concept of purchasing a person.

    This play definitely has the ability to make the reader take a step back from his/her own life and examine what it is that's really important in life and what true happiness really is. Kofi's transformation, as pointed out by Sam, can also provoke the reader into thinking about the power of money to alter one's personality and view of the world and its inhabitants. Even after having amassed enough money to make it unecessary for Anowka or Kofi to spend much of their time working, neither Anowa nor her husband were truly happy nor content. In fact, they were probably less so than before they came into their wealth.

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  45. Heather Allen
    GENG 239
    Brown
    1/29/10
    Commentary 2

    The one thing I noticed in "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo was the relationship between Kofi and Anowa. Every time she doubted herself as a mother, wife or whatever she was quick to suggest that Kofi go and find another wife. This conversation took place multiple times within Phase 2 & 3. This showcases her insecurities as a woman. In the eyes of Kofi, however, she is a strong woman and has no reason to feel insecure around him. The pressures of the society reflects the pressures that Anowa was put under.

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  46. I like how at the beginning of Anowa her parents are appalled to Anowa wanting to marry Kofi Ako since he doesn't have much of anything for their family to benefit from (Aidoo 74-75). However, towards the end of the play, it sounds like they start warming up to them marrying since they see that Kofi Ako would do anything for her.

    Aidoo, Ama Ata. The Dilemma of a Ghost and Anowa. Longman Publishing Group: New York, 1985. Print.

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  47. In "Anowa" there is a reference in the 3rd line to the Akan god "Odomankoma." I wanted to learn more about this god so I did some research online. This god forms a triad with two other gods, but Odomankoma represents the "visible world." To the Akan, he is omnipresent and the "inventor" of the world and everything in it. They believe Odomankoma first created the oceans and then heaven and earth. He also created Death and Death was the one who killed him, but he was later ressurected. It is interesting to see how similar some (definitely not all) of their beliefs are to Christianity. Odomankoma relates to the figure of Jesus, in that they were both ressurected. He also relates to the Christian God by how he formed the earth and created a "7-day week."

    Anna Eldredge, GENG 239

    African Mythology. A Dictionary of African Mythology. Copyright © Harold Scheub 2000, 2002. All rights reserved. Read more

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  48. George Nicholls

    In society today, having the courage to stand up for what you believe in is a great attribute. In Anowa, we can easily see how society in Yebi differs. There are concerns for those who wait too long after puberty to start a family. We find out early how Anowa is different "A child of several incarnations, she listens to her own tales, laughs and her own jokes, and follows her own advice"(67). It becomes obvious at first that bold actions and opinions are looked down upon in this village. Anowa also demonstrates pride in herself by doing things her way such as not marrying people her parents want her to marry.

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  49. Brian Stout

    In phase one of Anowa, I was interested in the scene with the conversation between the old man and the old woman. Similarly to the Maasai, the Yebi have a very orally-based society in which elders are given the utmost reverence. Whereas the Maasai live in a maternal soceity in which the grandmother storyteller is most respected, the Yebi society is more paternal. The men seem to be the voice of reason; pensive, thoughtful, and more reserved individuals.

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  50. In the play "Anowa" which writtn by Ama Ata Aidoo uses rhyme. At the beginning of the phase three, page 103, the group of women sing.
    "He is coming!
    Nana is coming
    He is coming,
    The master of the earth is coming.
    Give way,
    O-o-give way!
    For the master of all you see around is coming
    Turh your face, the jealous!
    Close your eyes,the envious!
    For his is coming!
    Nana is coming!"
    I feels that this statements express how much people was waiting Kofi Ako and also Anowa.
    At the beginning of the stroy, Kofi and Anowa seems that they are not really love each other to get marry but this scence shows me that they are loving each other.

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  51. Victoria Watson
    GENG 239
    Anowa Commentary
    January 29,2010

    As I read “Anowa” by Ama Ata Aidoo, I found that that there was a great amount of focus played on the societal norms of men and women. The theme of the women's role in society struck me the most. I began to really appreciate Anowa's character in the fact that she had been told her entire life that she was nothing and still stayed strong to her spirit even through to the end of the play. I was confused as to what the playwright was trying to convey about Anowa's and Kofi Ako's relationship. I agree with Natasha's post about the relationships being further elaborated on. It became clear that women had to live up to a contrast in societal norms. Anowa's mother had seen her as almost a disappointment, where as her husband has appreciated her free spirit. I think she had many struggles to overcome between her husbands and parents expectations. This made me intrigued by Anowa's character and also grow to appreciate her.

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  52. Alex Mingo
    Commentary 2

    In the play, Anowa, by Ama Ata Aidoo, I recognized the theme of the devil. Anowa goes off with Kofi Ako and is called a devil, specifically by the old woman, "I wonder what a woman eats to produce a child like Anowa. I am sure that such children are not begotten by normal processes." (101) The old woman implies that she is a demon, and during the story Kofi Ako made what seems to be a deal with the devil for his wealth and as a result in unable to have a child.

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  53. "Anowa," written by Ama Ata Aidoo, I thought it was interesting how different Yebi thoughts on marriage and starting a family were. Today in the United States the average age to get married keeps rising as people are more focused on their careers...In Yebi, it is a job in itself to grow up and get married soon after puberty (70). It is expected. Anowa, is not a typical young girl, she is rebellious and strong...she doesn't want to marry the people her parents choose for her. What would you do if you were in Yebi and your parents wanted to choose a future husband or wife for you so young? Would you go along with their wishes without much complaint?

    Shawna Bruell

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  54. As I was reading the play Anowa, by Ama Ata Aidoo, it constantly reminded me of the short story we read, The Girl Who Married a CRow by Naomi Kipury. I was reminded of the similar the cultures are; in both stories the woman was to find a husband to marry that would make their parents and family proud. However, the difference in these two stories was Anowa did not make her parents proud, instead she infuriated her mother. When Badua hears the news of her daughter finding a husband she responds, "Shut up because I never counted Kofi Ako among my sons-in-law" (74). The story of Anowa and the Girl Who Married a Crow relate to each other, but at the same time differ by how the families go about the news of their daughter finding a husband.

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  55. Commentary #2
    "Anowa" by Ama Ata Aidoo
    Audrey Sedlacek

    One thing that really stuck out to me while reading "Anowa" was the great emphasis that Anowa's family, as well as the old man and woman, put on the social norms of their society. Anowa's mother Badua stated in the beginning of the story that she wanted her to be a normal girl who marries and has children. This just made me think about how our culture would probably look up to Anowa for being a powerful independent women due to the fact that our society values individualism and being different. Whereas in Anowa's society she has the pressure of trying to conform to what the women normally do.

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  56. In the play, Anowa, written by Ama Ata Aidoo marriage is a very important and significant step in the lives of young women. Anowa is a young woman who isn't too fond of the idea of marriage simply because it feels pushed. Later in the play, she marries a man named Kofi; their marriage comes with many stresses such as abuse and the biggest being that Kofi cannot reproduce. Their relationship becomes similar to that of the Sun and the Moon; but unlike them neither party became stronger from the stresses. Kofi in particular gave in to the constant fighting and blamed his wife, " Please, just leave me alone. O God,Anowa did you have to destroy me too? What does someone like you want from my life? Anowa, did you... I mean did you make me just to destroy me?" (115).

    Sarah Afify

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  57. Andrea Ryan
    Geng 239
    Commentary 2 Anowa
    It is clear that in the Abura culture, tradition is an important and necessary part of living within their community. This is especially clear when Badua says,"Any mother would be concerned if her daughter refused to get married six years after her puberty."(70) This further enforces the obvious importance of adhering to various cultural traditions, in this case, it is the marriage of their young women.

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  58. In response to Meredith's post, I'm not really sure how the author wants us to view Anowa. It is clear that we are supposed to see her as "something else," and she is described through others' perceptions of her as wild, child-like, and as someone with whom something is wrong ("No one knows what is wrong with her!")However, I have a difficult time viewing Anowa the same way her mother and the old man and woman do. Their opinion of her is probably heavily influenced by the fact that she simply does not live her life abiding by cultural norms. I find it admirable and not child-like in the least that she refused the marriage proposals of several "sturdy men who have asked for her hand in marriage." While the patience with which Anowa waited for a suitable husband before accepting a proposal contradicts others' perception of her as child-like and immature, her desire to keep working (and her belief that others should do so as well) until there is no head on her shoulders shows her to be anything but wild. She is a hard-working young woman and belives that if one is not going to work, there is no point in living, for one should not work simply because he/she has to Her desire to work hard also stems from her strong belief that slavery is wrong, and if there's anything worse than not working, it's not working because slaves are doing your work for you. Anowa also seems very preoccupied with the idea of being just as strong and competent as a man. Her repeated suggestions of Kofi's suggestions to hire men to help them out could have resulted from a need to prove to herself and, less importantly to her husband, that the assistance of other men was not necessary. The author sets us up to view Anowa as the odd-one-out while making it obvious that she posses several qualities that would be admired my most readers.

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  59. From the beginning of the play, it is made very clear that Anowa is outspoken amongst her tribe. Not only does she question the fabric of reality, she brings into question existance itself along with the persistence of time. "Are there never things that one can think out for oneself?" (90) Anowa asks Kofi this is the second act. What I find so interesting is that Anowa ends up dead. Obviously Aidoo is outspoken, but did she not want to insult her own culture by having the outspoken woman live?

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  60. This is from:
    Ciera Haskins
    GENG 239
    Commentary # 2 Anowa
    January 29, 2010


    # 5 What are the implications of this particular argument?
    In the play Anowa, there is a major conflict between Anowa and her husband Kofi. The implication of this particular argument is that in this culture, women are to be docile. Anowa says “..in order for her man to be a man, she must not think, she must not talk. O-o, why didn’t some one teach me how to grow up to be a woman?” (pg 112) Anowa is not allowed to have ideas of her own because he makes her “abnormal” compared to other women of Yebi. Unlike the Maasai, women are not supposed to have much involvement. This is a hegemonic male society and for Anowa she couldn’t understand that her questioning Kofi about work, and her leaving him were absurd. In the end her question is satisfied, but by then it’s too late.

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  61. This is from: Alison Schroeder
    Commentary #2

    In the story of Anowa Ata Aidoo, Anowa is a strong individual female, who isn't afraid to stand up to society. She has been asked her hand in marriage from several men yet she refused there offer. Finally she gave her hand to Kofi Ako, who from the standards of her mother is not good enough. "Anowa, shut up. Shut up! Push your tongue into your mouth and close it. Shut up because I never counted Kofi Ako among my sons-in-law...Should I be the one whose daughter would want to marry this fool..." (pg. 74) This is an example of how verbally different this culture is from mine. In my culture, the mother would be looked down upon for speaking to their daughter in such a manner. In the story Anowa's father is the passive parent and doesn't let the situation upset him. In the end Anowa and Kofi leave town to pursue their life together away from the negative society that has pushed them away. In my culture, it is frowned upon for parents to push their children so far away that they would have to leave town.

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