Amma darkos biography amma darko was born in koforidua, ghana, on june 26, 1956, and she grew up in accra. Paper presented at the annual conference of the african studies association, november 1114, 2004, new orleans, louisiana. If you are interested at all in african women fiction writers, i recommend it. What mara signifies and how this is constitutive of the quest for a conscious but problematic postcolonial transnational subjectivity has rarely reverberated in the burgeoning critical commentary on amma darko s beyond the horizon. Shebeing a writer from ghana has been successful in presenting how the african black women were subject to objectification when they migrated to the european lands. I think it should be titled the downfall of mara, because she kept on falling from the very beginning of the story to the end as she is seen as a victim of her circumstances.
Amma darko exploration of feminism in the novel beyond the horizon introduction. This paper aims to show how amma darkos male characters are viewed in beyond the horizon. Beyond the horizon by amma darko 9780435909901 paperback. Darko portrays her male characters black or white with disgust and hatred. Paper presented at the annual conference of the african studies association. She studied industrial design and worked for a year in a center for technological counselling at the university of kumasi. A gracefully written if uneven first novel from ghanaian author darko describes the slow but steady slide of her heroine from innocence to forced prostitution. Pdf objectification in amma darkos beyond the horizon. In amma darkos beyond the horizon, the writer highlights various forms of subordination, oppression and the resultant trauma which women. Amma darkos beyond the horizon is a literary representation of some of the causes and effects of trafficking in humans, such as we have seen in recent times where african migrants in search of.
Beyond the horizon, first published in german, is amma darkos first novel. Both writers interrogate female autonomy against the backdrop of established traditional and modern. Amma darko s beyond the horizon tells the harrowing yet sobering story of a naive ghanaian girl who leaves the familiarity of her village home, marries a brute of a husband, and finally ends up as a hardened prostitute in the cold bitter confines of europe. Darkos first novel is influenced by her impressions of germany, observing the interaction between germans and ghanaian immigrants. Umezurike, uchechukwu peter journal of pan african studies.
This paper aims to show how amma darko s male characters are viewed in beyond the horizon. The story itself isnt lovely, but involves a young and naive ghanian woman whose husband abuses and exploits her. However, it is the subversive, the unsilencing, the harrowing, the shattering of longheld ideas and the uncompromising telling of maras story that makes beyond the horizon a compelling and provocative novel. Prostitution and pornography in amma darkos beyond the horizon. Half a century after black feminism, it is important to know how, somehow, darko s first novel fits into this literary movement to free the weaker sex from male domination. Afterwards, she travelled to germany where she stayed from 1981 until 1987 and wrote her first novel, beyond the horizon which was published in german. An exploration of feminism in amma darkos novel beyond the. Diasporic experiences in amma darkos beyond the horizon and chimamanda adichies americanah bosede funke afolayan, department of english, university of lagos, nigeria transnational migration is a worldwide phenomenon. Amma darko is a from ghana and beyond the horizon washer first novel published in germany and beyond the horizon is a powerful novel by darko in which she presents how the african black women were subject to objectification when they migrated. Amma darko biography, age, family, career, books, novels.
Amma darkos faceless chapter by chapter full summary for. Shebeing a writer from ghana has been successful in presenting how the african black women were subject to objectification when they. A study of buchi emechetas the joys of motherhood and amma darkos beyond the horizon with abstract, chapters 15, references and questionnaire. This short and gripping tale explores themes of patriarchy but differs from the works of most feminist african writers by showing a character. Moreover, beyond the horizon is an incredibly compelling tale of a woman trapped first by naivety, and then by circumstances.
She was born in koforidua, ghana, and grew up in accra. Oct 05, 2010 the use of the prostitute motif is also not new in african literature. Amma darkos response in beyond the horizon maryellen ellie higgins pennsylvania state university, mckeesport during a seminar at the west african research center in dakar in the summer of 1999, senegalese sociologist fatou sow presented her work on west african womens grassroots movements. Half a century after black feminism, it is important to know how, somehow, darkos first novel fits into this literary movement to free the weaker sex from male domination.
Malebashing and narrative subjectivity in amma darkos. In amma darko s beyond the horizon, the writer highlights various forms of subordination, oppression and the resultant trauma which women suffer in the african society and europe in the hands of dominant men, whose perceptions and attitudes are coloured by the patriarchal culture and values of the african society. Ama darko gives a moving account of a simple woman who found herself trapped in a loveless marriage arranged by her parents. Apr 28, 2015 im assuming amma darko wrote beyond the horizon as a feminist narrative because readers surely get a deep understanding of the power men hold in society, as they manipulate, deceive and use aggression in oppressing the rights of women in this story and sometimes in reality. Amma darko s response in beyond the horizon maryellen ellie higgins pennsylvania state university, mckeesport during a seminar at the west african research center in dakar in the summer of 1999, senegalese sociologist fatou sow presented her work on west african womens grassroots movements. Im assuming amma darko wrote beyond the horizon as a feminist narrative because readers surely get a deep understanding of the power men hold in society, as they manipulate, deceive and use aggression in oppressing the rights of women in this story and sometimes in reality. About the author break of the novel faceless amma darkowas born in koforidua, ghana, and grew up in accra. Fictionalized representation of space in amma darkos beyond the.
Pdf amma darkos contribution in beyond the horizon to. Ghanaian novelist amma darko, the author of beyond the horizon and the housemaid, provides an exemplar of the challenges facing women writers in the region today. I gave beyond the horizon 4 stars because amma darko does a great job at pulling readers emotions with the rawness in her style of writing. This study guide consists of approximately 85 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of beyond the horizon. We live in a world which has grown insuppressibly more sexualised than ever before. Pdf maras rising from total submissiveness to absolute. The usual developmental attitude is for a ruralurban movement to which scholars advocate urban bias thesis ubt. Faceless, amma darkos third novel after beyond the horizon and the housemaid, is the tragic story of street children in accra, ghana told through a chaotic urban fabric where pressing social issues like the gap between rich and poor, hivaids, broken families and the role of women in society are allpervasive. Jun 05, 2015 beyond the horizon is a gripping and provocative story of the plight of african women in europe, and the false hopes of those they leave behind. The image of african women in a patriarchal society. Amma darko was born in tamale, ghana, and grew up in accra. An exploration of feminism in amma darkos novel beyond. Malebashing and narrative subjectivity in amma darkos first three novels mawuli adjei amma darko follows in the tracks of the two leading ghanaian women writers, efua sutherland and ama ata aidoo.
However, as a writer, darko differs in her approach to social, political and cultural issues. Objectification in amma darkos beyond the horizon by. Darko s first novel is influenced by her impressions of germany, observing the interaction between germans and ghanaian immigrants. What mara signifies and how this is constitutive of the quest for a conscious but problematic postcolonial transnational subjectivity has rarely reverberated in the burgeoning critical commentary on amma darkos beyond the horizon. A first novel by a ghanaian woman who spent some time in germany.
Gazing at her naked body in the mirror, mara reflects on her transformation from naive ghanaian village girl into a prostitute in a german brothel. Louis althussers critique of ideology reveals that a subject can hardly ever escape ideology. March 1, 1995 a gracefully written if uneven first novel from ghanaian author darko describes the slow but steady slide of her heroine from innocence to forced prostitution. She worked with a technology consultancy centre in kumasi. Jan, 2019 in amma darkos beyond the horizon, the writer highlights various forms of subordination, oppression and the resultant trauma which women suffer in the african society and europe in the hands of dominant men, whose perceptions and attitudes are coloured by the patriarchal culture and values of the african society. I dont think amma darko gets the shine she rightfully deserves for this book or for her writing in general. A moving tale of the abuse of women in modernday africa.
This paper tackles the critical issue of an african type of feminism through the novelist amma darko s depiction of her male characters using african cultural values and daytoday realities in contemporary ghana. In amma darkos beyond the horizon, the writer highlights various forms of subordination, oppression and the resultant trauma which women suffer in the african society and europe in the hands of dominant men, whose perceptions and attitudes are coloured by the patriarchal culture and values of the african society. Mara, a woman from a small village in ghana, falls into a bad, arranged marriage to akobia man who is at best neglectful and at worse most of the time manipulative, unfaithful, brutish, and violent. Objectification in amma darkos beyond the horizon by umezurike. Beyond the horizon by amma darko african book addict. At 140 pages, the book published by heinemann in 1995 is a short and easy read. Mara is a young woman who travels from the village to the city and then finally ends up in munich, germany. Reviews the book beyond the horizon, by amma darko. Her first three novels, beyond the horizon 1995, the.
Gazing at her naked body in the mirror, mara reflects on her transformation from naive ghanaian. Trauma in amma darkos beyond the horizon new texas. This book has me eager to read other works by author amma darko. The representation of the african woman in maledominated. Beyond the horizon, first published in german, is amma darko s first novel. The novella begins at the storys end, in germany, with the protagonist reflecting on her transition from village girl.
A study of ama ata aidoos our sister killjoy and changes and amma darkos beyond the horizon and not without flowers. Thus, we demonstrate how amma darko attempts to present her african male characters in beyond the horizon based on the ordeals of female characters in. It provides an account of the exploitation of women in africa and europe, and tells of an. Amma darko exploration of feminism in the novel beyond the. Indeed, in the novel under scrutiny, male characters are seen, most of the time, as liars, mentally unstable, materialistic, pimps, tricky, cynical, sadistic, violent, villains, to name. The use of the prostitute motif is also not new in african literature. Amma darkos beyond the horizon tells the harrowing yet sobering story of a naive ghanaian girl who leaves the familiarity of her village home, marries a brute of a husband, and finally ends up as a hardened prostitute in the cold bitter confines of europe. Ebook amma darko as pdf download portable document format. African immigration, transcultural patterns and conflicting liberation in emechetas secondclass citizen and amma darkos beyond the horizon. Beyond the horizon is a gripping and provocative story of the plight of african women in europe, and the false hopes of those they leave behind.
Amma darko is the ghanaian author of beyond the horizon. Ghanaian author ama darkos beyond the horizon is tremendously insightful. In the following excerpt, higgins provides insight into the feminist movement across cultural boundaries using the crosscultural relationships of darkos female characters. Malebashing and narrative subjectivity in amma darkos first. A textual analysis of amma darkos faceless and not without flowers. Mara grows up in a ghanaian village and she is dreaming about life in the capital accra. Oct 03, 2018 home englishlinguistic project topics and materials the image of african women in a patriarchal society. This paper highlighted and analysed the portrayals of the traditional african women in selected postcolonial anglophone african writers literary works such as chinua achebes things fall apart 1958 and amma darkos beyond the horizon 1995. I dont think amma darko gets the shine she rightfully. Darkos use of pornography and profanity in beyond the horizon and the housemaid exhibits a kind of resistance that. This is not your typical malebashing eruption of a feminist.
Amma darko amma darko is one of the most significant contemporary ghanaian literary writers. In beyond the horizon by ammadarko, mara, after having undergone. This paper therefore examines the issue of resistance in the novels of two female african authors. Ebscohost serves thousands of libraries with premium essays, articles and other content including the feminist voice in contemporary ghanaian female fiction. A textual analysis of amma darko s faceless and not without flowers. Jan 22, 2019 amma darkos faceless chapter by chapter full summary for jamb 2019 utme literature this is the comprehensive chapter by chapter summary of the novel faceless by amma darko jamb utme, neco and waec literature. It provides an account of the exploitation of women in africa and europe, and tells of an immigrant who, having travelled to germany to find a paradise, finds she has been betrayed by her husband and is forced into prostitution. In the following excerpt, higgins provides insight into the feminist movement across cultural boundaries using the crosscultural relationships of darko s female characters. Faceless subsaharan, 2003, the housemaid heinemann, 1999 and beyond the horizon heinemann, 1995. Resistance in amma darkos beyond the horizon and chika.
Maras journey begins in the farming village of naka. Research on humanities and social sciences issn paper22245766 issn online22250484 online vol. The feminist voice in contemporary ghanaian female fiction. Amma darkos beyond the horizon 1995 and chika unigwes on black sisters street 2009. Causes, effects, and feminist antidotes to trafficking in. In her first novel beyond the horizon, amma darko chooses her male characters names and roles purposely. She studied in kwame nkrumah university of science and technology, kumasi, and gained a diploma in 1980. Amma darko is seen as so concerned with injecting good moral lessons to her readership and that explains why her novels are replete with stories that borders on moral decadence. This paper does a critical reading of beyond the horizon and the housemaid and observes that the author, amma darko, seeks primarily to challenge prevailing and traditional views of motherhood.
Beyond the horizon, 1995, amma darko beyond the horizon, in my opinion, is a disturbing read though a necessary one. Jun 27, 2016 beyond the horizon, 1995, amma darko beyond the horizon, in my opinion, is a disturbing read though a necessary one. Indeed, in the novel under scrutiny, male characters are seen, most of the time, as liars, mentally unstable, materialistic, pimps, tricky, cynical, sadistic, violent, villains, to name only a few traits specific to male characters. Sep 11, 2011 ghanaian author ama darkos beyond the horizon is tremendously insightful.