The themes of Amma Darko’s novel, Faceless, are many.
Here is my master list of the major themes in Faceless by the Ghanaian novelist, Amma Darko.
AMMA DARKO: FACELESS
The key themes you should note in Amma Darko’s novel, Faceless
1.Streetism:
- deplorable conditions and violence against street children, particularly vulnerable girls like Baby T and Fofo
- the horrible effects of street life on boys such as Poison and Macho
2. Discrimination against women e.g. experiences of Maa Tsuru, Kabria etc.
3. Parental neglect and brutality (culprits include Kwei, Fofo and Baby T’s father and Poison’s father)
4. Failed governance or moribund state institutions eg. The police.
Read also:
- The character and role of Bigger Thomas in Richard Wright’s novel, Native Son.
- Harvest of Corruption Summarized: Plot Summary, Themes and Characters
5. A diseased society
- dysfunctional families,
- irresponsible adults like Kpakpo and Onko,
- child trafficking and prostitution rings
6. Domestic violence
- as suffered by Maa Tsuru at the hands of Kwei (beating),
- as suffered by Poison at the hands of his father (beating ),
- as suffered by Baby T at the hands of Kpakpo and Onko (rape and defilement)
Characters you should not ignore
Other examinable topics you should note in Amma Darko’s novel, Faceless
- The role of women
- The role/significance of MUTE, the NGO
- The role of Kpakpo in the development of the plot etc.
- The significance of Sodom and Gomorrah
- The role of Kabria’s family (Adade family)
- The plight of the children of the street (ESPECIALLY GIRLS) i.e. the bad conditions they live in and the dangers they are exposed to such as defilement and rape, forced prostitution, health hazards like STDs, murder, mob justice, hunger, premarital sex, drug abuse, disease outbreak due to insanitary conditions, poor housing etc.
- Thugs and Lords of the street (e.g. Poison and Macho) – the harshness of street life has transformed them into dangerous bullies with a constant tendency toward violence and crime.
- The issue of loveless homes and parental neglect
- The novel, Faceless as a satire ( exposing and criticizing social evils such as streetism, domestic violence, irresponsible or absent fathers and male adults, failed governance or ineffective state institutions, child prostitution, maltreatment of women or discrimination against women etc.).
Kindly let me know about your views concerning this novel or African literature in general.
Thank you.
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