But the freedom offered by the streets is actually no freedom as the. The phenomenon of street children in amma darkos faceless. Jun 03, 2016 faceless is the pathetic and gripping story of children plunged into the streets by poverty and parental neglect. Her most recent novels, faceless and not without flowers, were published in ghana. She was born in koforidua, ghana, and grew up in accra. The article looks into the film faceless, by amma darko, which gendered text about the tragic experiences of children on the mean streets of accra, ghana. Significances and roles of mute in faceless by amma darko. The novel is set in accra ghana, and places inside accra like sodom and gomorrah and agbogbloshie market. Amma darkos novel beyond the horizon is still a gem and a more meticulously written book than the housemaid. The author talks about how the opening rape scene of the film signifies darko s artistic predilections. Amma darko enjoys research and spends a lot of time with interviews and in archives. Following in these charitable institutions footsteps, amma darko in faceless, looks into the phenomenon.
Faceless subsaharan, 2003, the housemaid heinemann, 1999 and beyond the horizon heinemann, 1995. Ebook amma darko as pdf download portable document format. Amma darko uses faceless to touch on quite a few issues. Doc themes in faceless by amma darko james o g b o n n a. Mar 01, 20 amma darko uses faceless to touch on quite a few issues.
The character fofo deals with abandonment, while baby t deals with molestation and prostitution. In amma darkos faceless, how can kabira be described as the. Darkos heartbreaking account tells of baby t, a teenager whose own family sold her into prostitution. Faceless by amma darko and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The author talks about how the opening rape scene of the film signifies darkos artistic predilections. The story of children left to roam the streets is narrated in faceless. It is a story of street children in the chaotic slums of accra the capital of ghana and although it ends with a hopeful resolution for one child, the. Faceless by amma darko and a great selection of related books. Here is a quick look at the objects of criticism in the novel, faceless. Won the book in a reading relay organised by logoligi and also from my tbr faceless is the third novel written by amma darko, with an introductory essay by prof. Faceless, by amma darko faceless by ghanian author amma darko, is one of the saddest books ive ever read. Faceless captures the suffering of street children in ghana.
She chose to spend the night on the old cardboard laid out in front of the provision store at the agbogbloshie market. Faceless, amma darkos third novel after beyond the horizon and the housemaid, is the tragic story of. Faceless by amma darko chapter by chapter summary utme, waecneco literature. 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. A simplified summary of amma darkos novel, faceless. She worked with a technology consultancy centre in kumasi. Exclusively distributed by african books collective. The problem of street children, as depicted by amma darko, is a growing phenomenon in african cities. A case of mashonaland central province, 1999 to 2012. Faceless is the life story of a disunited family at loss, a family in which children are left to. In amma darko s faceless, how can kabira be described as the saviour of fofo 1296322. For the novel faceless, she put on dingy clothes and mingled with the inhabitants of the suburb sodom and gomorrha in accra.
The story has the chain of events between characters such as fofo, kabria, sylv po, etc. Feb 05, 2015 the predicament of street children portrayed by amma darko in her novel faceless 2003 reveals the social tragedy which ghanaian society is confronted with. It shows how parents exposes their children to suffering. A summary and analysis of chapter four of faceless by amma. As the main characters convert their library center into a practical street initiative, the novel invokes the squalor, health risks, and vicious cycles of poverty and violence that drive children to the. Sabinet documenting child prostitution in amma darkos. She studied in kumasi, where she received her diploma in 1980. Faceless is a must read from one of ghanas most prominent female writers, amma darko, a story that takes you into the intense squalor, neglect and abuse that pervades the slums of africas biggest cities like accra. Amma darkos biography amma darko was born in koforidua, ghana, on june 26, 1956, and she grew up in accra.
Documenting child prostitution in amma darkos faceless. Amma darko told the cologne audience she discovered her talent for writing in the mid1970s. Social tragedy in amma darkos faceless by alexander decker. Faceless is the third novel written by amma darko, with an introductory essay by prof. Street life in the slums of accra is realistically portrayed in this sociallycommited, subtle novel about four educated women who are inspired by the plight of a 14year old girl, fofo. Themes and synopsis of faceless by amma darko hypper. Social tragedy in amma darkos faceless by alexander.
Faceless is a must read from one of ghanas most prominent female writers, amma darko, a story that takes you into the intense squalor, neglect and abuse that. This is an african prose about the issue of abandoned children and how they face the scourge of street life in such tender age. Nonetheless, the social issues addressed in this book made me appreciate the story. Darko recounts the alarming situation of the complex details of street children and slum life in accra with a fourteen. Lessons from amma darkos faceless philomena yeboah ama okyeso the writings of amma darko rank among africas great literature. She studied in kwame nkrumah university of science and technology, kumasi, and gained a diploma in 1980. We learn this definitively from henning mankells book. The feminist voice in contemporary ghanaian female fiction. Won the book in a reading relay organised by logoligi and also from my tbr. Amma darko faceless chapter one she chose to spend the. Faceless by amma darko chapter by chapter summary utme. Amma darko was born in koforidua, ghana, on june 26, 1956, and she grew up in accra. Faceless by amma darko introduction faceless by amma darko xrays the plight of street children in a typical african society.
Darko s heartbreaking account tells of baby t, a teenager whose own family sold her into prostitution. As evidence, many nongovernmental organizations are concerned with abandoned childrens living conditions, convinced that todays young girls and boys are the adults of tomorrow. Faceless is a must read from one of ghana s most prominent female writers, amma darko, a story that takes you into the intense squalor, neglect and abuse that pervades the slums of africa s biggest cities like accra. Amma darkos faceless chapter by chapter full summary for. Amma darkos face for the faceless initially focuses on a cadre of very. Four years later, faceless was the inspiration behind the awardwinning documentary roaming around. Ghanaian author amma darko tours germany, her second home. To this list, one can add amma darkos faceless because it also exhibits the core elements of crime fiction that scaggs sketches. Indeed, kofi anyidoho asserts in his introductory notes to amma darkos faceless that the title of this novel, the housemaid, is misleading in that the housemaid is really not the. 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. This paper examines the issue of the street child, which has become a menacing characteristic of the modern society with all its vaunted air of sophistication, pride and civilization. Doc themes in faceless by amma darko james o g b o n n.
Critical introductions to amma darko, in the 2001 doctoral thesis by louise allen zak writing her way. Key issues that come up in chapter four of amma darkos faceless in fact, chapter four of faceless is pregnant with tons of motifs that help to develop major themes and characters in the novel. About the author break of the novel faceless amma darkowas born in koforidua, ghana, and grew up in accra. To this list, one can add amma darko s faceless because it also exhibits the core elements of crime fiction that scaggs sketches. In amma darkos faceless, how can kabira be described as the saviour of fofo 1296322. Faceless by ghanian author amma darko, is one of the saddest books ive ever read. The predicament of street children portrayed by amma darko in her novel faceless 2003 reveals the social tragedy which ghanaian society is confronted with. Documenting child prostitution in amma dar kos faceless. Sabinet documenting child prostitution in amma darkos faceless. Literature being the domain of visibility and audibility, especially in problematizing african womens space, several researchers have interrogated amma darkos faceless from various angles, to point out the socio economic and political problems faced by women and or children basically girl children. Streetism as a social tragedy in amma darkos faceless. While the subject matter of the text is the commission of crime s the prostitution and murder of baby t and the assault and attempted rape of fofo its plot is framed as a quest to identify and punish the people.
Haunted by poverty, abuse and brutality at home, many teenagers seek comfort in the streets. While the subject matter of the text is the commission of crimes the prostitution and murder of baby t and the assault and attempted rape of fofo its plot is framed as a quest to identify and punish the people. Their mother, maa tsuru, the product of a single parent home seeks love and attention from men who use her. Faceless is the pathetic and gripping story of children plunged into the streets by poverty and parental neglect.
Amma darko in very graphic details presents mindboggling sociological issues of childneglect, child abuse, defilement of girls, gender, childtrafficking, childlabour, absent fathers, reproductive health risks, violence and failed governance through the grim experiences of. With the character kabria, the middle class agency worker who tries to assist fofo, darko highlights the difficulties in balancing the. Men are mostly responsible for the plight of the children. Street life in the slums of accra is realistically portrayed in this sociallycommited, subtle novel about four educated women who are. In amma darkos faceless, how can kabira be described as. The housemaid by amma darko displays the survival tactics of women to subvert their humiliation in a post colonial african societies,, how they deviated from their roles in that such they can get power and wealth,, same case as dar es salaam by night by ben mtobwa. In 2008, she received the most important literary prize in her country, the ghana book award. Street life in the slums of accra is realistically portrayed in this socia. Aesthetic treatment and symbolism of the street in amma darko. In faceless, amma darko uses conflicts that bedevil motherdaughter bonds to address larger issues such as streetism, patriarchy, government indifference, irresponsible parenting, and inefficiency. This is the reason why i consider chapter four of faceless to be one of the most important in the novel. A street childs revolt against her mother and society. It shows the very bad things that can happen to children who. Amma darko amma darko is one of the most significant contemporary ghanaian literary writers.
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