Ama Ata Aidoo’s ‘The Message’: Themes and Literary Analysis
Ama Ata Aidoo’s “The Message”: An Introduction
This extract is from The Message, a one-act poetic drama by the acclaimed African writer Ama Ata Aidoo, published in 1967. The play reflects the reaction of Africans in South Africa to the introduction of modern technology and medical practices.
Context and Themes
The story centers on a woman undergoing a Cesarean operation in a city hospital. It follows her mother-in-law’s journey to visit her, highlighting the significant societal reactions and concerns surrounding this medical procedure within the community. The extract’s placement within the larger narrative contributes to the unfolding tension and eventual resolution.
Plot Summary of “The Message”
The narrative presents a distinctly feminine perspective on childbirth. A woman receives alarming news about her only granddaughter, who has been “opened up” in a city hospital and her “baby removed.” Believing her granddaughter has died, she embarks on a poignant journey to Cape Coast to claim the body. To her joyful surprise, she discovers that her namesake has safely delivered twins via a Cesarean operation. The story masterfully transitions from initial anxiety to the profound relief of a happy event, ultimately reclaiming maternity from an awe-inspiring, almost mythic, perception of “Mother.” In essence, the play asserts the resilience and life-giving power of women from within their own experiences.
Narrative Techniques in “The Message”
First-Person Narration and Internal Focalization
The story is told through a first-person narrator, making her the central perspective and the “eye” of the story. The author employs internal focalization, presenting events as they happen through the narrator’s thoughts and immediate reactions. This technique allows the reader to experience the tension and confusion precisely as the narrator feels it. While she considers what she might say to others, she often keeps her true thoughts to herself, adding layers to her internal world.
Dialogue and Interior Monologue
The storytelling primarily consists of dialogue and interior monologue, with minimal traditional narration, description, or external commentary. The transitions between comments by village people and conversations in the mammy wagon are often seamless, without explicit indications of setting changes or speaker identities. This stylistic choice immerses the reader directly into the flow of the narrative.
Chronological Time and Analepses
Regarding the narrative’s timeline, the narrator generally follows a chronological order of events: the initial news about her daughter-in-law’s operation, her journey to the hospital, and the events within the hospital. However, the narrator skillfully incorporates a few analepses (flashbacks), such as the reference “when he was three…”, to provide additional context or depth to the characters’ histories.
Character Portrayal and Relationships
Ama Ata Aidoo reveals the personalities of her characters primarily through their actions and thoughts. The relationships between characters are vividly depicted: in the café, family members offer support, while friends engage in gossip. In the taxi, the narrator asserts her need for respect, exemplified by her direct address, “You drivers!”
Social Dynamics and Direct Speech
Beyond internally focalized thoughts, the author extensively uses direct-speech dialogue. This pervasive use can sometimes make it challenging for the reader to discern who is speaking, a deliberate technique employed by the narrator to mirror the confusion and emotional state of the main character herself.
Key Elements for Literary Analysis
When analyzing an extract from The Message, consider the following points:
- Identification: Place the extract within the context of Ama Ata Aidoo’s The Message.
- Plot Summary: Provide a brief summary of the story’s main events.
- Narrator/Focalizer: Identify the narrator’s perspective (first, second, or third person) and the type of focalization used.
- Time Function: Analyze how time is handled within the narrative (e.g., chronological order, flashbacks, flashforwards).
- Setting: Describe the physical and social environments where the story unfolds.
- Characters: Discuss the main characters, their personalities, and their relationships.
- Storytelling: Examine the overall storytelling approach and its impact.
- Unfolding of the Story: Analyze how the plot develops and its key turning points.