2

Council Guideline: Character Analysis

Project Question: How do Adjoa’s personality traits influence her decisions
and actions in The Girl Who Can by Ama Ata Aidoo?
 3

About the author

Ama Ata Aidoo, a Ghanaian author, poet, playwright and politician , was born on 23rd
March,1942. She received the post of ‘Secretary for Education’ in Ghana .The Dilemma
of a Ghost, published in 1965, made her the first published female African dramatist.
The rigidity between the Western and African worldviews is a primary element in her
[Link] of Aidoo's other protagonists are also women who defy the stereotypical
women's roles of their time, as in her play Anowa. Aidoo was awarded with the 1992
Commonwealth Writers' Prize for her novel Changes: A Love Story.
 4

Introduction

Why did I choose the prose The Girl Who Can?

This prose is a social commentary on the rigid thoughts of the patriarchal society.
Objectification of women and defining various gender roles to women alluding to
baseless stereotypes has been criticised .A crude satire has been directed at the
conflict between progressive thoughts and orthodox patriarchal notions.

The characters in this prose are a reflection of society. The constant debate between
traditional motions and modern thoughts are depicted through the various events which
take place in the story.

Adjoa is a child who aspires to be a runner. Her mother Kaya is a meek and mild
character who bears progressive thoughts and wants her child to get proper education.
Adjoa’s grandmother is a powerful woman who has a dynamic character. She is only
concerned about the fact that Adjoa’s thin and long legs were not suitable for child
bearing. Later in the story when Adjoa got selected in the district games, the
grandmother started acknowledging her talent and appreciated her by carrying her
trophy on her back all the way to their home.

Why did I frame this question?

Adjoa has shown so much potential and determination to overcome flimsy limitations,
regardless of race and colour.

She has taken a step to bring about a moral change in people indoctrinated in
patriarchal [Link] author has aimed to bring about social reforms through the tale
of Adjoa’s resilience and perseverance. Her character has greatly inspired me to fulfil all
my dreams with self-determination. Her journey from being a sensitive girl, not able to
express her thoughts to becoming the best all round junior athlete has motivated me to
study her character sketch.
 5

What is it that I aim to explore and prove?

I aim to explore the struggle of a seven year old African girl to find her apt place in
[Link] story also revolves around acknowledgement,acceptance and pride. The
acknowledgement of the extraordinary talent of Adjoa by her grandmother spreads
awareness of the fact that all genders are equally capable of achieving their goals.

I want to prove the capacity of women to follow careers and make significant
contributions to society and not only emerge as figures of motherhood. I desire to bring
an end to discrimination against women. In today’s world, women are not meant to be
shackled to the four walls of the house, instead they should work hard to be
independent and grow to their full potential.
 6

Character Analysis

Self aware

Adjoa is discouraged from speaking to any of the elders . There were “things” she could
“think in her head” but did not have the “proper language” to voice them out. She
struggled to catch the attention of her grandmother who either reprimanded her “never
repeat it again” or laughed and repeated it many times for “other people’s enjoyment”.

The critical responses to her words made her uncomfortable and curtailed her from
expressing her [Link] received lack of understanding from the adults which
made her very careful of what she spoke. It was not easy for her to take the risk and say
something serious to the elders.

“Because it is always difficult to decide whether to keep quiet and not to say things that
come into my head, or say them and get laughed at.”
~ Adjoa, The Girl Who Can

She felt confused and hesitated when there was no one there to help her speak out
about her problems.

Sensitive

Adjoa desperately wanted her favourite people, her grandmother and mother to not
worry about the issue with her legs. She did not like it when they “regularly” discussed
the shortcomings associated with her “thin and long legs" and believed it to be the sole
topic which had bothered them since her birth.

There was nothing she could do because she had the fear that she would be instructed
to either not repeat it or it would be so funny that others would laugh until they cried.
Adjoa’s legs had been her greatest insecurity since the day she was born.

According to her, her Nana, embraced with patriarchal notions, possessed a special
voice to shut everyone [Link] mother’s small efforts to defend Adjoa were always
noticed by her. She sensed her mother weeping inside when her mother would be
compelled to speak against Nana. She was surprised at the fact that her Nana did not
stop her argument at that point.
 7

Adjoa was also sensitive to Nana criticising her father. She knew that it shut her mother
up for good. Once her mother looked like even her little courage was finished, she
understood that Nana had added this issue to the argument. Adjoa could comprehend
that the submissive nature of her mother was overpowered by Nana.

Progressive and Resilient

Adjoa has emerged as a torch bearer of progressive thinking, challenging social norms
and showcasing limitless potential of women beyond traditional roles. In this story, she
has shown the potential to overcome flimsy limitations posed by her grandmother
indoctrinated in patriarchal notions. She has shown the capability to fight against gender
stereotypes and find her rightful place in society.

Adjoa is a child who aspired to be a runner. She is a symbol of progress in society. A

sense of liberation from the shackles of patriarchy is given off by her determination and
spirit to achieve all her goals in life. Her resilience and courage with which she rose
above the pressures of social criticism were quite commendable. She did not allow
criticism to be a hurdle on her path.

“That surely, one should be able to do other things with legs as well as have them
because they can support hips that make babies.”
~Adjoa, The Girl Who Can

Her progressive thoughts and willpower have helped her to be an eye-opener for people
with the old school of thought that women have a greater role to play than to give birth
to children. Her hard work and strong passion for athletics made her win every race for
her school and the trophy for best all-round junior athlete. She has proved that one can
do anything they want.

Innocent

Adjoa has a simplicity in her tone which makes her character very modest and naive.
She frequently finds herself perplexed by the duality of Nana. She believed that Nana
was a “good grown up” about “almost everything apart from her legs”. Adults are
supposed to be role models whom we look up to . She did not know how Nana could be
a “good grown up” when she “carried on so much about her legs”.
 8

Adjoa liked going to school. The long distance of “5 kilometres” between her village and
school did not matter to her because of her long legs. She did not think it was quite
important to tell her family about her athletic achievements until she got selected for the
district games.

Curious

Adjoa was curious to see how ideal legs were supposed to be. It was known to her that
older women wore long wrap-arounds and her family would not give her permission to
bathe in the river . The only legs she had seen were of other little girls like her,older girls
in school and those of her mother and Nana but she did not know whether they were
suitable for supporting children.
 9

Conclusion

The story The Girl Who Can highlighted the role of women in totality. Progressive
thoughts, social reforms and moral values are given much importance through the
character of Adjoa. The portrayal of determination and resilience throughout the story by
Adjoa proved how women can achieve anything they wanted through hard work and
willpower.

The message that a strong passion is the key to pursue all your dreams has been
depicted in this story. The sensitive and self aware traits of Adjoa made her analytical
and want to find her rightful place in the society. Her desperation to make her
grandmother a “good grown up” also depicts her innocence .

Her hard work and perseverance has showcased her capability to fight against all the
hurdles and rise to her full potential.
 10

Bibliography

● Treasure Chest English Literature Textbook

● [Link]
● [Link]
● [Link]
who-can