Reginald Jefferson

Topics in Drama

Carol Jordan

2/20/23

Customs, Babies and Ghosts

Oh traditional African customs… personally I knew little about them before

reading this play, but it didn’t change how compelling it felt to read and analyze. Ama

Ata Aidoo’s Dilemma of a Ghost honestly hits on so many different themes it’s really

impressive. Exploring the aspects of conflicts between cultures, Modernity versus

Tradition, ethics of marriage, feminism, the list goes on. But instead of diving into the

deep end as far as symbolism, I decided to go with character analysis (with maybe a little

symbolism sprinkled in), because no character intrigued me more than the two ghosts

from Ato’s dream.

I would like to begin this by pointing out that the use of ghosts and spirits in

literature and plays is a historically impactful concept. In most art, ghosts represent

links to the past, a physical embodiment of what is now dead and gone. And it feels

pretty appropriate given the Boy in this play is supposed to be “the ghost of Ato’s formal

self”. A pretty depressing description for a character we don’t even meet until Act Three,

and then you’re doubly sad when you see they’re just little kids! Thanks for breaking my

heart, Aidoo.

The first time we’re introduced to the kids, they’re playing hide and seek and they

are arguing over who will hide first. The Boy threatens to beat the girl but says he won’t

and suggests they do something else, leading to them singing a song called “The Ghost”.

This is all revealed to be Ato’s dream a little while afterwards, when his uncle Peto tells
him that he shouldn’t dwell on it (thanks uncle…). The interesting thing about the

ghosts is that they don’t have any real impact on the story itself because they aren’t real.

They’re meant to symbolize and foreshadow Ato’s relationship with Eulalie. The role

that they serve is representing the childlike wonder and innocence that only children

can have.

The song that the children were singing, which Ato describes as “song about the

ghost who did not know whether to go to Elmina or to Cape Coast”, is clearly meant to

represent the conflict between Eulalie and Ato’s families. Much of the story is spent

exploring this barrier in understanding between cultures from opposite sides of the

world but identical lineage. It’s reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet in a way, this distinct

conflict between families driving two love interests apart. And the lyrics of the song do a

decent job of conveying that inner turmoil between the characters. “To Cape Coast, or

to Elmina. I don’t know, I can’t tell.”

The next time the two children appear, you don’t see them, you only hear them

singing. Ato has just told his mother that Eulalie isn’t barren and that they can have

children whenever they please; Esi disapproves of this and leaves Ato alone, and as he is

left center stage, we hear the ghosts singing that same song. This is definitely NOT a

happy ending. The children are only singing this song because Ato still has a decision to

make, whether he is going to support and love his wife even if she doesn’t follow the

customs a wife in Africa is meant to follow, or if he is going to listen to his family and

what they believe is best for him and his wife. He doesn’t know which side to choose,

Cape Coast (Eulalie) or Elmina (his family).

In the end, this analysis ended up being about the ghosts AND about Ato?

Which I think is fairly appropriate given one of the ghosts is literally meant to represent
him from the past. These ghosts highlight an internal turmoil being faced by Ato as the

story progresses, the song that they sing illustrates the difficult decision of choosing

between love, family, and tradition. The fact that the ghosts are kids represents Eulalie’s

disinterest in having children. In summary… these ghosts are written pretty freaking

well, and it was a delight unpacking what they represented in this play about tradition,

love, feminism and family conflict.