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Symbolic Scars In Yaa Gyasi's 'Homegoing'

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Symbolic Scars In Yaa Gyasi's 'Homegoing'
Symbolic Wounds Exploring scars as metaphors for trauma and strength in Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.

Scars in the human experience serve as more than just a physical mark, they mark the stories and actions behind them. In Homegoing by Ya Gyasi, scars are passed down through blood for generations. One character's trauma or pain can be passed down and hurt the recipient in the following generation. In Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, scars serve not only as a physical mark but as a metaphor for the lasting effects of trauma and it changes the way that people or society views the victims of it. During H’s chapter, he experiences discriminatory treatment because of the scars that he received unjustly, early in his life. After H’s arrest and prosecution for a crime he did not commit, he got his scars …show more content…
At the end of the chapter, Sonny snaps at his mom saying, “You ain't never fought for nothing, not nothing. Not a day in your life” (261). Willie, his mother, has fought for him by working extra jobs and doing everything in her power to support him growing up but he blames his situation on his mother due to the emotional weight of his scars. Scars do not only affect the person who has them, but also affect the people around them, and Sonny blaming his problems on his mother is a perfect example of this. He blames his troubles on Willie, but in reality, it's all the pressure around him that scares him and taxes his mental wellbeing. Sonny’s struggle shows how mental scars can impact not only an individual's life but also mess with the relationships with those who care for them. Ness being a relative of both of these characters also carries physical scars but unlike the other characters, she views them as a positive thing. She received her scars as a result of her trying to free herself and her son from slavery but this was different from the other characters in the sense that she did
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