Black Stones
In Homegoing, the black stones that Maame gives to each of her two daughters, Effia and Esi, symbolize a person’s connection to his or her heritage. Effia remains on the Gold Coast (modern-day…
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Fire
Fire represents the pain that plagues the characters on the Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana) due to their family’s participation in the slave trade. Many of the characters are afraid of fire or are haunted by…
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Water and Boats
In Homegoing, water symbolizes the pain and suffering of slavery and racism, and specifically how slavery violently uproots people from their homes. This association begins when Esi is sent from the Gold Coast (modern-day…
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