The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
Encyclopedia
The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born is a novel by Ghana
ian writer Ayi Kwei Armah
. It was published in 1968. It tells the story of a nameless man who struggles to reconcile himself with the reality of post-independence Ghana
.
, Ghana’s first president. The 'rot' that characterized post-independent Ghana in the last years of Nkrumah is a dominant theme in the book
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian writer Ayi Kwei Armah
Ayi Kwei Armah
-Early life and education:Born to Fante-speaking parents, and descending on his father's side from a royal family in the Ga nation, Armah was born in the port city of Sekondi-Takoradi in Ghana, Having attended Achimota School, he left Ghana in 1959 to attend Groton School in Groton, MA. After...
. It was published in 1968. It tells the story of a nameless man who struggles to reconcile himself with the reality of post-independence Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
Plot
The unnamed protagonist, referred to as "the man", works at a railway station and is approached with a bribe; when he refuses, his wife is furious and he can't help feeling guilty despite his innocence. The novel expresses the frustration many citizens of the newly-independent states in Africa felt after attaining political independence. Many African states like Ghana followed similar paths in which corruption and the greed of African elites became rampant. Corruption in turn filtered down to the rest of society. The action takes place between 1965's Passion Week and February 25, 1966 – the day after the overthrow of Kwame NkrumahKwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah was the leader of Ghana and its predecessor state, the Gold Coast, from 1952 to 1966. Overseeing the nation's independence from British colonial rule in 1957, Nkrumah was the first President of Ghana and the first Prime Minister of Ghana...
, Ghana’s first president. The 'rot' that characterized post-independent Ghana in the last years of Nkrumah is a dominant theme in the book