Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Who is James?

James is the son of a man named Quey and a woman named Nana Yaa. . Quey is the son of Effia Otcher..James is also of royal blood and status, as his grandfather, Osei Bonsu, was the Asante king. Unfortunately, his grandfather was killed, allegedly by the British men. James falls in love with a woman named Akosua, but winds up marrying another woman, Amma Atta. This marriage was organized by force from his father, rather than by attraction. He never sleeps in her hut, and eventually flees to rendezvous with Akosua, as she is his one true love. He also carries the family stone, which he received from Quey and eventually gives to his daughter, Abena

Resplendent Royalty 

Africa at the time is going through a lot of changes. With so many conflicting groups of people, things begin to go awry, but royals such as James are supposedly immune to the effects of what occurs around them. The Asantes killed and beheaded Gov. Charles MacCarthy as a symbol of resentment to British rule. This of course was not received well by the British. The village of which the people of the Asante live became immediate targets, but due to James' status and relation to the king, he was safe. James himself even extended his reach to other children, telling them, "'You will be safe here in this village because my family is royal. Do not forget that'", (Gyasi, 88). This gift of simply being related to a king has allowed him to escape so much trouble and violence. This gift of his is also used in a caring and compassionate way, making sure he uses it for others to be protected and prosperous as well. 

Everything is not what it seems...

Despite the blessed life that James has, not all of the aspects of his life are perfect. For example, James must participate in forced marriages that will simply benefit his family and their name. This gift of royalty acts as a flaw when it comes to relationships, and expressing himself romantically. Being the rebellious and open-minded thinker he is, James decided to run to the woman he truly loved in the end. Additionally, James can be seen as a character that represents a lot of modern celebrities. While it may sound odd, James as a royal has a lot of responsibilities and pressures. He simply wants to live a more simple and quaint lifestyle. When James is given the chance when he is taken by an Asante warrior, he takes it, making sure that the warrior will notify his people that the grandson of Osei is dead. Having a new identity and a fresh start, James lives on with his life and his new wife Akosua.