The Dilemma of a Ghost

by Ama Ata Aidoo

Genres: Plays, Africa, Literature

50 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1965

About the author

Ama Ata Aidoo was a Ghanaian author, poet, playwright, politician, and academic. She was Secretary for Education in Ghana from 1982 to 1983 under Jerry Rawlings's PNDC administration. Her first play, The Dilemma of a Ghost, was published in 1965, making Aidoo the first published female African dramatist. As a novelist, she won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 1992 with the novel Changes. In 2000, she established the Mbaasem Foundation in Accra to promote and support the work of African women writers.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Miguel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dilemma of a Ghost is, at its core, a story about culture clash. But Aidoo is far beyond the rote explorations of two people experiencing culture shock. Rather, the titular dilemma here is one about what is the best formation of the family and what is the appropriate time to have children. And yet, Eulalie and Ato are not merely mouthpieces for an American and Ghanaian worldview, but rather their interactions showcase how we are different from our own differences. Ato is locked into a lie, allowing his family to believe his new wife is infertile rather than simply admitting he wants to wait to have children until he feels they're ready. Eulalie, for her part, makes her desire to have children immediately clear. Eulalie is isolated due to only being able to speak through and receive information from Ato. Questions of what Ato's status is in relation to the notion of assimilation are pertinent ones for this play. Beyond that, one could also inquire as to why Ato takes such exceptions to Eulalie's flouting of Ghanaian tradition when he is violating a fundamental tenant of his family's worldview. What is Eulalie's relation to so-called American culture as a Black woman? This idea is only gestured toward in the most vague fashion, but remains a great jumping off point for the examination of other work by Aidoo.

[Ve]

School yk

[Derek Driggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by a Ghanaian woman in the 1960s, the play deals with an African American woman and her Ghanaian husband when they move back to his village after getting married in America. She deals with his people's prejudice against her as the descendant of slaves, and she is prejudiced against them as "savages." He fails to defend her against them and to some degree, them against her. I wasn't entirely sure what the author was trying to say, and I wished I could get more of Esi's (the husband's mother) perspective and Eulalie's (the African American wife) perspective. The Ghost piece went largely over my head. Interesting, fast read though!

[Jacques · Rating 4 out of 5]

Qué curioso como escribe Ata Aidoo.

Me gusta bastante que la obra no presenta una situación blanco o negro, sino una con todos sus matices. Una donde no hay precisamente malos sino personas que siguen con sus costumbres y un choque entre ellas. El personaje de Eulalie me pareció el más interesante de todos. En ella se concentra toda esta batalla y la forma en que Ata Aidoo le da una conclusión me parece genial.

#MayoAfricano
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[Antonia Zeman E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for module ‘Postcolonial World literatures’ I have many thoughts, excited to write an essay about it.

[Kingsley O. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much has been said about Ata Aidoo's piece. She recounts how Ato (a Ghanaian) comes to terms with his role as a member of a larger family and cultural community, across a series of scenarios many of which still ring true half a century after first penned.

[Akindele Kayode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book name sounds like my up coming book the dilemma of Osunmolawa

[BookishSelections · Rating 3 out of 5]

This play was short and easy to follow, which made it a quick and manageable read. The central conflict is clear, and the dialogue effectively establishes the cultural tensions at the heart of the story.

That said, I found myself wishing for more insight into the inner thoughts of some of the secondary characters. The ending, in particular, felt somewhat incomplete to me. I was left wanting to know what happened afterward, which made the conclusion feel unresolved.

I was able to finish this play quite quickly, but it isn’t something I would have chosen to read on my own and likely would not have picked up outside of a class assignment. Overall, it’s a good piece, but one that left me wanting more development and closure.

[kousy · Rating 4 out of 5]

the whole play i was looking at eulalie waiting for her character to make sense, but in the end i feel stupid because her anger and racism and desperation are all responsible to ato’s shitty attempt to “be a man” and control everything while not communicating anything.

final note, with all the respect in the world to ama ata aidoo, to me eulalie doesn’t read as an african american. i’ve never heard an african american say “blasted,” and it really distracted me how inaccurately she seems to be written.

great resolution though. eu was made out to be the antagonist but in the end she was a victim and our protagonist turns sour. good play👍🏽

[Kwabena A · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful exploration of cultural collision, identity, and the ache of not fully belonging. The Dilemma of a Ghost goes beyond the story of Ato, a Ghanaian man returning from the U.S. with his African American wife, Eulalie. Ato becomes the “ghost” caught between two worlds—African tradition and Western modernity—unable to fully stand in either. Ama Ata Aidoo delivers a sharp, emotional look at how love falters when two people speak different cultural languages, and how returning home can feel like becoming a stranger all over again.

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars ⭐️

one of the most interesting books i have to read for school due to the exploration of the theme, western culture vs african culture and the problems that occurred in the Black Diaspora

[Myrtle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read a play in so long! This was concise, electric and nebulous. I actually don’t have any critique, I would love to know more about the symbolism of the Elmina/Cape Coast song, the ghost children? Glad to have finally read

[shadowgirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I long for more complex depictions of the “black American arrives in africa” narrative, as well as the “African in exile abroad returns home” narrative. Maybe this is an uncharitable take because this play is not contemporary, but …. That’s just how I feel

[Daniel Polansky]

A man and his black-American bride return go Ghana, feud with his extended family. Again, the struggle between modernity and tradition was a (the) major concern of post-Colonial African literature, but Aidoo was a great talent, and the language here really sings. I need to pick up more by her.

[Rachel | rach gets lit(erature) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐

[Dë Güy]

It was very nice

[ERNESTINA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book I really want to read it.

[Vlod · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concepts it tackles are very interesting, and it is done with great nuisance and care. However this would make for a far better novel or novella rather than a play, or so I think.

[Emmanuel]

Great book

[Louisa Zerbo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just don’t like reading scripts

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

haunting (pun intended).

[Caroline Sukah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am not able to read

[Molly Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This play was really fun to read, with all the proverbs and dynamic set-pieces. I liked the character of the American Eulalie and the way she created contrast and crisis. I could teach this someday!

[jupiter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really like it to be honest but it's a very compelling read

[Jerry Bansah]

interesting