Question

Read the following extract from Ama Ata Aidoo’s short story, ‘The Girl Who Can’ and answer the questions that follow:

‘Like all this business to do with my legs. I have always wanted to tell them not to worry. I mean Nana and my mother. That it did not have to be an issue for my two favourite people to fight over. But I didn't want either to be told not to repeat that or it to be considered so funny that anyone would laugh at me until they cried. After all, they were my legs...’

1. Where was Adjoa born?  [3]
   Who were her ‘two favourite people’?
2. What ‘issue’ did her two favourite people fight over? Why?  [3]
3. What other issue concerning Adjoa, did Nana and Adjoa’s mother disagree on?  [3]
   What opinion did each of them have on this issue?
4. Mention three little clues in Nana’s behaviour that led Adjoa to realise that Nana’s views on her legs had changed.  [3]
5. How does Adjoa’s success as a runner bring about a change in the traditional views held by Nana?  [4]
   Mention two of Nana’s character traits that make her a remarkable person.

Answer 1

1. Adjoa was born in the Ghanaian Volta Region, in the village of Hassodji, near Ho.
   Her grandma (Nana) and mother (Maami) were her two favourite people.
2. Adjoa’s long, thin legs were the source of their fight.
   
   1. Nana thought her legs were too weak and thin to sustain future pregnancies.
   2. Adjoa’s mother stood up for her daughter because she thought Nana was unfairly criticising Adjoa.
3. They also disagreed about Adjoa’s schooling and education.
   Nana’s opinion: She felt that females should primarily prepare for marriage and family life and that excess schooling was unnecessary.
   Adjoa’s mother’s opinion: She thought that in order for Adjoa to have a brighter future, she should attend school and have an education.
4. Three little clues are:
   1. During the school race, Nana kept a close eye on Adjoa.
   2. Instead of criticising Adjoa’s legs, she gazed at them with admiration.
   3. Appreciating Adjoa’s powerful and practical legs, she complemented her running skills.
5. Adjoa shows that her long, skinny legs are powerful and ideal for running by winning a school running competition. Nana discovers that what she had previously thought of as a weakness is actually a unique skill. This causes her to reconsider the conventional wisdom that a girl’s legs should only be used for childbearing. She starts to recognise that girls can possess skills and qualities that go beyond conventional norms.
   Two traits of Nana’s are:
   1. Open-mindedness: She is willing to change her views when she sees evidence.
   2. Honesty and wisdom: She openly admits when she has been wrong and learns from the experience.