Set on two different continents and spanning over 250 years, Homegoing is a historical fiction novel written by Yaa Gyasi. The novel follows the stories of two half-sister families, Effia and Essi, who never meet. Although the families have wildly different experiences, they both face personal difficulties and tragedies as well as racism. The half-sisters had different encounters with parental relationships and maternal love, which led them to find themselves in two different circumstances. The way the sisters raised their children also changed due to their circumstances and upbringing. Gyasi points out that a character's relationship with their parents impacts how they treat and communicate with others. Yaa Gyasi uses the motifs of abandonment and sacrifice to describe parental relationships. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original EssayEffia is a character who sees the unfavorable side of parental love, once she gets married, she “won’t be heard from again of his family” (Gyasi 26). Baaba feels resentful at the idea of ​​taking care of a child that is not his. Effia's marriage to James gives Baaba the opportunity to get rid of Effia and provide political gain to his village. Gyasi creates a sympathetic vibe towards Effia that helps the reader identify more with the character. Once Maame is revealed to Effia, she has a sudden urge “to perhaps apologize for the burden that her father made Babba carry all these years”. The sudden change in Baaba's characterization helps the reader empathize with Baaba. Additionally, the apologetic tone used by Effia suggests that Baaba may be a multi-faceted character, through the sacrifice of self-respect that Baaba makes to care for Effia. Later in the text, Ness lies to the "devil" about Kojo's death and hopes to return the look the mothers had when they "killed their own children to free them." The use of allusion shows that Ness is willing to do anything for her child's freedom. However, Ness' statement about sacrifice is ironic since Kojo's freedom results in his imprisonment. Ness's sacrifice and relationship with her son also ironically leads to her husband's death and more slavery while providing Kojo with a life free of slavery. Unfortunately, Kojo's lack of parental love leads him to be a very competent father. The loss of parental love impacts how characters treat and communicate with their children. For example, Kojo admits that being a caring father "was like a debt he owed to his parents." Gyasi uses the comparison between debt and parenthood to express that the loss of his parents in his childhood made Kojo a continuing and impactful part of his children's lives. Additionally, the connotation of remorse in “debt” creates a supportive response from readers, further engaging them in the novel. Likewise, Quey reveals that Effia "never hit him and spoke softly but confidently." The repetition of the “s” sound creates a peaceful ambiance, which highlights Effia’s non-violent characteristics and creates an emotional framework in which readers can engage. As a result, readers also experience a sense of satisfaction in seeing that although Baaba's methods troubled Effia, the same methods are not used on Quey. Unlike Effia, James is born into royalty and luxury, however, he begs an Asante warrior to "tell everyone he died in a war". The constant quarrels, 31(1), 1–15.