The Door of No Return Analysis

The Door of No Return is an adult novel by Kwame Alexander, set in 1860 in colonial Ghana when the slave trade was rampant. The story's protagonist is Kofi Offin. Kwame Alexander creates a major conflict between Kofi and his English teacher, who insists that the boy must use Queen's English in school. The minor conflict is between Kofi and his bully cousin, who intimidates his girlfriend, Ama. Some vital themes Alexander focuses on include cultural preservation, the influence of British colonialism, love, and sanguinity. Alexander also uses symbolism and paradox to enhance his novel to create a fascinating reading experience.

British colonialism is dominant in Ghana, particularly in Asante village, where Kofi lives with his parents. While in school, his English teacher forces Kofi to speak the Queen's English. According to Kofi, it is better to listen to his grandfather's stories, and those told by the village elders rather than sit and listen to his English teacher. From Kofi's experience in school, it is evident that the influence of British colonization is rampant because people want to talk like the British and do things more civilized manner. In addition, while in school, Kofi falls in love with Ama but feels shy to confess his feelings. Alexander shows the complexity of love and romance when Kofi struggles to tell Ama he loves her.

Kofi is a swimming enthusiast, and everyone in the village recognizes him because you can always find him in the river. One of the main things that trouble Kofi is his bully cousin. Koffi is optimistic that he can compete against his bully cousin in a swimming competition and humiliate him. Alexander shows Kofi's sanguinity and determination to shame his cousin, which explains why Kofi spends most of the time in the river practicing. However, before the date of the swimming contest, the villagers arrange for a wrestling competition to honor the cultural routines that must be observed by society. Kwasi, Kofi’s older brother, is selected from his village to wrestle against the rival villager. Unfortunately, Kwasi kills the rival competitor. The rival village takes revenge by forcefully taking Kofi to a castle on the coast to be traded by the British. Consequently, Kofi encounters the door of no return because he becomes the property of the enslavers.

Alexander compliments his writing with symbolism and paradox. For instance, Alexander shows a major paradox when Kwaku Ansah, an English teacher at Kofi's school, changes his name to Philip Goodluck, which signifies the British influence on his life. Kwaku forces students to speak Queens English while discouraging them from speaking their Twi native language. The primary symbols used by Alexander in the novel include the river and the wrestling competition, representing courage and cultural preservation, respectively.