The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1969

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 7-9

Chapters 10-12

Chapters 13-15

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Essay Topics

Important Quotes

Character Analysis

The Man

A railway clerk in post-independence Ghana, the man is the unnamed protagonist of The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born. The man’s anonymity points to his character as a representation of the ordinary and honest members of Ghanaian society. He struggles to meet the expectations of family, including his wife, Oyo, and his children. He is reflective of the differences between the past and present Ghana, and he often battles feelings of frustration, bitterness, and despair when he thinks of the political situation in his country.

The man refuses to accept bribes and to otherwise participate in a corrupt economy, but this leads to other characters judging him and pressuring him to change his mind. Although the man makes a moral choice to avoid corruption, he does not feel righteous or vindicated when his choice turns out to be the right one. Instead, he is constantly plagued by doubts about whether he is doing the right thing.

Koomson

An old classmate of the protagonist’s, Koomson is a wealthy and corrupt minister in Nkrumah’s government. He represents the moral decay and materialism of the new Ghanaian elite, with his taste for luxury European goods and his growing distance from the life of ordinary Ghanaians.

When Nkrumah’s government is pushed out of power in a military coup, Koomson turns to the man for help. He is eventually forced to confront the unsavory consequences of his immoral actions before he can reach safety. His fall from power indicates the speed at which the rich and powerful can lose their footing in this shifting political landscape. Wealth and comfort are temporary in Armah’s Ghana.

Oyo

The wife of the protagonist, she looks down on her husband for his perceived weakness and lack of ambition. She does not trust him to provide for their family. Later, she admits that he was right not to become involved with corrupt parties, although they do not have a major reconciliation.

Teacher

A mysterious friend of the protagonist, Teacher helps the man discuss his internal struggles between wanting his family to be comfortable and doing what he thinks is right. They talk about Ghanaian politics and about the legacy of the colonial past. Although Teacher has given up hope, he wishes for the man to remain steadfast in his beliefs. It is left unclear whether Teacher was the protagonist’s actual teacher, or if this is a title which the protagonist has assigned him.