Gifty is the child of two Ghanaian immigrants. Throughout the novel, she faces some general challenges familiar to children of immigrants, and some specific to her own situation. Some of her struggles are referenced heavily so as to accentuate their gravity, such as her mother’s depression, brother’s addiction and his death. However, while she places her focus on these issues, she simultaneously faces a constant internal battle pertaining to her identity. She was exposed early on to the harsh realities of life due to growing up in Huntsville, Alabama as a black girl. Though she faced many obstacles, she was able to forge a path of her own rather than follow the one set for her by outside influences. Gifty eventually decides to study neuroscience which leads her to carrying out an experiment centered around the brains of mice. Readers quickly learn that the reason she is carrying out said experiment is the love she has for her family, and the purpose is to make sense of where things went wrong with them.

            Gifty’s upbringing was a turbulent one. While she has fond memories of the past, she does not ignore the more negative ones. Before she was born, Gifty’s mother and brother, Nana, emigrated from Ghana to Alabama with her father, the Chin Chin Man, following shortly after. Gifty and Nana were predominantly raised by their mother, as her father decided to leave them and go back to Ghana a few years after Gifty was born. The way the family chooses to address Gifty’s father throughout the novel is indicative of their feelings towards him. His departure left a hole in the family that may not have ever been filled. Gifty grew up without ever knowing the full story of her father, instead she had those that her brother and mother would share with her. The lack of answers to Gifty’s questions is a recurring theme throughout the novel. While growing up, Gifty experienced moments where she questioned the existence of God and the validity of religion. Nana’s death caused Gifty to stray further away from the idea of a god of any kind.

            Nana’s character is integral in how the events of the entire story play out. Early on we are informed of the importance of his existence when Gyasi introduces the story of Gifty’s parents. Their mother was 31 when she married their father and was considered, in her culture, an “old maid”. The couple struggled to build their own family at first as years went by without the two being able to conceive. After a strong religious experience, their mother got pregnant with Nana and he was born as a sort of symbol of godliness in her eyes. In his childhood, Nana was constantly receiving praise and attention. When the family still consisted of four members, he was able to be an older brother and chase his dream as any other child would. When the four became three, Nana’s attitude towards his father, and apparently life itself, shifted harshly. In families with this type of dynamic, it is common for the eldest son to feel a responsibility to become the man of the house. At a young age they now become concerned with providing for and protecting their family. This shift in responsibility can negatively impact a child’s mental health because they are being forced to mature quicker than intended. Nana’s death was a major turning point in the lives of Gifty and her mother. Aside from the obvious grief that came with losing a son or a brother, the two of them experienced more than that. Particularly, Gifty’s mother lost her tangible evidence of godliness. The next few years after Nana’s death were the ones that shaped Gifty into who she became.

Gifty had made the decision at age fifteen to pursue science, which was the same age Nana was that his addiction became apparent to the family. This parallel seems symbolic as these events that occurred at that age foreshadowed how each of their lives would turn out. As a neuroscientist, she draws a parallel between the mysteries of God and the human brain. It seems as though once she gave up on the pursuit of answers when it came to religion, she had to find another subject to focus her efforts on. While experimenting on mice, she found herself personifying them as though she were playing the role of their god. She wanted to find out why they behaved the way they did and figure out a way to influence their behavior. She conducted these experiments while undoubtedly relating the mice to her brother. She found herself being drawn to a particular mouse that would constantly endure pain in order to be rewarded with a substance it was addicted to, similar to how a human addict would behave. Her work became personal to her. She wanted to find the answers that would have saved Nana’s life, even if it was too late. Many years after his death, Gifty still cared for her brother and wanted to find a way to help him get better.

            Gifty is a resilient woman who faced different traumas in her life. Gyasi represents a relatable story to her audience which causes the messages and themes within the novel to convey a deeper significance. Depression, addiction and mental health in general are very prevalent issues within our society and those whose lives have been affected by them may feel similar to Gifty. She is a woman who loves her family and wishes she was able to save them from the issues which affected them so aggressively. Since the beginning of humanity, people have been searching for answers to life’s questions. They have searched for meaning and found it in different places. Unfortunately, some questions go unanswered and the task at hand becomes figuring out how to continue on the journey without those answers.

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