Christianity Quote by Yaa Gyasi
““Yaw wasn't certain that he believed in forgiveness. He heard the word most on the few days he went to the white man's church with Edward and Mrs. Boahen and sometimes with Esther, and so it had begun to seem to him like a word the white men brought with them when they first came to Africa. A trick their Christians had learned and spoke loudly and freely about to the people of the Gold Coast. Forgiveness, they shouted, all the while committing their wrongs. When he was younger, Yaw wondered why they did not preach that the people should avoid wrongdoing altogether. But the older he got, the better he understood. Forgiveness was an act done after the fact, a piece of the bad deed's future. And if you point the people's eye to the future, they might not see what is being done to hurt them in the present.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi, 2016
Forgiveness is portrayed as a post‑event coping tool, often used to mask ongoing injustice rather than prevent it.
In simple terms: Forgiveness can be a way to ignore present harm.
Key Takeaway
Question the purpose behind offering forgiveness.
Themes
forgiveness
colonialism
justice
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- reconciliation processes
- social movements
- personal healing
- community dialogues
Key Concepts
post‑colonial critique
psychology of trauma
Questions to Reflect On
- Is forgiveness always healing?
- When should forgiveness be withheld?
A Different Perspective
Forgiveness may enable continued oppression.
