Between tradition and modernity: naming practices as indicators of identity in post-colonial Ghanaian literature

Abstract

The recurrent themes of identity and social belongingness, and tension between tradition and modernity reflect the complexities across generations of post-colonial African writers, mainly in Ghana. This study explores how address and reference terms (ARTs), as constructs of naming practices, used for and by characters in Armah’s Fragments, Aidoo’s Changes, and Gyasi’s Homegoing reiterate the themes of identity and social belongingness, and tension between tradition and modernity. Using Homi Bhabha and Stuart Hall’s principles of post-colonial theory, and the concept of address and reference terms, the study revealed that ARTs, mainly descriptive phrases and personal names, contribute to the characterisation and the exploration of themes such as identity and social belongingness, and the tension between tradition and modernity. Each novel explores the complexities of identity and social belongingness within the context of historical, cultural, and societal changes, illustrating the enduring impact of these factors on Ghanaian experiences. The study offers implications for literary and interdisciplinary studies.