Defying Causation

When reading the ending of Tail of the Bluebird I was surprised for two reasons: 1) I was not expecting PC Donkor to pull out a gun and point it at Kayo; 2) Nii Ayikwei Parkes did not make it seem like a big deal when this happened. Yes, as we continue to read we find out that Kayo is not shot, but I was confused as to why Nii Parkes did not emphasize the tense, suspenseful moment. It is almost as if this ending was meant to happen. I feel that nearly all of the events that occur in this novel are almost predetermined by a greater being, perhaps Onyame or any of the ancestors. It was fate that Kofi Atta's body would become younger and eventually turn into a boneless mass. It was inevitable that Kayo would be the one to investigate this. As Parkes states at the very end of the novel, "the ancestors had a plan" (170). Beyond the supernatural events that occur in this book, this 'plan' that explains all events defies, in itself, the laws of causation, breaking with the scientific truth.

Mysteries of Tail of the Blue Bird

When I began reading Tail of the Blue Bird, I was very confused with the first chapter. I had a basic idea of what was going on with the discovery of the boneless mass, but was unable to jump to any conclusions or construct a hypothesis as to what it is. I am interested in why Ni Ayikwei Parkes created such a mysterious atmosphere. Even though I was slightly lost while reading, I still was able to pick up some bird motifs: "There were two aburuburu in the the trees. I'm telling you, they flew off, making that sound like pouring water in their throats and flapping wildly as the other cars stopped near the first"(pg. 4). Also the elders say that "news is as restless as a bird"(pg. 5). In addition, Parkes first mentions the bluebird at the top of page 4, "following a blue-headed bird"(pg. 4). I do not yet know what these birds represent, but I assume that we will soon find out. One thing that I have noticed about Parkes' writing style is that he uses a lot of description in an effort to describe a physical setting including its smells, appearances and personality. We do not yet know much about the many characters that have been introduced, and I think the mystery of the characters leads to a general mysterious 'vibe' of the village.