What is the setting of the story “The Girl Who Can”?

The setting of "The Girl Who Can" plays a significant role in the narrative, providing a backdrop against which the themes of tradition and modernity are explored. The story takes place in a small Ghanaian village in the 1960s, shortly after Ghana's independence from British colonial rule. The village is described as "isolated" and "unremarkable" with a "small population" and a "primary school that had been built by the white people in the colonial days".

Throughout the story, the tension between tradition and modernity is evident. On one hand, there is the traditional, patriarchal society of the village, where women are expected to be subservient to men and their role is primarily domestic. On the other hand, there is the modern influence of education, represented by the protagonist, who is a young girl with a passion for learning and a desire to pursue her education beyond the limited opportunities available in her village.

The setting of the village is also important in understanding the protagonist's struggle to balance tradition and modernity. In the village, she is surrounded by the expectations and limitations of traditional society, but she is also exposed to the possibilities of the modern world through her education. The contrast between the two worlds is evident in the protagonist's relationship with her father, who represents the traditional values of the village, and her teacher, who encourages her to pursue her dreams and break free from the limitations of her traditional role as a woman.

Overall, the setting of "The Girl Who Can" is a crucial element in the narrative, providing a context for the exploration of themes of tradition and modernity, and highlighting the struggle of the protagonist to navigate the expectations and limitations of her traditional society in pursuit of her aspirations for a better future.