Maame

Maddie Wright is the protagonist and narrator of Maame. At 25 years old, she bears responsibility for her family that goes beyond her years. She is the primary caretaker for her beloved father, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease. Maddie works a low-paying job to help provide for her father and send money to her mother, who lives in Ghana. She is a Ghanaian British woman whose two cultures often clash, as her connection to Ghana has been mostly uprooted by her life in Britain. She no longer speaks Twi and hasn’t visited Ghana in 10 years. The demands of England take precedence, compounded by Maddie’s othering as a Black woman, a minority. Though being Black helps her get job interviews due to demands for diversity, she is often relegated to service work despite her education and expertise. Furthermore, white men fetishize and pursue her due to a racist desire to have sex with a Black woman. Maddie deals with professional and personal microaggressions that further reveal the racism ingrained in society.

Maddie faces external pressures that cause internal turmoil. The stress of caring for her father and watching his health deteriorate, as well as the financial struggles that come with caring for her whole family, leave her feeling isolated. She is introverted because, growing up, she knew her family dynamics were different from other British families. In trying to fit into British culture, Maddie ended up turning away from even family and friends. She is also apathetic about her job as a personal assistant at Convent Garden Theatre, which is another external pressure. She wants to find work that is meaningful, but her university degree hasn’t gotten her ahead in any career. When Maddie’s mother, an overbearing and religious woman, returns from Ghana, it allows Maddie to change her life. However, she experiences new challenges, such as being denied credit for her Orange Tree Publishing pitches and struggling to connect with roommates Jo and Cam. When Maddie’s father dies of health complications, she wrestles with grief and guilt, as she missed his birthday party and death due to a hangover. While dealing with this grief and the funeral, she discovers her date, Ben, has a white girlfriend and that he’s been using her as a mistress.

Maddie tries to work through her depression and anxiety on her own. She continues to keep her feelings to herself and pursues dating after breaking up with Ben because she believes she needs a boyfriend to be happy. Ultimately, she learns through therapy how to advocate for herself. Therapy helps Maddie come to terms with her fraught relationship with her family and resentment at being placed in the role of caretaker. Maddie’s Ghanaian nickname, Maame, means “woman” or “mother.” Despite the weight of this name, she’s grateful that her Ghanaian culture raised her to be strong and independent. She eventually finds a kind boyfriend, Sam, who reciprocates her needs, and she advances at work and starts working on a book of her own. By the end of the novel, Maddie stops second-guessing herself with internet searches, embracing the complications of life and finding happiness.