Racism
Racism is the first theme discussed in the Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. Gifty's parents are Ghanaian immigrants living in Alabama in the United States of America. However, being Black immigrants in Alabama is a nightmare for Gifty's parents because they are discriminated against whenever they try to look for a decent job. Throughout their stay in Alabama, Gifty's parents fail to secure a good job. At last, Gifty's father leaves for Ghana, promising he will return, but he never comes back. Yaa Gyasi shows how Black immigrants struggle to compete favorably with their white counterparts in the job market. Gifty's parents are well educated, but the only jobs they find are manual tasks that pay the least wages.
Depression
Depression is another significant theme in the novel. Gift’s mother is a depressed woman because she regrets marrying her husband. When Gifty’s mother was pregnant, her husband never wanted her to give birth to a girl. Gifty’s presence in the family is unwanted because the father loves Nana, the first-born boy. The attitude of the father towards his daughter stresses Gifty’s mother. The mother’s depression worsens when her husband relocates from America. When the husband leaves for Ghana, he promises Gifty’s mother that he will return. However, he never returns. The burden of raising two children without a stable job in Alabama depresses Gifty’s mother. At last, Gift’s mother dies of depression.
Drug addiction
When Nana discovers his father will never return to Alabama, he quits sporting activities. Nana is the favorite child in the family, and he cannot believe that his father has betrayed him by running away from his parental responsibilities. As a result, Nana feels neglected and starts using opioids. One day, Nana overdoses the drug and dies. The author shows some of the factors that lead to drug addiction and the possible consequences. One of the consequences of drug addiction is loss, illustrated by Nana's premature death.
