Themes:
- Community
- Cycles of Poverty
- Culture
- Decisions
- Devotion
- Education
- Family Ties
- Infertility
- Love
Symbolism, Significance, and Meaning:
Symbolism:
- Red
- The color red is immediately associated and tied to Oya’s blood, which is foreshadowing for her eventual suicide
- Running
- The idea that she cannot or will not run away from her community and their expectations of her
Cultural Significance:
- Dancing/Singing
- The play utilizes sequences of singing and dancing as a vehicle for storytelling reminiscent of oral storytelling tradition
- The dancing is used to emphasize the idea of culture being at the forefront of the play, and how Oya’s culture and cultural expectations are part of her, and surround her constantly
- Naming
- The characters are all named after deities within Yoruba mythology
- Stage directions
- There are many instances where the stage directions are spoken aloud, this is due to oral storytelling tradition, it is used both as a comedic device, and as a reminder of the play’s origins
Deeper Meanings:
- “In The Red and Brown Water”
- The title captures the idea that Oya’s future, which was supposed to be clear and easy to understand, has become clouded and unclear as she faces decisions she did not think she would have to face.
- Additionally, the line “lake of brown” is used to describe Oya after her death, as she is lying on the floor as if she is just a puddle of what she used to be. This is an allusion to the title.
- Time Period
- The play is set in the ‘distant present’, which is an illusion to the idea that this is a reality that could happen at any moment, but due to these specific circumstances not having happened yet, it is still distant
Analysis:
The beauty and mastery behind this play comes from its lack of complications. The plot is straightforward with little interpretations to be made. Mama Moja’s death, is simply the death of a mother. Oya’s infertility is just infertility, and her suicide is her suicide. The heartbreaking and emotional qualities of this play come from its realism. The play does not hide itself, rather it allows for the reality of the situation to speak for itself. An argument could be made on this play being a critique on poverty, however, I personally disagree. I believe that generational poverty is a problem represented by the play, however, this is secondary to the idea of coming-of-age in a society and in a community that only sees you one way and will not let that change. Oya is always Moja’s daughter. Oya is always a runner. Oya will always be in love with Shango. Even though time never stops, the community expects Oya to stop, and to never change.
