My Life in the Bush of Ghosts

“But I did not know that all that I was thinking in mind was going to the hearing of the inhabitants of these three rooms, so at the same moment that I wanted to move my body to go the room from which the smell of the African’s food was rushing to me […] there I saw that these three rooms which had no doors and windows opened unexpectedly and three kinds of ghosts peeped at me, every one of them pointed his finger to me to come to him.”

This moment introduces the fantastical and magical elements that will take place throughout the novel while also foreshadowing many eventual plot points and symbols like the importance of traditional African foods. Once the narrator encounters these first ghosts, the narrative establishes that the bush contains a world that appears drastically different than the earthly town.

“[P]erformed a juju which changed me to a horse unexpectedly, then he put reins into my mouth and tied me on a stump with a thick rope.”

This is another moment in which the narrative illustrates the magical elements of the bush of ghosts, and this is the first time that the narrator changes to a new form other than his human self. When the narrator is enslaved by the smelling-ghost, he takes on the form of different animals to help make the ghost’s daily chores easier. The narrator’s role as a human does not fit their needs, so they utilize magic to change him, referencing how the slave trade diminishes the humanity of those enslaved.

“As I was unable to explain to these cow-men that I am not really a cow, so I was showing them in my attitude several times that I am a person […] I would be giving signs with my head which was showing them the right and wrong points on which they were arguing.”

In this image, the narrator attempts to communicate with the cow-men, but his inability to do so illustrates the difficulties and realities that many enslaved persons faced. Despite the narrator’s knowledge of the world, he struggles to gain back his independence because the cow-men refuse to acknowledge or attempt to understand what he is saying. This also foreshadows his eventual experience of returning home and being kidnapped by slave traders.

“The reason why she bought me was that her daughter’s eyes were totally blinded […] and when she went to a fortune-teller, she was told that she must go to the market and buy a cow and kill it for a certain god which was in her town, then undoubtedly her daughter’s eyes would see clearly as before.”

The use of traditional beliefs and sacrificial ceremonies illustrates the importance of these belief systems within African communities and The Connection Between the Physical and the Spiritual. The introduction of fortune-tellers also foreshadows the eventual importance of that role both within and outside of the bush of ghosts.

“But when it was about three months that I left them or changed from a cow to a person, one night, as I was wondering about in the bush I saw a dead wood which was about six feet long and three feet in diameter and there was a large hole inside it which was not through to the second end, which means it has only one entrance.”

The narrator utilizes a direct and straightforward tone when recounting his experiences in the bush, which grounds the narrative in the middle of many magical and disorienting moments. This surrealist technique grounds the narrative in the character’s reality while also employing magical elements, such as changing form from a person to a cow and back again. This quote also allows the narrator to track the passage of time as he indicates how much time passes between each of his experiences.

“Of course I could not ask him how he managed to get the clothes which belonged to me and my brother as I was too young to ask him such questions.”

Although this is one of the first times that he gets to experience something that directly relates to his family, the narrator’s tone does not diverge from his straightforward, emotionless tone. The narrator focuses on the details of the event rather than his emotional response.

“When I was baptized that day, I was crying loudly […] and within a few minutes every part of my body was scratched by this hot water and fire, but before rev. Devil could finish the baptism I regretted it.”

During his first wedding in the bush, the narrator illustrates a stereotypical Christian wedding. However, the images of baptism in fire and hot water rather than holy water as well as the reverend being named “Devil” incorporate traditional folklore and mythology with Christian influence.

“I was feeding on any sacrifice that I wanted and drinking the blood of the animals which they were killing and pouring in me as water, because they were not giving me water to drink. But as the blood was always pouring on me, so it was attracting flies which were covering me totally all the time and I had no hands to drive them away.”

Here, the narrative illustrates more traditional beliefs and customs like sacrifices, which play an important role in the text. The narrator has once again changed forms, and his physical appearance contorts to fit in the pitcher. The blood poured on him not only utilizes grotesque imagery but also illustrates how much the narrator begins to assimilate into the bush of ghosts. Confined in the pitcher, the narrator manipulates his body and actions to survive.

“So at this time I forgot all my sorrow and started to sing the earthly songs which sorrow prevented me from singing about since I entered this bush.”

The use of music and singing plays an important role in the novel because it reminds the narrator of his home, and it provides him an outlet to reflect on his past. It also grounds him in his identity as an earthly person while living in the bush. Songs and music connect the narrator to his brother and mother, foreshadowing how important singing will be when the narrator attempts to get his brother to recognize him at the end of the novel.

“I was detailed to be at home by the short ghosts to be serving the mother […] I was greatly surprise to say that it was that day I knew that she was selling the flash fire of her eyes to other kinds of ghosts who were coming from various towns to buy it, and a flash was worth a heavy amount of ghosts’ money.”

In this short chapter, the narrator provides a look at the inner workings of the 13th town of ghosts, which includes the flash-eyed mother’s decision to capitalize off her power. This complicates the economic system within the bush of ghosts and creates nuance regarding the ghosts’ interactions with each other.

“So I was carrying the earthly body with the head of a ghost about until the ‘faithful mother,’ the inhabitant of the ‘white-tree,’ who is faithful to all creatures came and settled the misunderstandings between the two parties when she heard information that there was a war between them, but it was very later before she heard about this war.”

When the narrator lives with a ghost head on his body, he takes the physical form of his conflicting identities. He is confused about his sense of self at this point in the text, and he takes on a physical embodiment of this confusion. The narrative also introduces the “faithful mother,” who does not make another appearance in the text. However, her role of caring for “all creatures” indicates even further there is more about the bush that the narrator either does not reveal or does not know. His tone, again, maintains a direct and straightforward inflection as he relays the facts of the events.

“Then [Super-Lady] held both my hands by force and looking at my face which was nearly touching her own which was as fresh as an angel’s face, and she asked again with a lofty smiling face and solemn voice—‘Why do you dislike marrying me?’”

The introduction of the Super-Lady illustrates the budding attraction the narrator has for this ghostess. The narrator compares her to an angel, however, the use of the word “force” implies that despite his attraction, the super-lady does not allow the narrator to deny her. The coming-of-age process also continues to develop as the narrator grows older and develops sexual feelings and attraction for others.

“Is this for me? Am I going to sleep on this fine bed on which only a king can sleep?”

The narrator takes on an incredulous tone as he has not slept in a bed since his arrival to the bush, and he worries that he does not deserve to sleep in this bed. This illustrates his developing sense of self-worth as he attempts to reconcile with his present. The image also appears more human-like rather than the other towns he visits in the bush of ghosts.

“To my surprise I saw many old men and women of my hometown who were tight friends to my father and I was greatly surprised to see them in this meeting, because I did not know they managed to be here, but I did not let them see me.”

Although the narrator sees people from his home, he chooses to not engage with them due to his surprise at their use of magic. In this passage, the novel indicates that earthly people and ghosts have been interacting regularly, and this confirms for the narrator that he will be able to leave.

“So it was our loss and it was their gain. And it was after we left that area we heard that no stranger would cross this valley without loss, because all the ghosts and ghostesses of that area are very poor and only living on this kind of exchange.”

After his experience at Lost or Gain Valley, the narrator comments on the economic disparities between towns in the bush of ghosts, which mirrors of the human world. Economic class plays an important role in many societies, and the disparities between social classes increased due to colonialism. Tutuola utilizes the landscape of the bush to illustrate these class distinctions.

“Immediately I performed the juju the artificial arm together with the rest and at the same time it became exactly the natural arm.”

When the narrator places the artificial arm on the female ghost’s body, he utilizes his knowledge of the earthly world with the magic of the ghost world, which furthers The Connection Between the Physical and the Spiritual. Rather than taking his own arm off for the woman, he chooses to utilize his strengths, which indicates that the narrator’s confidence continues to grow during his coming-of-age experience. 

“Immediately I died in our town I went to several towns which perhaps would be suitable to establish the Christianity works, but I could not get such a suitable town I reached here which is suitable.”

The narrator’s cousin also speaks with a straightforward and direct tone when discussing how he settled on living in the 10th town of ghosts after his death. This moment also reflects how Christianity spread during colonial times, which the cousin’s actions embody.

“Having been educated and become the chief judge my mind was then at rest, I did not feel to go to my town again, even I determined that I should not go forever.”

When the narrator feels at peace with his accomplishments, his desire to return home diminishes because he feels as though he has formed his identity solely in the bush of ghosts. His tone implies confidence in his sense of self; he explores his emotions regarding his situation rather than simply stating the facts.

“So, at this stage I thought of nothing more than to go, because I could not sleep both day and night anymore, and I was always dreaming without sleep or without closing my eyes.”

Although the narrator initially feels at peace with his existence in the 10th town of ghosts, his dreams show him his family and home, forcing him to confront the human side of his identity. The dreams illustrate a connection between the physical and the spiritual worlds as he transcends space to visit his family, which gives him back the desire to go home.

“And I am also crying bitterly in respect of you because I believe that no doubt you have been struggling for many years in this Bush of Ghosts for the for the right way to your home town, but you are seeing the way every day and you do not know it, because every earthly person gets eyes but cannot see.”

When the narrator meets the television-handed ghost, he finally learns how to return home, but she first recognizes his sadness and despair over being away from home for so long. Her comment about humans having eyes without the ability to see implies that the narrator has been on the right path on his journey, even if he does not realize it. 

“I got out of the hut, and I went around near the hut. God is so good, this kind of leaf or plant was full up here. Then I cut some and came back to the hut, after that I was using it for the sore according to the direction that my mother told the woman who brought the baby to her.”

Right before the television-handed woman helps the narrator return home, he watches his mother heal a sore on a baby utilizing a plant, and he mimics her actions. His declaration that “God is good” reinforces the narrator’s belief that God, or a higher power, has been aiding him throughout his journey. The narrator consistently prays to God, and this moment reinforces his beliefs.

“This is how I got out of the Bush of the Ghosts, which I entered when I was seven years old.”

This moment solidifies the circular plot of the novel as the narrator learns that he must return home the same way he entered the bush. It also reflects on the narrator’s initial decision to name the fruit tree as “the future sign” from the first chapter.

“This is a great pity that I was lost in the Bush of Ghosts for 24 years with punishments and when I came out of it I am caught and sold again as a slave, and now a rich man buys me and he is going to kill me for his god.”

This moment mirrors the experience the narrator had within the bush of ghosts, and it perpetuates the circular plot by incorporating the slave traders. Although they are not the same slave traders from the beginning of the novel, this image illustrates how long-lasting the slave trade was. It also solidifies how his experiences in the bush mirror the experiences of those in a colonized country.