Senses in motion: Tracing sensory allusions and motifs in Gyasi’s Homegoing

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes". This quote by French novelist, Marcel Proust highlights the pivotal role of observation and absorption of sensory perception in human experience and literary representation. This study examines the all-round deployment of sensory motifs in Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing, analysing how the author utilizes the five primary senses as distinctive mnemonic devices to evoke memories and emotions within the narrative framework. The research investigates Gyasi's distinct approach to addressing themes of colonialism, diaspora, enslavement, interpersonal dynamics, and psychological distress through sensory allusions and imagery. This paper argues that Gyasi's sensory motifs serve as potent tools for exploring the complexities of emotions, human migration, and cultural displacement, effectively linking characters to specific geographical and cultural contexts. Through close textual analysis, the paper covers the broader cultural and postcolonial implications of these sensory cues with a focus on all five senses as individual heads.