47 pages • 1-hour read
Remote Control
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Themes
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death and child abuse.
Redefining the Self After Trauma and Change
As a bildungsroman, Remote Control explores the growth and development of Sankofa over the span of seven years. She begins as a young child who enjoys climbing trees and staring at the constellations, then ends the novella as a mythological figure that is capable of killing anyone she is around just by drawing on the power within herself. Sankofa must learn to adapt to the new version of herself, reflecting the importance of redefining the self after trauma and change.
Central to Sankofa’s change is the rupture that occurs after she inadvertently kills her family and the rest of the villagers in Wulugu due to her newfound powers. This moment marks a key source of trauma for Sankofa, forcing her into isolation as she tries to adapt to who she has become. In addition to grieving over the loss of her family, she must also cope with guilt, despair, and the physical change she has undergone as a result of the seed.
After leaving Wulugu, Sankofa attempts to assimilate back into humanity in a variety of ways. First, she hides in the forest near Wulugu, intentionally isolating herself and not coming into contact with humanity at all. However, after she dreams of her Auntie Nana, who scolds her for not taking control of her life, Sankofa realizes that she needs to figure out what happened to her. From there, she goes on a literal journey in search of the seed, traveling through many villages and cities in Ghana over the course of several years. More importantly, though, she goes on an emotional journey, as she tries to find her place in the world. Initially, she does so by creating a sense of mythology around herself, encouraging people to fear or worship her as they see fit. This ends when she realizes that she cannot continue to pursue the seed and waste her life in liminality and isolation. Instead, she tries to assimilate back into humanity in RoboTown, repressing her power and trying to belong. Ultimately, Sankofa’s journey is several cycles of hope and despair, as she finds comfort in people (like Alhaja or the farmers) or things (like the forest or religion), only to realize that she is still unfulfilled.
In the end, Sankofa realizes that she must return to the source of her trauma to fully heal and move forward with her life. Once she is back in Wulugu for the first time since her family died, she is able to face the memories of her family and return the seed to the base of the tree. This symbolic act, of returning herself and the seed back home, marks her acceptance of what happened to her, both her act of death and the power bestowed upon her by the extraterrestrial object. Although Sankofa will continue to struggle with finding her place in the world, she has finally taken a step toward accepting her power for what it is—both good and bad—and beginning to heal from the trauma she has faced.
The Duality of Technology
As a work of Africanfuturism, Remote Control explores a futuristic society where technology has come to dominate people’s lives. Sankofa sees it as she walks across Ghana, reflected in people’s self-driving cars, phones, and the robocop that polices RoboTown through artificial intelligence. However, through the character and experiences of Sankofa, the novella also emphasizes the dual nature of technology, both as beneficial and harmful.
Sankofa herself is a representation of traditional African culture, a part of life that the novella argues still has value and importance in a technologically driven society. Since Sankofa cannot use technology, as her power causes her to destroy it, she is a physical embodiment of life before technological advancements. She has no phone, cannot ride in cars, and has no way to research information. Instead, she navigates by the pull of the seed, using instinct and intuition to navigate through the villages of Ghana. Additionally, she wears traditional Ghanaian clothing and speaks the Twi language as often as she can, both of which emphasize her connection to her African roots.
In contrast to Sankofa, the village of RoboTown has become entirely reliant on technology, a fact which leads to the destruction of their village. Since Sankofa does not use technology, the robocop is unable to track her or get information on her, a fact which causes it to report that Sankofa is simply “confusion.” The robocop embodies the dual nature of technology. Although it is a benefit to the town, as they have not had a car accident in years and can trust the neutrality of the artificially intelligent policeman, it also sends the town into chaos when a little boy is killed. As the villagers exclaim when they talk with the robocop about what happened, they are unsure how the technology could have made a mistake or what they are going to do now. Their confusion, helplessness, and general despair emphasize the negatives of becoming too reliant on technology.
In addition to RoboTown, LifeGen also emphasizes the negative aspects of technology. As Sankofa walks through the villages of Ghana, she notes the advertisements for LifeGen and the tourism that it brings, particularly in the town of Wulugu when she returns home for the first time in years. The first introduction to LifeGen, in the form of the bodyguard who steals the seed, signals that they embody corruption and greed. Instead of showing curiosity or respecting the seed and its power, LifeGen sees it simply as profit. As Sankofa looks over the shea tree farms and sees each of the glowing seeds, she realizes that LifeGen has taken her power, which she respects and uses appropriately, and has tried to corrupt it for their own benefit.
The final moments of the novella underscore the dangers of technology, as it can lead to corruption and greed in the hands of large companies. Sankofa, an embodiment of African traditionalism, makes the decision to destroy the seeds, ultimately standing up to LifeGen and neutralizing its harmful power.
The Burden of Power
Remote Control presents power not as a gift but as a harmful and isolating burden. Through Sankofa’s story, the novella explores how extraordinary power can hinder one’s ties to family, humanity, and even the self. Sankofa’s ability to bring death causes her to be both worshiped and feared, revealing that power is not truly liberating or empowering but instead demands sacrifice, self-control, and emotional intelligence to control it.
From the beginning of the story, Sankofa realizes that her abilities create danger for those she loves most. When her power manifests itself, killing her family and the other villagers, she is forced out of society, placing her in a liminal space. Her power becomes something that she must carry in solitude, as her efforts at fitting in end in disaster each time. First, she inadvertently kills a man in self-defense after she ruins his car and he physically assaults her. Then, she tries to fit in with the people of RoboTown, only to have her repressed powers unleashed when she is abused and misunderstood. She distances herself from others not because she lacks the desire for connection, but because she understands the risk that she poses to others. Her solitude demonstrates how power can corrode one’s ability to form relationships and belong to a community.
The internal conflict that Sankofa faces as she grapples with her power underscores the cruelty of a world that can, in turn, both elevate and ostracize those who are different. Sankofa is forced to live with restraint and self-discipline, monitoring her fear, grief, and anger, as extreme emotion causes her to lose control. The novella’s structure, which begins with her command of her power at the Christmas party, then juxtaposes it with her experimentation as a child, highlights Sankofa’s emotional maturity and her understanding of the burden that she carries. Ultimately, Sankofa’s power is not a source of agency as it could be, but is instead a force that demands she repress parts of herself to survive and try to belong.
Despite these challenges, Sankofa’s journey is not entirely bleak. Through characters like Alhaja and Movenpick, the novella shows that even those burdened with great power can find moments of connection. Sankofa eventually learns to accept her power without being defined by it. Although this does not eliminate her burden, it emphasizes the fact that she can accept it for what it is and still live a fulfilling and important life. Ultimately, Remote Control conveys the duality of Sankofa’s power, capable of both protection and destruction as well as empowerment and alienation.
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