- My page citations are according to the online PDF, since I did not have a physical copy of the book.
Something I find interesting about the reading is a fairly consistent theme of dishonesty as well as "pretending" after Ifemelu comes to America. The book constantly shifts between different time periods for Ifemelu. It begins at the hairdresser's, where Ifemelu had already been living in America for a significant amount of time, and shifts between here and snippets of her in Nigeria, among other things. For example, during a flashback to Ifemelu being in Nigeria and meeting Obinze's mom, Ifemelu demonstrates honesty. "Ifemelu wanted to lie, to say that she cooked and loved cooking, but she remembered Aunty Uju's words" (Adiche 76). Obinze's mom asked Ifemelu if she cooked, and Ifemelu answered honestly and expressed that she did not. What makes this interesting is the way Ifemelu's behavior in America contrasts this mindset she had in Nigeria. "Ifemelu said, surprising herself. My man. How easy it was to lie to strangers, to create with strangers the versions of our lives that we have imagined" (Adiche 24). This is just one example where Ifemelu consistently lied throughout her conversation for no apparent reason other than because she felt like it. She did not necessarily have anything to hide, but found great ease in fabricating stories. As seen in the example in Nigeria, she wanted to lie, but her guilty conscience took over, and she decided telling the truth was her only option. In addition to the theme of dishonestly, I also mentioned the act of pretending, which I feel can go hand in hand. Another example of this takes place at the hairdresser's as well. '"Sorry the air conditioner broke yesterday," Mariama said. Ifemelu knew the air conditioner had not broken yesterday...Ifemelu feigned indifference to this news” (Adiche 19). This contrasts to Ifemelu's attitude right when she arrived in America. She would often state that she didn't understand why people would not say things for what they were, and it frustrated her, as customs were different in Nigeria. A quote that I feel possibly embodies where Ifemelu's mindset began to shift comes from the scene where she goes to shop with Ginika right when she arrived in America. Ifemelu was confused when Ginika did not explicitly state the color of the sales associate's skin that helped her when asked at checkout. Ginika said, "Because this is America. You're supposed to pretend that you don't notice certain things” (Adiche 132). What I am getting at is, whether Ifemelu wants to admit it or not, America did change her. She did try to resist this from happening in multiple ways, such as wearing her hair naturally and discontinuing her usage of a forced American accent. However, these examples go to show that, try as one might, it is hard not to embody at least some characteristics of the current environment around oneself. People's attitudes, ideologies, and so on rub off onto those around them, intentional or not.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI really like this overall interpretation of Americanah because it explores the central idea that Adichie is trying to show through Ifemelu and Obinze's intertwining stories. Namely, that people can only be truly understood on an individual level and ought not to act based on societal expectations of them. Examining the scene you brought up where Ifemelu meets Obinze's mother for the first time, I think you're right that Ifemelu and her formed a respectful relationship because Ifemelu was honest with her. She was herself, but this does not just apply to Ifemelu. Obinze's mother also demonstrates that she thinks people should be treated as just that, rather than having expectations levied on them because of where they've come from or their experiences. When Obinze is telling Ifemelu about the incident where his mother fought a professor, he explains that she was equally upset at being slapped as she was at some other's reasoning that she should not have been slapped because she was a widow, stating "she said she should not have been slapped because she is a full human being" (Adichie 59). Obinze's altercation with the professor and the public's reaction to it demonstrates that society has levied expectations upon the people involved: Obinze's mother should've kept quiet because she didn't have a man to speak for her and the professor, recognizing this, should've been more gracious. The fact that Obinze's mother is equally upset that people stand up for her for the wrong reason, ignoring her individual worth, speaks volumes about what Adichie is communicating. Ifemelu respects Obinze's mother because she is true to herself and doesn't waver when met with new societal pressures like other characters in the book. Ultimately, this is the same reason why Obinze is drawn to Ifemelu. When, at the party where they first connected, Obinze is telling Ifemelu why he was interested in her, he says "you looked like the kind of person who will do something because you wanted to, not because everyone else is doing it" (Adichie 61). Obinze, above all else, admires Ifemelu because he feels she doesn't act on trends which tend to dictate people’s actions, but rather acts on things through her own agency. The theme of honesty which you brought up still rings true on an individual level; that is to say, Adichie shows with this story that there is tremendous value in individuals being honest with themselves, not conforming to the world's expectations, but rather letting their experiences and individual judgement govern their lives.
ReplyDelete(As an aside, I am using the physical copy of the book, so the page numbers may differ from the original post.)
ReplyDeleteHonesty and dishonesty are critical themes in this novel. As the above post mentioned, Ifemelu’s behavior changed after she came to America. Once honest, she was comfortable lying to those around her to impress them. Yet, she was frequently honest with Obinze, whom she loved.
America changed Ifemelu. Whether she wanted it or not, her behavior was influenced by living in the U.S. for thirteen years. She lied to the hairdressers so they would take her seriously. By her own admission, the duration of her time in America was long enough that “lying seemed unnecessary but she lied anyway,” resulting in “a new respect” of her by the hairdresser Aisha (page 19). When her parents came to America, she noticed her own shift in attitude towards them. She masked how she truly felt with a little white lie: “I’m fine. Just work.” (page 372). Lying to others, especially her parents, elucidates how she uses dishonesty to portray a successful life in America.
However, I think the above post should be extended to note when Ifemelu told the truth, as that is equally informative of her character. There was a “vivid honesty about her,” especially as it relates to Obinze (page 24); she felt that she could be herself around him. When Obinze suddenly decides to go alone to Abuja, she calls him a “f---ing coward” (page 557). She does not beat around the bush but rather directly calls him out, revealing her true feelings for him.
I think that this is a very interesting aspect of how America has changed Ifemelu. From the start of her experience in America, she had to lie and deceive in order to even get by. This was seen when Aunty Uju told her that she needs to use a fake name and a social security number in order to get a job. You can see Ifemelu struggle with living a fake life many times when she first gets to America. “‘How do you pronounce your name again’ ‘Ifemelu’ ‘What?’ Ifemelu almost choked. ‘Ngozi. You hum the N” (Adichie 130).
ReplyDeleteI feel like part of the reason we see Ifemelu lying so much, especially at the hairdresser, is partly because she feels a disconnect in America. When she was in Nigeria, she lived with people she knew and loved and she could feel like herself, but once she got to America, it seemed as if she was living an entirely different life. Despite this, she still tries to stick to her roots as an African, and she finds a sense of pride in her heritage. I think that the blog posts that she does serve as a great way for her to retain her connection with Nigeria. She highlights her struggles in America as a way to relate them to Nigeria. Her blog serves as a way to display her emotions about things that happen to her, and point out the struggles that other Africans could relate to in America. In that way, it helps her retain that bond with other Africans and Africa.