Name: emanuella chiemeka

Americanah: Part 1

Part 1
PART 1 as the Exposition

Directions: For each question below, provide specific details from the text to develop your response.
Character’s Relationship to Self
Who is Ifemelu? Ifemelu is the protagonist of Americanah. She moved to America to attend
college, but finds it hard to Adjust. She eventually becomes a citizen and starts
a blog about culture and race. She has severe depressive episodes where she
feels like an outsider. She eventually moves back to Nigeria to start a life there.
Who is Obinze? Obinze is a main character in Americanah. He is very calm and intelligent. He
moved to England for college and tried to get citizenship but he was deported.
He eventually became wealthy by selling real estate in Nigeria. He marries kosi
and has 3 kids but eventually leaves her to start dating his high-school
girlfriend.
Character’s Relationship to Others
What is Ifemelu’s Ifemelu seems to be stand-offish to the people she first encounters at the
relationship to beginning of the novel. This could be due to the stress of her having to decide if
other characters she should move back or not.
that are introduced
in the exposition?
What is Obinze’s Obinze seems to be in a good mood at the beginning of the novel due to the
relationship to email he received from ifemelu. It is evident that he is still emotionally
other characters attached to her. Obinze and kosi (his wife) don't seem to share a very good
introduced in the connection.
exposition?
Character’s Relationship to Society
What is Ifemelu’s Ifemelu is starting to detach herself from america. She feels like she doesn't
social standing and belong and often goes into depressive episodes where she suffers from
relationship to her imposter syndrome.
society?
What is Obinze’s Obinze meets the chief through his cousin nneoma, and he starts to notice the
social standing and way rich people in Lagos act. He says “he feels bad for them but wants to be
relationship to his like them”. This basically means that he wants to become rich. Obinze used to
society? always admire people with rich families and foreign accents, but he no longer
does because he realizes how many of them just put up a front.
PART 1 as the Frame
One function of starting in the ‘present’ and flashing back to the past is that it forces the reader to ask
questions about the protagonists’ current situation. Answer the questions below to help you consider
what some of the effects this structural choice has on the reader.
What questions We as readers want to know whether ifemelu will relocate back to Nigeria and
does the reader Reconnect with her ex boyfriend Obinze. We also want to know if moving back
have at the to Nigeria will make Ifemelu feel whole again.
beginning of the
novel about
Ifemelu?
What questions The reader wants to know if he is really in love with his wife or if he loves
does the reader ifemelu more.
have at the
beginning of the
novel about
Obinze?
What questions The readers want to know if ifemelu and obinze still have feelings for each
does the reader other.
have at the
beginning of the
novel about the
relationship
between Ifemelu
and Obinze?
At this point in the At this point, the main motivation to keep reading is to see if Obinze will leave
novel, what does his wife for Ifemelu as they seem to be rekindling their love for one another.
the reader want to
find out? What is
motivating you to
keep reading?

Part 2 Reading Log

As you read Part 2, complete the activities below.
Adichie’s use of language
beautifully captures emotions
and the human experience. As
you read this section, take
note of some of these words,
phrases, and sentences.
Several women are introduced First we meet ifemelu’s mother who seems to have been
to us in this section (e.g., “consumed” by the church. She jumps from church to church and
Ifemelu’s mother, Aunty Uju,
Ginika, Obinze’s mother, etc.)
How are these women similar?
How are they different?
Overall, how are Nigerian
women being characterized in
the novel? Does Ifemelu fit
this characterization?
It is clear Obinze and Ifemelu
have a special connection.
How does Adichie use
language to capture this? As
you read, take note of quotes
and language that capture the
essence of their relationship.
This section contains passing
social commentary about the
state of Nigeria. What are
some of the issues the country
is facing? How are these
issues affecting peoples’ (or
the characters’) lives?
The flashes to the present
contain social commentary
about issues in America. What
are some of the issues brought
up, either by the characters in
the salon, or through the third
person (limited) narrator?
Ifemelu (and other characters)
learn a lot about the
differences between Nigeria
and America. What are some
of these differences? How is
America characterized through
these differences?
i
even goes long periods of time without eating just for the church.
Aunty Uju is dating someone known as the general. He has a wife
and she is aware of this but stays because he gives her money.
Ifemelu notices that the relationship between them isn't normal and
she tries to tell her aunt but she gets mad and hits ifemulu. These
women all seem to follow what the men want and they do not voice
their opinions. Ifelmu does not fit this characteristic as she is often
seen voicing her opinion at any chance she gets.
Obinze and ifemelu share a special connection. After years of not
talking to each other, their love is still so strong that ifemulu still calls
him “ceiling”, a nickname she gave him after they shared an intimate
moment together.
There are lots of different social classes in Nigeria. When Obinze
meets the chief, he realizes that he has been given “power” and
immunity from committing crimes just because he has money. At
some point ifemelu's dad lost his Job just because he refused to call
his boss “mummy”. The higher social class in Nigeria feel like they
can act anyhow without any consequences.
Ifemelu gets a job as a babysitter for the children of a woman named
kimberly. At some point they get a knock on the door and it's a
gardener who seems shocked that ifemelu opens the door. She tells
him she is just the help and his face seems to be relieved as he
doesnt expect someone like ifemulu to own such a big house. People
in America become uncomfortable when their social class is being
disrupted. Also when aunty uju felt like she had to take out her
braids and relax her hair just so she can get a job. Moments like this
show that America still looks down on people who do not fit their
narrative.
In Nigeria, women do not feel the need to straighten their hair or
change their accent just to get a Job.
In Ifemelu’s blog, She explains the four kinds of tribalism: class (rich
vs. poor), ideology (liberals vs. conservatives), region (North vs.
South), and race. Race is the most complicated one, but white is
always on top, and American Black is always at the bottom.
How do characters in the An example could be aunty uju who adopts and american accent
novel adopt an “American anytime she is speaking to white people.
Self”?
What effect does Curt have on Curt represents the master who helps shape Ifemelu into an
Ifemelu? American African. Eventually, Ifemelu cheats because she realizes
that she has given up her desire for being recognized as an African
American.
Kayode stirs up internal
conflicts within Ifemelu when
she runs into him- What are
some of these internal
conflicts?

Part 2
Part Title

Titling parts of the novel can help you

synthesize key understandings and
events. What title would you give Part
2 of the novel?
Part 1 of the novel?
Microlab Discussion

(Answer the following and bring for class discussion on Friday)

Q1: The novel opens in the Ivy League enclave of Princeton, New Jersey. Ifemelu likes living
there because “she could pretend to be someone else, ...someone adorned with certainty” (3).
But she has to go to the largely black city of Trenton,nearby, to have her hair braided. Does
this movement between cities indicate a similar split within Ifemelu? Why does she decide to
return to Nigeria after thirteen years in America?

Q2: Aisha, from Senegal, shares with Ifemelu that two Igbo men have refused to marry her
because, “Igbo marry Igbo, always.” What are some of the “rules” of your culture, family, or
community?

Q3: Obinze is struck by that Ifemelu calls him “Ceiling” in her email. He mentions that in her
last email she had called him “Obinze.” What is the difference between these two names for
Obinze? What names do you have? What do they mean to you? To those who use your
name(s)?

Q4: Chapter 1 introduces us to Ifemelu, Chapter 2 to Obinze. What conclusions do you draw
about each character? About their relationship? How do you know?

Practice Essay Response

Write a response (in full sentences and paragraphs) to the question below:

How are family relationships established and developed in this part of the novel, and to what extent
do they play a significant role in developing significant ideas, issues, or effects in the work?
Response: