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Americanah Analysis

The book Americanah by Adichie follows the story of a Nigieran woman “Ifemelu” who starts

her journey in America in spite of the difficulties she encounters as a black

woman.Similarily,aunt Uju develops affection for the protagonist,Ifemelu.As she endures,her

once long lasting relationship with Obinze breaks apart.Even if she is conflicted between

affection and disagreement of Uju’s overall behavior,the interactions between the two characters

have influenced Ifemlu’s approach to relationships including the one with

Obinze.Nevertheless,Uju developed an affair with a general who had established a family

already and would often be percieved as a mentor for her.Like Ifemelu,Obinze starts a new

family that makes him end up in London as an undocumented person.

The book Americanah by Adichie falls perfectly into the category of multicultural literacy

because characters like Ifemelu and Uju must adapt to the different conditions in America,there

is loss of identity among characters, and the separation between African and American cultures

that helped form Ifemelu’s decision of moving back to Nigeria.

For instance,the author mentions "I have to take my braids out for my interviews and relax my

hair.Kemi told me that I shouldn't wear braids to the interview.If you have braids,they will think

you are unprofessional"(Adichie,pg.146).Uju is adapting to America and the standards they

maintain and the work environment of the industry she entered even if meeting the requirements

when it came to her appearance meant that she was self restrained in the way she expressed

herself.Uju is in a similar situation as Ifemelu because they both encounter the same issue of

discrimination in different occasions of the book. This shows that black women struggled to

make their own decisions as shown with the hair choices Ifemelu and Uju were both judged

on.Therefore,it connects to multicultural literacy because it wasn’t a tradition for America to

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view black hairstyles in a professional manner since both characters come from an opposing

background where appearances are viewed differently in the U.S than how they are viewed in

Nigeria.This quote gives more importance is of greater importance because both characters

struggle to find a sense of self based on external judgements from those who don’t identify with

their Nigerian culture.. Also,the text consists of a quote that says “He expected her to feel what

she did not know how to feel”(Adichie,pg 388).

This quote suggests that Ifemelu felt less understood by Curt because she didn’t share a lot of

similarities when it came to her skin complexity or the way she felt about creating changes for

people.As a result,she felt that Blaine understood her better as he shared more things in

common.It contributes to multicultural literacy because the author informs readers how Ifemelu’s

relationships connect to her own experiences and beliefs formed by her cultural background.As

Ifemelu forms new relationships while adapting to the conditions in America,she reflects on her

past experiences,as captured by this quote.As she reflects,she realizes that she has less things in

common with Curt and while sharing more things in common with Blaine,someone of the same

skin complexity,and someone who remains receptive of creating changes in the world. The quote

becomes significant throughout the text because there are differences between the two characters

despite having things in common.That difference is important because it concerns the distinction

between Ifemleu’s cultural background and Blaine’s culture.This contrast causes a change within

their relationship because while Ifemelu has grown up in a Nigerian culture,Blaine was raised in

the U.S.This caused an irritated response from Blaine’s part because race was always perceived

differently from his experience.Thus,the author lets readers know how multiculturalism inspired

the cultures that defined the characters.It was because of this reason that unlike the relationships

that Ifemelu experienced with Blaine and Curt differed from the long term relationship she had to
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Obinze.

Another relevant quote states “If you are not careful in this country,your children will become

what you don’t know”(Adichie,pg.137).This quote indicates that Jane had mentioned this to

Ifemelu while her and Uju had both formed stereotypical beliefs concerning African Americans

and their ill mannered behavior in the future.This correlates to multicultural literacy because both

characters remain in a fear based mindset based on the beliefs inflicted upon them from the news

and the culture of America.It is relevant because it allows readers to gain further understanding

about the opportunities that are given in a country like America,from the perspective of an

immigrant.Coming from a different culture is challenging for them because they wouldn’t want

to have their children adapt the customs and culture of America.The way they had perceived the

American culture had been influenced by the way the majority of the people in America had

viewed Black Americans.Since they were opposite cultures,the quote lets us understand how

Americans had developed negative beliefs against people of color,which came in the form of

popular culture.

Furthermore,the way identity counteracts with multicultural literature is established when the

author states “ You could have just said Ngozi is your tribal name and Ifemelu is your jungle

name and throw in one more as your spiritual name.They'll believe all kinds of sh** about

Africa"(Adichie,pg 160).Ginika gives the idea that names cause others to feel gullible by having

false information against Africa in order to describe how significant a name is to one's'

identity.This quote suggests that illegal immigrants lose a sense of identity based on their cultural

connections and meanings they choose to hide due to the way they remain anonymous by using

the name of someone else.Therefore,they appear to be an original person to the eyes of others

even if they have a false sense of self.This connects to multiculturalism because it implies that a
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person’s identity given through their name is important in order to be recognized for who we are

by opposite cultures and races.The quote reveals how Ifemelu would have to work illegally while

using a false identity with the name "Ngozi Okonkwo."This quote is meaningful because it shows

that Ifemelu develops internal pride for who she represents but chooses not to express it

externally to others through her real name.

According to the text,an important quote that denotes the significance of multiculturalism is “In

america,tribalism is alive and well.There are four kinds-class,ideology,region,and race.First,

class.Pretty easy.Rich folk and poor folk”(Adichie,pg.227)This quote emphasizes how Ifemelu is

finding her position as a person in America coming from Nigeria compared to the four distinct

tribes consisting of class,ideology,religion,and race.The quote gives a significant emphasis on

multiculturalism because it classifies people from an American culture as people of a higher

value unlike black Americans.Based on the different categories that both cultures are classified

as,ifemelu gains further comprehension of the way her opposite culture/race works in order to

acknowledge how her Nigerian identity would always be viewed from the bottom regardless of

the education and work ethic she maintains.This section of text remains prominent because it

reveals how Ifemelu is more opened to understanding the diversity within different cultures like

America while recognizing who is who accordingly.

In reference to the text,the author eventually brings the concept of separation between American

and non american people by mentioning “They want Obama to win because maybe finally
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somebody will cast a beautiful chocolate babe in a big budget rom com that opens in theaters all

over the country,not just three artsy theaters in new york city.You see,in American pop

culture,beautiful dark women are invisible.”(Adichie,pg 265)Ifemelu uses a political point of

view in order to show that women want Obama in the white house while remaining subjective

about things black women liked-including herself.The quote identifies with multicultural literacy

because she provides a subjective opinion about her own race in order to convey that certain

people of color would rather claim other cultures and nationalities instead of embracing their

own.This is important because it shows how the separation between both races of american and

nigerian people was why the author chose to demonstrate how barack obama would make

changes while being a person of color himself in order to work with black communities even if

American women may not necessarily like him.

Additionally,the book mentions "Dear non American black,when you make the choice to come

to America,you become black.Stop arguing.Stop saying I'm Jamaican or I'm Ghanaian.America

doesn't care."(Adichie,pg.273)Ifemelu makes it known that blackness is not found in africa

because the issue of racism is non existent.This quote reveals how the combination of African

and American cultures form unity,based on the difference between white people who don't look

for a deeper understanding before critical judgments and by Africans who would unite.It implies

that acceptance is important to one's' culture and appearance because she acknowledges that a
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person must accept The flaws in the U.S,which creates an allusion to her choice about leaving

America and moving back to Nigeria.

Lastly,the author acknowledges how separated the African and American cultures are by stating

“These white people think that everybody has their mental problems (Adichie,pg.302).”

The dialogue used by Ojiugo is referring to the way the west side of the country is different from

Nigeria when it comes to a person’s mental health. This develops the book’s connection to

multicultural literacy because it reveals how ifemelu and other Nigerian characters become

concerned about the different way the people outside of their country and race are more critical

and judgemental when it comes to differences between a person’s emotions and

experiences.They provide a diagnosis from a single point of view/story.This is important because

it demonstrates how the treatment Ojiugo received from people attending the same meeting as

her and the way she reacts to the comment of having internal issues had been formed based on

the way mental health was minimized in their Nigerian culture.

In conclusion,the book of Americannah is categorized as Multicultural literature while Adichie

uses different points in the story to effectively explain how important characters had to move

past a prejudiced society.

Works cited
Alfred A knof,Alfred A knopf Canada,2013