Americanah is a 2013 novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie that revolves around the concepts of race and how social constructs about the issue affects people. In the novel demonstrates how gender and race completely change and shape the identity of an individual. Through the plot and the themes present in the novel, it is evident that many immigrants face a lot of challenges and go through acculturation and adaptation process. These processes help them create new identities necessary for their interactions in the new society. Ifemelu is a main character in the novel that faces a lot of challenges after leaving Nigeria to study in Philadelphia. However, she later moves to America and begins to conform to the American culture forming a new identity. This paper will, therefore, analyze how Ifemelu’s character, class, and gender identities change due to the social and cultural pressure she faces in her life.
Ifemelu comes from Nigeria and her life is full of struggles since her family is not rich. Conversely, Ifemelu comes from a closely knitted family and her distant relatives visit often. Adichie intentionally uses the international background to explain the life of the children in the Nigerian schools. The students in the Nigerian schools all have international experience, orientation, and dreams. For example, in the novel, the children read British literature, and some of the students visit their relatives abroad and share their vacation experiences in school (Adichie 42). Adichie in these ideas illustrates that the western culture due to the colonization process partly influences the Nigerian Identity that Ifemelu possesses. A race is a dominant theme in identity construction and states that race is still an issue in America. Ifemelu while talking to the friends of her boyfriend Blaine says that,’ I did not think of myself as black and I only became black when I came to America. When you are black in America and fall in love with a white person, race doesn’t matter when you’re alone together because it’s just you and your love (Adichie 290). This statement is true for when she walks with her boyfriend Curt while buying her hair products they face racial commentaries form a man who states that Curt is with Ifemelu for her wild and exotic hair (Adichie, 213)
Ifemelu faces a lot of problems due to her race, she finds it hard to get a job, when at Kimberley’s home during the parties all the white people talked to her about their charities and the negative labels they had about Africa. Ifemelu is angry that the white people do not know Africa at all, she is angry for the generalizations they have, For example when she is asked she feel bad coming from the part of the continent that people only receive and wishes to be part of the people that give (Adichie, 114). These desires lead her to change her appearance, way of talking and eventually lead her to create a blog where she talks about her frustrations and observations. She gets into relationships with white men who make her life comfortable and she is able to get work in exchange of sexual favors.
Physical characteristics are critical in the expression and construction of an individual’s identity. In this novel, Adichie places also of importance in the hair of the characters as an identity. Ifemelu describes her mother hair as glorious when the novel begins. From a very early age Ifemelu has the habit of wearing braids in her hair, she still continues to do braids on her hair even when she moves to the United States. However, when she lands a new job she has to make changes before she attends a job interview. The way she wears her hair is a significant factor that determines if she will get the job or not. Her aunt Uju suggests that she should straighten her hair to ensure that she gets the job. Ifemelu agrees and goes ahead to make her hair relaxed and straight since her natural hair is not professional in America (Adichie 296). After the procedure, the hairdresser states that she has the ‘white-girl swing’ (Adichie). Even though this move saddens Ifemelu she has no choice but to fit the new identity to survive in this new society. Ifemelu gives different accounts of how a straightened hair is an important factor in the Western social sphere. For an instance, Ifemelu talks of the African American models who before magazine shoots wear their natural hair and the after photos show them in straightened hair. This change that Ifemelu makes on her hair clearly affects her outlook and personality as an African American woman. Immediately after straightening her hair, Ifemelu states that she feels sad because she feels like she has killed a part of herself. Curt her boyfriend at the time does not approve the move and wishes she would not have changed her hair texture for the interview (Adichie 136). The change, fortunately, is not permanent for Ifemelu after she notices that her hair is falling she cuts it and tries to grow it natural again. This incidence teaches Ifemelu how to embrace her identity as an African woman. Her hair helps her construct her identity in the Western society, to ensure she gets a job and rises above the stereotypes against her hair texture and style. Even when she decides to go back to Nigeria Ifemelu goes ahead to wear braids again on her hair, therefore, embracing her true African Identity.
A race is a critical component in the social constructs of many immigrants in America. This is quite palpable in the perceptions Americans have about people from different countries around the world. In the United States, all African Americans are just black and their previous ethnicity or nationality does not matter at all. For example, when Ifemelu uses a different person work permit her aunt reminds her, that white people believe that all black people are the same (Adichie 120). Ifemelu has to deconstruct her identity as a Nigerian woman and identify as an African American woman in the United States. For example, in an opening statement for her blog she affirms, “Dear Non-American Black, when you make the choice to come to America, you become black. Stop arguing. Stop saying I’m Jamaican or Ghanaian. America doesn’t care. So what if you weren’t ‘black’ in your country? You’re in America now” (Adichie, 220). On the contrary, as much as the white people recognize African Americans as Black they also try not to recognize the race of other people. They have a social consensus of assuming the racial disparity present in their country. While babysitting for Kimberly, Ifemelu notices this notion when Kimberley refers to a model on a magazine cover as a beautiful woman. Ifemelu disagrees with the projection and states that ‘not every black person is beautiful’ (Adichie 147). She is aware that Kimberley notices that the woman is black but is not comfortable saying the word since they have to ignore people race. Ifemelu’s statement shows that she is quite aware of the racial constructs and she no longer wishes to fight about her nationality and ethnicity but identify as the black person she is in America.
Language as a tool for communication is vital in defining the cultural aspects of a society. How people speak, when they speak, the style of communication is important for interaction. Immigrants have to learn all aspects of their host country including the accents and vocabulary to successfully create new identities. Ifemelu has a hard time not only in changing her physical appearance but also carefully considering the choice of words while speaking. She adapts rapidly on the approved and recommended American vocabulary. In her classes, she learns what words are offensive to Americans and stops using the words they use in Nigeria. For an instance, in the story, Ifemelu learns that the word half-caste in America is distasteful and negative but, in Nigeria, the word is widely used since it has a positive meaning to the people. Many characters in the novel take new accents in their communication completely taking new identities through their language and diction. Obinze despite living in Nigeria speaks with an American accent. Even though his mother prefers the British English, Obinze has an affinity of American English and literature. Obinze is quite good at the accent that he also helps and suggests reading materials for Ifemelu to help her in her accent and in the integration journey. Obinze accents stem from the fact that he has admired being an American and the United States for a long time. He even fancies close association with the Americans. For example in the book, “You look like a black American” is the definite compliment he adores. (Adichie 67). When Ifemelu arrives in America she has a hard time communicating with other students in her school. She first feels inadequate in English communication and the perception people have that she cannot speak English makes her feel bad. For example, in the narrative, Chimamanda explains the arrival of Ifemelu in the United States. When she is registering for her classes one of the personnel at the registration table speaks quite slowly when addressing Ifemelu. Ifemelu thinks that the lady has a speech defect however she later realizes that the woman thinks she does not speak English due to her Nigerian accent Adichie. From this incident Ifemelu carries with her feelings of disdain and shame which propels Ifemelu to diligently practice the American accent. Adichie (173) posit that Ifemelu dedicates her time to carefully analyze how Newscasters and her friends speak. She also puts the effort in incorporating the consciousness that accompanies the accent performance. Adichie states that learning the accent was not an ordinary thing since ‘it was an act of will. It took an effort, the twisting of the lip, the curling of the tongue’ (Adichie 173). Ifemelu becomes so fluent in the American accent and way of speaking that people do not even notice she is an African. For example, when she applies for a telemarketing job, the operator notices that her English an accent is quite perfect. The accent mesmerizes the operator does not who recognizes the effort and commends Ifemelu for the effort. In another instance in the salon, a woman enters the salon and has a good command of the American accent. So many people in the salon are surprised and even praise her for the achievement (Adichie). This illustration that Chimamanda uses shows how an accent is important in forming new identities. When people acquire the accents of their host countries they feel like part and parcel of the new culture. Language and accents help people feel adequate in their ability to communicate, boosts confidence, and aids in smooth interaction and integration in new cultures. Ifemelu affirms that “he spoke the kind of American English that she had just given up, the kind that made race pollsters on the telephone assume that you were white and educated” (Adichie 177). The American accent is not only a tool for integration it also changed the perception the whites had on Africa Americans. With this accent, people believed that an individual is actually well educated.
The American accent change is not permanent for Ifemelu just like the alteration she performs on her hair. When the operator for the telemarketing company congratulates Ifemelu she feels empty and shameful. She realizes that sounding like an American is not a moment of glory for her; it only illuminates her desperation to belong in a culture that does not define her as a person. She promptly switches back to her Nigerian accent and embraces her identity as a Nigerian in the United States. She comprehends that the accent performance is not only exhausting but also seems to erase her identity as a Nigerian which is not a choice for her.
In conclusion, the book shows that race is a dominant feature in identity construction, however as much as Ifemelu tries to create a new self she abandons the character and embraces her Nigerian cultural self. The social and cultural constructs in the American society compel Ifemelu to change herself, later on, she feels ashamed of discarding her distinct Nigerian characteristics for the American personality. In the end, Ifemelu holds on to her Nigerian identity.
Works Cited
Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. Americanah. Gyldendal A/S, 2014.
