The Theme Of Social Issues In Americanah By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

1164 Words3 Pages

Nobody lives in the same world as anybody else. Everyone perceives the world in their own unique way. These perceptions can differ according to upbringing, the society in which one lives, religious beliefs, etc. However, people are not the only ones who hold view the world. Societies in themselves develop social standards, stereotypes, or labels to categorize different people in, whether that is due to race, religion, or any other reason. These general categories can make identifying problems like racism, sexism, etc. more difficult to address because it limits real conversations about the issues at hand. Discussing problems from a removed perspective can be challenging, but it is crucial in addressing these social problems. The novel Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, creates this third space of conversation in which she is able to analyze the roots of many of these problems, not from a Nigerian perspective or an American perspective, but rather a new articulated conscious
Ifemelu loved to be direct and tell things how they really were. She did not like to sugar coat things and she often found it irrational when others did so. Ifemelu was able to create her third space using critical analysis, her willingness to have conversation, and her blog. Ifemelu was able to see things from a unique perspective given her background. She grew up in Nigeria, but moves to America in early adulthood. Ifemelu stayed in America for 13 years, but then decided that she wanted to return home. Ifemelu was able to analyze these social problems because she saw each perspective as subjective, and not actually the truth. Ifemelu only observed the reality of situations. She was able to recognize the different influences that drive many stereotypes. By transcending this Ifemelu was able to reach the core of many issues by allowing repressed thoughts to flow

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