This four page study breakdown features themes broken down with examples from the book and quotes to match. It is also accompanied by a few blog quotes. This will help you write any Americanah essay with ease. I know how much it just helped me in my July exam.
Themes Race and Racism Identity Romantc ove Separaton vs. Connecton Culitural Critcism Hair
(Differences)f
In ithe STI Racial Hierarchy Ifemelu IFEME U AND OBINZE Ifemelu (America)f and Nigeria v America Hair = IDENTITY & SE F-
Novel in Nigerian Culiture -“vivid honesity” Obinze (England)f are WORTH
( ighit-skinned or -“[sharp] words” Their own relatonship: physically separaited, buit Nigerian adulits are critcal
Mixed-race people = -“self saboitager” -initellecitual much laiter in ithe novel ithey of ithe behaviour of Identity crisis
more atractve)f -“subsumed by her -challenging reconnecit. American children,
England & America = blog” -open and honesit apparenitly Ifemelu’s sitruggles in
High racism Obinze -EQUA POWER Culitural/religious separaton coming ito iterms wiith
African-Americans vs. -“calm and -Similar minded (boith The separaton from Adichie is critcal of how hair has ito change
American-Africans ithoughtul” Nigerian)f “American/ Wesitern Nigerian corrupton and ito fit in and “succeed”
Race in differenit parits -“honesit” diseases” like Aunity Uju maiterialism. (“crippled by (mirrors Ifemelu’s
of ithe world Togeither, ithey grow In conitrasit ito refusing ito acknowledge culiture of dependence”)f personal identity crisis
respectvely ito fnd Ifemelu and Curit Dike’s depression preitending Nigerian obsession wiith in USA)f
Obinze = mocked for itheir own places in -Curit had ithe power (job iit doesn’it exisit, Ifemelu’s ithe Wesit (sending kids ito Braids =
scrapping knee = ithe world initerview “favour”, he moither (supersttous)f and Wesitern schools, “unprofessional”
“knee-grow” had ithe money eitc)f so ithe corrupton in Nigeria (Uju everyone swoons over ithe (culitural pressures for
Treaited like shiit as AS TEENAGERS Ifemelu no and The General)f, people who come back black women)f
immigranit Ifem = smarit & independance from America/UK,
ouitspoken -Undersitanding of black Culitural and academic “mummy” incidenit – I’s Ifemelu embracing
Ifem = people amused In America = seen as v whiite (incl culitural separaton in Blaine and Dad)f naitural hair symbolises
ithait ithe whiite curit ouitsider, sitruggles differences)f – defniite Ifemelu’s relatonship her coming ito iterms
would wanit ito daite her wiith identity, itakes disconnecit/ wiith herself and her
(micro aggressions: on American accenit, misundersitanding Racial & culitural separaton Nigerians critcal of identity
Receptonisit – speaks sitraighitens hair, beitween ithe itwo beitween Ifemelu and Curit Wesitern diseases, ithings
slowly – paitronising; fake ID ito look for (magazine incidenit)f (moneitary)f like depression are Happilykinkynappy.co
‘we don’it do curly’; work as she only has immune ito Nigerian m
situdenit visa – laiter Ifemelu and Blaine Connectons communites (Dike and
generalisatons – don’it gains confdence & -Boith academics, buit she Nigel (general manager)f and depression)f
do voodoo, Kelsey: ‘I’m embraces felit oithered amongsit Obinze
going ito Africa’ , black nigerianness. Daites him, his friends and Shan Ifemelu and Dike, Ifemelu Whiite liberal Americans
people love whiite curit, earns (Blaine’s sisiter)f and Curit, Ifemelu and who like ito critcize itheir
waitermelon and scholarship ito -African-American v Kimberely (whiite employer own counitries buit don’it
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