Chiamamanda's novel "Americanah" about race, beauty, immigration . The experience of African American in the U.S. A.

1. CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE

Born in Nigeria, 1977

Has recently become a very popular
writer

Her fiction is described as “social
realism” , i.e. very politically and
socially aware

She recreates the historical past of
her country also relying on stories told
by her family members close
connection to her Igbo history

Has been labelled AFROPOLITAN:
label used for young cosmopolitan
writerswho have roots in Africa even
though migrated to other countries

2. Americanah, 2013
•
it’s not an autobiographical novel, but some episodes
relate to her experience in the U.S. as a black woman
•
Ifemelu (the protagonist) is also an Afropolitan
•
It deals with attitudes in the U.S. towards issues such
as : race, immigration and beauty the impact they
have on Ifemelu’s psyche
•
it’s an immigrant story
•
The term “Americanah”: in the novel is referred to
immigrants who have returned to Nigeria from the U.S.A
and have assimilated some aspects of American culture
(food, accent,...)

3. Ifemelu : an identity formation process

She is an undergraduate Nigerian student

She moves to the U.S. in order to finish her degree

Feels an outsider in the U.S.

Has to learn what it means to be black and African black in
America

She uses a blog to reflect on racial issues and everyday
difficulties of the African American community

She decides to return to Nigeria despite her success reached in
the U.S.

The result: Ifemelu’s experience in U.S. is a SELF-
DISCOVERY and a RESHAPING OF HER IDENTITY

She proves that “race” still matters today in the U.S. , a country
which self-proclaims “colour-blind!

4. IFEMELU’S BLOG
“ I came from a country where race was not an issue. I did not
think of myself as a black and I only became black when I came
to America [...]”
“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.”
“Maybe it’s time to just scrap the word “racist.” Find something
new. Like Racial Disorder Syndrome. And we could have different
categories for sufferers of this syndrome: mild, medium, and
acute.”

5. Ifemelu’s posts …

Cynical and sarcastic tone

Show many stereotypes of American people associated with
blackness

Are written to help other Non-American Black face the same
process she underwent

Deal with aspects associated with blackness of which non-
black people are usually unaware but that are closely connected
to the concept of race and its perception

These aspects are: SKIN COLOUR and IMPORTANCE OF
HAIR AND HAIRDOS
Ifemelu asserts in a post entitled “Is Obama Anything but Black?”:
“Race is not genotype; race is phenotype […] is absurd
because it’s about how you look. Not about the blood you
have. It’s about the shade of your skin and the shape of
your nose and the kink of your hair”

6. BEAUTY Ifemelu proves that black women are
subjected to Western standards of Beauty
ROLE OF THE MEDIA :
- they widespread an ideal of Beauty which correspond to WHITE
BEAUTY
- very limited representation of non – white women
- magazines give advice in make -up and hair care not adequate for
black women
SKIN COLOUR + HAIR TEXTURE
THE TWO MOST VISIBLE CHARACTERISTICS
that indicate racial differences
And to which ideals of Beauty are attached

7. “Three black women in two thousand pages of
women’s magazines […] Not one of them is dark. Not
one of them looks like me...” Ifemelu’s post
COLOURISM

Ifemelu observes that
media prefer lighter-
skinned over dark-
skinned women

Light-skinned have
actually greater chances
both in marriage and
employment in the U.S.

Increasing sales of
products that promise to
“whiten” skin (skin
bleaching creams)
HAIR MATTERS
•
hair is closely associated
with beauty + femininity
•
Black women: want to
approach white
standards by altering
hair
•
Hair: big business
within African American
and black communities

8. WHY HAIR MATTERS...
 White hair: described
as long, straight, soft,
wavy denotes
beauty and pride
 Natural black women
hair: kinky
 RELAXERS:
chemical substance
that straightens
curled black kinky
hair
 Unfortunetely

9. Ifemelu … also goes through a journey of her own
with her hair

She used to wear braids after her arrival

She is called for a job interview and advised to
lose them and straighten her hair

She decides to use a relaxer at home

then she decides to go to a hairdresser’s

Eventually she decides to love and care for
her natural (short kinky) hair
BUT these reactions show how she is judged
according to white standards of beauty and
acceptability and how black women are

10. Concluding...

Americanah : explores issues of racial identity
and beauty and how these concepts can affect
self-esteem
About these ideas see also:
Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o
https://youtu.be/ZPCkfARH2eE
referring to the idea of self-hatred experienced by
many black women because of the impossibility
to find relatable images on the media.

11. Chimamanda N. A. on Race and Hair during a
show in the U.S.
https://youtu.be/-n8LtRi2i8c?t=301