are both treated with suspicion and experience great difficulty surviving in their respective countries. Through both Ifemelu and Obinze’s stories, Americanah also shines a light on the numerous difficulties faced by immigrants in Western countries. As Adichie, however, illustrates throughout the course of the book, this discomfort of Americans, namely White Americans, to discuss race-related issues is one of the major roadblocks to racial equality. You’re supposed to pretend that you don’t notice certain things.” In that response, one of the primary issues with American society is succinctly summarized: as a nation, we prefer to ignore topics that make us uncomfortable, especially when those topics pertain to race. After the exchange, Ifemelu, who has only recently come to the U.S., asks Ginika “Why didn’t she just ask ‘Was it the black girl or the white girl?’” Ginika’s response is right on the nose: “Because this is America. The cashier then asks if it was the one with dark hair, and after Ginika just smiles, the cashier says that she’ll just figure out who it was later. The cashier first asks if it was the attendant with long hair, to which Ginika replies that they both had long hair. It describes a scene in which Ifemelu and her friend, Ginika, are asked by the cashier at a clothing store which store attendant helped them. There is a passage on page 155 that stands out to me in particular. and U.K., and personal identity.Īdichie’s observations about race in America are spot on. The novel touches upon an array of important and relevant topics, including race, immigrant experiences in the U.S. There is a lot to unpack from Americanah. TLDR: Americanah is a masterfully written novel about race and identity that you should add to the top of your to-read list.
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