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-Historical
- political
- social
- literary
- personal (life experiences of the author)

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was born on September 15, 1977, in Enugu, Nigeria, and grew up in Nsukka.

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The narrator point of view in this novel is set in limited third person with a parallel plot, in which Ifemelu and Obinze are the main characters. This gives the reader a broad understanding their lives and the thoughts and feelings they have. By doing this, the reader is sometimes put in a position where they are one step ahead of the characters because they know the story from more than one perspective.

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What type of tone/atmosphere is created? 

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What type of tone/atmosphere is created? 

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A tone of "discontent" is established throughout the opening of the novel. Ifemelu is originally from Nigeria and has moved to America, as mentioned above, which leads to several challanges for Ifemelu. Moving between two completly different cultures is not easy for her, and it seems that the "amarican dream" doesn't suit her, longing back to her homeland Nigeria. One of the ways the author makes this evident is by presenting Ifemelu's blog where she critizes Americans for actions that annoys her. depending on the reader, the tone might make them uncomfterble, make them reflect on how attitudes and stereotypes that we hold, or maybe relate to the feeling of not fitting in whether it is in a culture or a group of people.

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The novel takes place in both America and Nigeria based on which person we are reading about. For Ifemelu, it takes place in New Jersey in the U.S, where she attends the Princeton university. However, we are also introduced to Obinze, who lives in Lagos, the catital if Nigeria, with his wife Kosi and son Buchi.

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I would say that the main themes include: Racism, romance, cultural differences, identity and the power of language.

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One of the main themes of this book is racism within the countries in which the book takes place: The U.S, England and Nigeria. In the intriduction, we are introduced to "Ifemelu" and her life in America as a Nigerian girl. She writes an anonymous blog about every day experiences in America, spreading awereness towards racism, through writing about her day-to-day experiences, and view on the American society. A lot of the racism that the characters experience is more subtle and structural. This shows how, in today's society, people experience racism but without any "obvious racists".

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The use of language is one of the key themes of this book. The main character Ifemelu observes and reflects on its power to shape identities and how it reveals the assumptions and prejudice held by the people she encounters, mainly in the U.S. One example of the power of language, takes form through the way different characters in the book manipulates their English to sound more American. Pronunciation in America is crucial for how one is perceived by other, demonstrated when Ifemelu is asked to show her ID instantly after she stops faking an American accent, and when she is told that an American English will improve her job opportunities. This raises awareness towards a relevant issue within mainstream America which is idea of a “correct English”. Similarly, Ifemelu’s envious father, bitter about his lower education, consciously speaks formal and "elevated" English, which Ifemelu describes as "his shield against insecurity", to ease his bitterness over the life he never got. On the other hand, the power of language is also demonstrated in more positive means through the ethnic language “Igbo” as a uniting force, that connects Ifemelu and Obinze together, exchanging small phrases while falling in love. This is also the language her father uses when he truly is himself and is able to relax, which shows how a mother tongue language is something very valuable and dear to us.

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The novel is written as a parallel plot, in which we get to know two former lovers who splits apart and moves away from Nigeria, each to different countries. Still, they both describe their longing for one another and what they had before they moved.

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Cultural identity is critically essential for the novel. For instance, Ifemelu struggles to fit in in America where she from an early stage longs back to Nigeria. Adichie makes sure to highlight how "American-black" culture is different from "African-black". Reading about how Ifemelu struggles to fit in gives the reader a picture of how important and complex culture is. This is also evident in the case of Dike, who even becomes suicidal because of his identity issues connected to his ethnicity.

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I believe that the novel adresses an inequality between gender issue in both Nigeria and America. This is most evident through the issue in which women in the book chose to subdue themselves because of the inequalities in society.

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Ifemelu is one of the main character and a protagonist in the novel. She grows up in a poor family and develops early a passion for reading. Her thougths often reflect on the way we use language and what it can say about our attitudes. I would say that her character is dynamic in the sence that she dares to actively stand up for her beliefs experiencing both abuse of power and racism in the U.S. towards the end of the book. On the other hand, her values and love for obince are more static. Ifemelu, in contrast to aunty Uju belives that true love and well-being is more important than success, which is evident in several of the choices she makes. For instance, she quits her well paid job, breaks up with her rich boyfriend, and chooses to live a life in Nigeria with less job opportunities. An important intrest of ifemelu is also her passion for writing her honest opinons on her blog, no matter how brutal they are.

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Obinze is both a main character and a protagonist in the story. As a child, he becomes obsessed with America and it's culture. He quickly falls in love with Ifemelu when he moves to the same town, and their love is so strong and consistent over the time they move apart. Obinze is a very intelligent man and he loves to read books, similarly to Ifemelu.

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Kosi is Obinze's wife in Nigeria and also the mother of their child. Obinze is not happy with their marrige, which she knows, and therfore become jealous of many of his interactins with women. At the end of the book, however, she appears to value the family staying toghether than the actual feelings between them.

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Ifemelu's mother is extremely religious and Ifemelu struggles to agree with all of her values and beliefs.

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first person = "I"
second person = "you should"
third person = "she/him/it"
omniscient third person = they see everything
limited third person = they are not completely all seeing
are they reliagble?
omniscient = having infinite awareness, understanding, and insight
woven = vevd
mercurial = changeble, unpredictable

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"she rested her head against hi and felt, for the first time, what she would often feel with him: a self -affection. He made her like herself. With him, she was at ease; her skin felt as though it was her right size."

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Ifemelu use the word "ceiling" as a secret reference to her and Obinze making love which only they know.
"i'm longing for ceiling". For this reason, Obinze thinks someting is wrong when she calls him "Obinze" and not "ceiling".

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"He scolded Ifemelu as a child for being recalcitrant, mutinous, intrasigent, words that made her little actions seem epic and almost prideworthy. But his mannered English bothered her as she got older, because it was a costume, his shield against insecurity. He was haunted by what he did not have- a postgraduate degree, an upper-middle-class-life - and so his affected words became his armour. She preffered it when he spoke Igbo; it was the only time he seemed unconscious of his anxieties."

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in Lagos, the harmattan was a mere veil of haze, but in Nsukka, it was a raging, mercurial presence; the mornings were crisp, the afternoons ashen with heat and the nights unknown. Dust whirls would start in the far distance, very pretty to look at as long as they were far away, and swirl until they coated everything brown. Even eyelashes. Everywhere, moisture would be greedly sucked up; the wood laminate on tables would peel off and curl, pages of exercise books would crackle and, clothes would dry minutes after being hung out, lips would crack and bleed, and Robb and Mentholatum kept within reach, in pockets and handbags. Skin would be shined with vaseline, while the forgotten bits- between the fingers or at the elbows- turned a dull ash. The churh bazaars would leave the air redolent, smoky from mass cooking. Some nights, the heat lay thick like a towel. Other nights, a sharp cold wind would descend, and Ifemelu would abandon her hostel room and, snuggled next to Obinze on his mattress, listen to whistling pines howling outside, in a world suddenly fragile and breakable.

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"Nigeria became where she was supposed to be, the only place she could sink her roots in without the constant urge to tug them out and shake off the soil"

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How important is cultural or historical context to the production and reception of a text?

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How important is cultural or historical context to the production and reception of a text?

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The author writing the text will perceive the world in a way that is  affeced by the culture and time she is braught up in. Since most books have a meaning, message or description of a theme, the way they adress it and their atitudes are most likely a result of their own experiences. The person reading the book might have a completly different point of view of the topic because  it is possible to read a book long after it's written and in different languages, meaning that one might experience the world from a whole different perspective, giving a broader understanding of the world.

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How do we approach texts from different times and cultures to our own?

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How do we approach texts from different times and cultures to our own?

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Personally, i believe that most people look at their own "reality" as the most "correct" and "safe" one because it is what we are used to, and as our knowledge about the world develop, our view of the world changes too. However, it is possible that people might change opinions and perspectives as they are able to see it from someone else*s persepctive.

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To what extent do texts offer insight into another culture?

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To what extent do texts offer insight into another culture?

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Texts are excellent for providing information about cultures, especially fiction texts where you can put youself into someone else's experience of it, not only the factual parts. On the other hand, most experiences are more impressive when you experience the physically, and not through a book.

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How does the meaning and impact of a text change over time?

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How does the meaning and impact of a text change over time?

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For me, the meaning of a book isn't always what the author intended when writing the book. The meaning is how we interpret it and apply it to our own context, which means that meanings can change over time and become more or less relevant.

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How do texts reflect, represent or form a part of cultural practices?

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How do texts reflect, represent or form a part of cultural practices?

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depending on the text and cultural practices, a text can provide information or ideas of how different characteristics and practices of cultures. "Americanah" is a great example of how the reader can be educated about the mindsets, use of language, hairstyle and lifestyles in Nigeria which are influenced by the author's experience from growing up in Nigeria herself.

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Adichie wrote the book while she was studying at Harvard University in Cambridge from 2011-2012. The book was published in 2013, winning several prices in retrospect.

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How does language represent social distinctions and identities?

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How does language represent social distinctions and identities?

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Language is a powerful tool for identity and social distinctions, considering that its something that is difficult to manipulate and is tied to the place and people you have grown up with. We use language all the time to communicate, and by listening sociolects, dialects and pronunciation, one can easily get an idea of their background without actually asking. Since language can be tied to groups of people, who we often have stereotypes of, our brain will start to form ideas and expectations based how they speak. This can have many negative consequences, especially if language is used to draw connections between wealth, ethnicity and such because people might discriminate on the basis of language.

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How do you think your text was influenced by this?

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How do you think your text was influenced by this?

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Ifemelu adresses many times throughout the book how people are longing for a life outside Nigeria, and "americanah" appears to be the dream. We hear about people trying manipulate their english, parents wanting their kids to have the british curriculum and lighter skin is viewed as more beautiful.

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Personally, i have learned a lot about a culture that i had little knowledge about. It is difficult for someone who has grown up in Norway to understand how it is to grow up in a country with a completely different culture. Reading about Ifemelu's thoughts and perseptions has broaden my understanding of African culture to a greater extent.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zt2g87h/revision/2

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Historical context: conflicts in Nigeria 

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Historical context: conflicts in Nigeria 

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Nigeria's independece from The British Empire in 1960 was followed by years of conlflicts, corruption and instability and causing several Nigerians to the U.S or "Americanah", looking for better oppertunities.

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The book is full of cultural references, such as the ethnic language "Igbo", which is written in tiny phrases throughout the book. Additionally, Ifemelu thinks about how the word "fat" has a total different meaning in Nigeria, than it has in the U.S.

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historical/political context: terror attack on the Twin towers

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historical/political context: terror attack on the Twin towers

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The terror attack on the twin towers in 2001 led to the creation of "Department of Homeland Security". The new department was assigned the job to scrutinize visas applications, and it became more difficult for Nigerians to get the Visa.

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racism: Ifemelu and Obince learnt about the ways racism is still to this day embedded in american and british society.

power of language: Ifemelu is a very reflective and observant woman who regocnizes how people around forms and maintain  their idintity through the use of dialecta, sociolects and pronunciations in general. Thus, realizing how powerful language can be and how it is closely related to identity.

Romance: both characters realized how strong true love can be, as they both found back to one another after several years in failed relationships and seperation by borders.

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racism: I would say that Ifemelu's motivation to fight against racism increased during the time she lived in America. In the end of her

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Language and stories allow us to think about and reflect over abstract concepts that can help us in our everyday life. For instance, one can come up with alternative scenarios that may happen to evaluate what will be the best option based on the possible outcomes. Stories are perfect for this because they allow us to create “alternative worlds” which we can observe, through reading, or create through writing.

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I would assume that the author is referring to our ability to use language to think of abstract concepts.

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The book told the story of Ifemelu’s experience with prostitution and sexual abuse which I have not experienced myself (hope I never will as well). It has given me a more nuanced perspective of prostitution as I now am more aware of how non-physical power can “force” people to do things they do not want to. This also made me realize how important stories are for sympathy as we can understand experiences to some extent without obtaining them in real life.

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They can be great for learning about racism because we can “live” the life of someone with a different reality. In this way, we somewhat understand how devastating racism is without experiencing it. I believe that this will have a counteractive effect on racism and bridge the polarization as a result of history.

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Easily said, casual determinism is the philosophical idea that everything that happens is a result of the past. For instance, one could argue that a murderer was destined to do the crime because of their past (upbringing, genes, etc.)

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If our upbringing and experiences are predominantly forming us as people, the reading and imagining alternative realities can work as an opposite force by expanding our alternatives. Therefore, it lets us evaluate what are the most morally correct thing to do.

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JFK made sure to write down alle the possible outcomes, and therefore, he was in a better position to evaluate the best response.

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Byrne argued, similarly to the JFK example, that counterfactuals are great for broadening our options and evaluating more deeply based on several causes.

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1.    Stories allows us to imagine unlimited alternative realities vividly which can be beneficial for our self-reflection.

2.    Alternative realities broaden and strengthen our evaluation because we have more arguments based on imagination to evaluate our choices and opinions.

3.    Taking time to engage in alternative worlds is a particularly human trait. Ospreys do not go to operas, nor monkeys to movies.

4.    Humans are the only species that can use our language skills to imagine alternative realities and think of abstract concepts.

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Our abilities to evaluate the best option by imagining alternatives is something that computers and machines are not able to do as effectively as humans yet. This is an essential ability which also helps us to face global challenges, such as climate change.

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Aunty Uju is Ifemelu's aunt who moves from Nigeria to the U.S before Ifemelu moves in with her for a period later in the book. She chooses to live a life style, both in America and Nigeria, by the philosophy of "licking the ass" of powerful and rich people to gain success hesrelf. The ways she does this is by undergoing beauty treatments and choosing to live a subdued life in return for money and comfort.

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Ginika is portrayed as Ifemelu's "americanized" friend, who become skinny with an american accent when she moves to America. In contrast to Ifemelu, Ginika adapts to the american culture quickly and drastically.

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Curt is the cousin of Ifemelu's first employer, who later becomes her boyfriend. He is a wealthy white man who changes Ifemelu's lifestyle to become the american dream with luxury vacations and household. Their relationship falls apart when the cultural difference becomes too much for Ifemelu because Curt can't fully understand how difficult it is for her to live in America.

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Blaine is the "perfectionist" and the "american-black" activist boyfriend of Ifemelu after breaking up with Curt. He is highly educated and lives a healthy lifestyle with organic food and exercise. Their relationship also falls apart, and this time because his principles simply becomes too much for Ifemelu.

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Dike is the son of aunty Uju and the general who moves grows up in America withour his dead father. He struggles a lot with an identity crisis due to racism, lack of father figure and cultural belonging.

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A military general in Nigeria, who had some affairs with aunty Uju and became the father of Dike. He controls and treats auty Uju dismissively. His death takes place in Nigeria where he dies in a plane crash.

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the tennis coach is tha man that pays Ifemelu for her sexual service. Ifemelu is in a deperate position, in which she can't pay for housing nor food, and offers her service as her last resort. The Coach abuses her from his position of power and causes traumatic damage on ifemelu's self image.

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Ifemelu's hair is a symbol is a symbol for her identity and how its "natural" hairstyle is the best for her. In this way, the author is trying to convey that its meaningless to alter one's personality to fit in cause its meant to be in its natural form.

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The peacocks in the end of the book can symbolise the relation relation between Obinze and Ifemelu. For instance, the female pecock rejects the beautiful male peacock, similarly to how Ifemelu rejects whalthy and successfull obinze when he isn't willing to comit fully to their relationship. This contrasts to the rest of the book where it is always the woman that subdue herself for the man.

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the author shows how the truth can become a luxury when lies feels necessary for Ifemelu and Obinze to cope with their new life abroad.