Provocation

Chapter 1 of Americanah is filled with questions, recognitions and hesitations to being acclimated in new cultures. This theme can also be a lesson for readers as well. Ifemelu has recognitions of differences in herself and cultural surroundings as she travels through New York City from New Jersey to go to a new hair salon.  As she travels through New York City, she finds a sense of relief that other black passengers get on the train with her. However, she notices that white passengers get on as well. She is not particularly use to this because everyone from her town in New Jersey is white and thin whereas back in Nigeria, everyone is just the opposite. Coming to America has made her realize that she missed home in Nigeria and wants to travel back. After the encounter with the man at the grocery store calling her “fat”, her self confidence began to slowly spiral and she stopped writing on her blogs. Ifemelu realizes that it is time to go home as she breaks up with her current american boyfriend, Blaine. “It brought with it amorphous longings, shapeless desires, brief imaginary glints of other lives she could be living, that over the months melded into a piercing homesickness” (Adichie 7).

Ifamelu begins to realize very early on in the book that she does not want to live in America anymore and that she misses her old life. What do you think was the ultimate factor for her to decide that she wants her old life back?

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. Americanah. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 2013.

Provocation

I found the section in chapter 4 where Obinze transfers into the new school and is quickly admitted into the clan of the “Big guys” most interesting. Obinze was forced to transfer schools after his mother fought another professor. Rumors quickly spread about his mother and what happened. Obinze, with all this going on still had a calm air and inwardness which made him even more intriguing. The “Big guys” are the most popular guys in the school. They never tucked in their shirts which always got them into trouble until Obinze did.  “Obinze came to school every day with his shirt neatly tucked in and soon all the Big Guys tucked in, too, even, Kayode DaSilva, the coolest of them all.” (Adichie 66). I found this quote interesting because I feel this situation would be very different here in the United States. For the new guy in school to come in and not only to be part of the popular group but change the things they do by just being himself is something you don’t see all the time. Most of the time we see that individual change to fit in, for example, Obinze would go in to school with his shirt untucked.

Do you think Obinze would be accepted by the most popular guys in the school and change their bad habits if he was in America?

Provocation Group 1 Post

I found the section in chapter 5 about Ifemelu meeting Obinze’s mother, especially the conversation about sex, love, and forplanning interesting. The two teens tried to trick her, wanting to have intimacy while the Mother was breifly away. The conversation when she calls them on it upon her return is private and with only Ifemelu is not condemning or judgemental, but calm, serious, and caring. She pionts out the responsibility of the act, and gave Ifemelu advice to “My advice is that you wait. You can love without making love. It is a beautiful way of showing your feelings but itbrings responsibility, great responsibility, and there is no rush. I will advise you to waituntil you are at least in the university, wait until you own yourself a little more.(Adichie 1241). She also adressed that though the responisbility is on both parties the woman always bears more due to biology. It was upsetting to hear her say Ifemelu had to convince Obinze to agree to wait, and odd to have her ask to know when they start.

I found both a lot of good and some hard truths in this, that women do bear more responsibility because we carry, but both hold responsibility. My question to everyone is what were your reactions to this section/opinion on it, from the ideals about how sex can be an amazing way to show love but should be reserved fro after you know yourself, to the conflicting message of it being the responibility of both genders while only talking to Ifemelu and putting the onus on her to convince Obinze to wait?

Citation: Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. Americanah. Alfred A. Knopf, 2017.

Provocation Assignment – Group 1

I decided to do my assignment on Chapter 4 of Americanah. So far I really have liked the book, but I thought chapter 4 was the most relatable. Obinze is a new guy in school who was supposed to be interested in Ginka. Kayode, who decides to set Obinze up with Ginka, which is Ifemelu’s best friend. There is a party and all, Kayode, Ifemelu, Ginka and Obinze is attending. Obinze is introduced to both Ginka and Ifemelu and is more intrigued with Ifemelu than Ginka. They keep talking and Infemelu even states that, she wants to breathe the air that Obinze breathes. Infemelu says “Your guys will kill you. You’re supposed to be chasing her.(Adichie, 72)”, Obinze says “I’m chasing you. (Adichie, 72) ” This quote I thought was provoking due to the fact that Obinze is interested in Ifemelu even though he is destined to be with Ginka. Obinze also tells her what happened between his mom and the professor and why he had to change schools. This means that Obinze is really trusting Infemelu with some of his family secrets.

 

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. Americanah. Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, 2017.

Question: Do you think Obinze’s mother was fired due to the fact she fought the university policy?

Provocation Assignment – Group 1

I wanted to do my provocation on a piece of the second chapter of Americanah. A part of this chapter really intrigued me, and it was about Obinze’s story about how he became successful in the real estate business and how his relationship with Chief began. Obinze met chief through his cousin Nneoma. Chief was a very rich man who bought and sold properties for profit. When Obinze first met Chief, it was for a dinner at Chief’s massive home. He noticed that Chief talked about whatever he wanted, and his guests merely agreed with whatever he said. Obinze then began regularly hanging out with Chief and waited for his opportunity to become an associate of Chief. This then led to Obinze reaching out to Chief and offering his services. Chief replied with how he was going to buy seven properties all for one million each, and then sell them for fifty million because he knew that’s what they were worth. He then offered Obinze to join him on this deal. Nneoma was happy for Obinze and says to him “And after you register your own company, you must find a white man. Find one of your white friends in England. Tell everybody he is your general manager. You will see how doors will open up for you because you have an oyinbo general manager. Even Chief has some white men that he brings in for show when he needs them. That’s how Nigeria works. I’m telling you.” (Adichie 15). This quote from Nneoma is very striking and interesting to me. Nneoma is exposing a racial issue within this culture/industry. She’s saying that you haven’t “made it” like Chief, until you have white men working for you. Even if the role that the white man is in, isn’t a real, significant role.

How do you feel about this? Is this a representation of Obinze’s character? Do you think this might have a greater impact later in the story line?

 

 

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi, and Hilde Stubhaug. Americanah. Gyldendal, 2014.