Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel, “Americanah," is one of the few novels I’ve read that has actually makes me feel uncomfortable with the feelings about my identity and personal experiences in America, particularly my relationships with Caucasians. This is not necessarily a negative or positive direction, but the content of the novel itself holds up a mirror whose reflection can be a little embarrassing for those of us who can relate.
As a person of African descent, Caribbean descent, as well as an American, the various levels of identity that are portrayed, as well as the experiences as defined by the main character Ifemelu in her online blog blurbs and as her personal story, are wholly accurate as to what it is REALLY like to be Black in America. There are experiences that are forced upon us due to our race; these are the kinds of experiences that people don’t want to talk or know about. To me, not all novels or authors can do what Chimamanda Adichie has done with "Americanah." I know it is not what the novel is completely about, but I think it captures an aspect of race relationships not usually seen in the world at large and it captures that well.
In the beginning of the novel, Ifemelu creates her blog “Raceteenth," a blog of observations about American Blacks, formerly known as “Negroes," from a perspective of a Non-American Black, but also other kinds of people too. I myself can relate to her perspective on the Black American; even though I actually am Black American, I am the first generation to be raised as such, as my family comes from Haiti. Also, as a Black American who is not fully Black American, I have been defined by my peers, by people of other races, and ultimately by myself, as a person who is outside of the Black American community. At first, it felt like ostracism; I felt like I didn’t belong with the people who look like me. However, I have learned to see this as a source of strength and use it to gain a more objective perspective on the Black identity in all aspects and various diasporas, regardless of who is expressing it.
For example, I completely understood what the White, dreadlocked man character in the novel is really about. I was shocked by the blurb that Ifemelu wrote, “Not all dreadlocked White American guys are down." She says this because he said to her that race is overhyped right now, Black people need to get over themselves (not all races, but Black people). Class conflict is about the haves and the have-nots, or the rich and those who are not rich. I find this fascinating because this is a man who has taken on a stereotypically Black mode of dress in terms of his hair, and yet he uses it to define himself as a have-not. He himself equates being a have-not, or poor, with being Black. He also retains his racial prejudices of White superiority and racial conflict denial. It is both humorous and sad. You would think that a White man with dreadlocks would be someone who is “down with the brothas” and would be standing side by side with Blacks fighting the man, or ethnic hierarchy, and understand the struggle. However, it turns out that even if a White person takes on Afro-centric ways, it does not mean they are embracing of African culture or the Black community. See? That is uncomfortable to see as a Black person. Just look at Eminem.
Ifemelu also touches upon how uncomfortable White Americans are with African energy and ways in America. Why is it that Kim, Ifemelu’s affluent employer, always feels the need to characterize all the Black people she knows as “beautiful” simply because they are Black? Also in the novel, Kim is so uncomfortable with how much she has in relation to Black people in America, she and her husband try to help out a poor African village IN AFRICA and she feels constantly apologetic towards them. I like Kim as a character, however. Through being bullied by everyone in her life, I think Kim represents the positive side of why people so want the American Dream: she simply wants to have a happy family, love her husband, and to try and be a good person through doing charity. I can’t help but wonder, though; would Kim and her family be as “gracious” about Blacks if they were dealing with a Black family on the same economic level? The way the man who came to clean their carpets and treated Ifemelu with contempt and jealousy when he thought she was in a better situation than him strongly comes to mind.
Eventually, Ifemelu enters a relationship with Kim’s brother Curt, and I am still not too clear on whether or not the relationship between Curt and Ifemelu is a “legitimate” relationship. I use the term legitimate as a way to describe whether or not Ifemelu is being fetishisized as a non-White by Curt in their relationship. His manner towards her as he was pursuing her gave me the impression that he was very turned on by the fact she is Black. Also, I was put off by the jokes both Ifemelu and Curt made about him dating “the help." Both of them seem to want to skirt around the cultural aspects and issues that play into their relationship that makes jokes like that not so funny, as he is actually dating “the help." On the other hand, I do feel like some part of their relationship is “true," and it makes me hope for them to work out even though I feel that she will probably end up with Obinze, who she leaves behind in Nigeria. He seems to legitimately care about Ifemelu, judging by his concern and his outrage at the burns she retains from trying to straighten her hair. I also thought it was nice how after Ifemelu emailed Obinze saying that she is sorry that she lost contact with him and then talks to Curt and calls him a sweetheart, and he says “I’d rather be the love of your life,” subtly hinting that he would like hold Obinze’s place in her life even though he doesn’t know about him yet (there are hints that he became suspicious after questioning her about Oyade and how vague she was about it). Ultimately, I think Ifemelu’s romantic relationships are a profound metaphor which is not fully clear yet, and will be integral to the conclusions Ifemelu will make at the end of the novel.