"Americanah" Week Two (Ch. 8 - 14)

Week 2! Since I started reading this book before deciding to make my Book Club thread, y'all will be seeing several updates over the next two weeks. Join in the discussion for Chapters 8-14! **It is also to be noted that "Americanah" is adult fiction, so please be advised.**

Ch. 8: Week Two starts off with a very short chapter that focuses on how Ifemelu ended up in America in the first place. Ifemelu and Obinze are third years at the University of Nigeria at Nsukka and unable to attend school due to the university worker strikes. Both apply to schools in America and for American visas, but only Ifemelu is granted one. Adichie makes it a point to get across that this is just after the 9/11 attacks, which is why Obinze is refused a visa. The shortness of the chapter really puts emphasis on how much of a whirlwind the entire process was to Ifemelu, especially after how mundane her life had been with no classes. My favorite part of the chapter is how vulnerable Ifemelu is written as she is moving to the other side of the world. I've found her very guarded and cold up until this point, so it's good to see a rawer side to her.

Ch. 9: Keeping with Ifemelu, this chapter focuses on her arrival to the U.S. and how her expectations are really let down. Granted, Ifemelu's expectations are hyped up by her family (especially Aunty Uju, who had been living in America and never talked about her struggles) and Obinze, who is obsessed with all things American. The harshness of reality is an aspect that I really appreciate because it gives a real view of what America actually is. Not the magical, amazing world that TV shoves down our throats and gives people flawed expectations of what life in America is like for the majority of people. Ifemelu is shown the reality when she sees how run-down and weary Aunty Uju is when she is picked up from the airport, and not someone who has it all. Aunty Uju never shared her hardships (failing the bar, struggling to make ends meet, etc) with the family, so when Ifemelu sees the hardships that Aunty Uju is facing, she doesn't know what to think and is very confused. There's also the contrast between how Ifemelu did things in Nigeria and how things are done in America. The main contrast shown is when Ifemelu is trying to cook hot dogs the Nigerian way (in hot oil) and not listening to Dike, who doesn't eat the hot dogs because they "weren't made right". It's a very small and simple moment (I initially didn't really think too much of it until my friends talked about it), but it really showcases how Ifemelu is going through culture shock - and not in a good way. I think this is when seeds of discontentment start to grow, since they were already there, to begin with.

Ch. 10: Another short chapter that goes into how Ifemelu's first summer abroad and her shifting views on America. Her optimism, in the beginning, starts to wane as she watches the news and hears about all the crime happening in the area she lives in with Aunty Uju and Dike (this is in Brooklyn). Her optimism fades even further when her friendly neighbor's husband hits on her and makes her feel so uncomfortable that she tries to not leave the apartment. She tries to talk to Aunty Uju, but she says that she is freaking out over nothing and letting the fear take ahold of her. I genuinely do feel bad for Ifemelu in this moment because she is terrified and she can't really talk to anyone about it because either they (such as her parents and Obinze) are in Nigeria and not experiencing the same fear, or they (Aunty Uju) have already lived through these fears and gotten over them. I also don't think she feels she can talk to anyone because there's the cultural expectation in Nigeria that you don't talk about the bad. That cultural expectation was why Aunty Uju didn't talk about her hardships in America, which lead to Ifemelu having some not so real expectations of what her life would be when she moved to America.

Ch. 11: This chapter focused a little more on Aunty Uju and her relationship - viewed through Ifemelu's eyes- with her new beau, Bartholomew. My first thought as I was reading this chapter was that Bartholomew reminds me of Ifemelu when she is older. He posts his opinion in a newspaper and argues his point against other people's experiences. They obviously aren't carbon-copies, but I do see a likeness between the two, especially when Ifemelu stated that in Nigeria, Bartholomew would be called "lost" in their native tongue because he doesn't know what he wants. That part of the chapter really connected him to the adult-Ifemelu because I think she is very lost in the present timeline of the book. Other than those two points, I think that Bartholomew is a garbage person and Aunty Uju is settling for someone who doesn't even like or care about Dike, just that he was getting a Nigerian doctor (Aunty Uju passed her boards around this time).

Ch. 12: This chapter focuses on Ifemelu meeting up with Ginika in Philadelphia, when she moves to go to school there. Ifemelu focuses on how much Ginika has changed since she moved in high school, while also comparing the social scene of America to the one in Nigeria. I understand that Ifemelu is homesick, I really do. However, I got annoyed at this chapter while reading it. I find Ifemelu to be extremely judgmental because of how different social cues are in America. I understand that she is probably being insecure and overwhelmed, but she is always making comparisons and doesn't try to enjoy herself. She doesn't even see that Ginika could be a great resource in acclimating to America, only that Ginika is different from high school. Newsflash: everyone is different after high school, even if you live in the same country! Someone in my book club brought up that Ifemelu is probably having an identity crisis, which she may very well be having. I just can't stand how judgmental she is. Although it is a little hypocritical of me since I am writing a blog post being judgmental of Ifemelu.

Ch. 13: This chapter focuses on Ifemelu's struggle to find a job (using someone else's identity) and her anxiety about not having enough money. I believe she starts to become depressed, and only Dike and Obinze have the power to make her feel better. I wonder if she ever gets treatment for her anxiety and depression later on in life, and if she hasn't, is her moving on a whim a side effect of non-treatment? The mental health aspect is a hot button topic, and I bring up the non-treatment because I know that some cultures don't see mental health as something that exists. I think that part of the reason Ifemelu is so lost/discontent in the present is that she never sought treatment to help her with her depression.

Ch. 14: This chapter focuses on Ifemelu's interactions with blacks and whites. She finds community with other African students, who understand her struggles as a foreigner. I think the most important scene is during the viewing of Roots, in her communications class, when the entire class argues with Wambui (an Kenyan student) about the n-word. All the American students say that the n-word should be censored on television, while Wambui says that it shouldn't because the use of the word is historically accurate and it should be heard, not censored out. I kinda see both sides of the argument, but I ultimately sided with the black American students because I don't think the African students understand how hurtful and loaded the word is for black Americans, especially when it is said by a white person. I don't think Ifemelu or Wambui are thinking of the context or the rhetoric that goes with the n-word in America. It was pointed out to me that Africans are very blunt by nature, but I think this is where they have to take the time to understand the culture of the country they immigrated to. Their bluntness works in Africa, but it is seen as rude in America. However, I am a white woman and my opinion shouldn't be considered on the matter.

Final Thoughts: Week Two's chapters are a huge growth area for Ifemelu and us readers get to see how she became the person she is in the present. I like that we get to see her struggles with adjusting to America and the social cues. I think that Ifemelu struggles a lot because she is afraid of being so integrated that she will lose connections to her roots. I understand why, but then Ifemelu struggles to connect with people (with the exception of the other African students at her college), and she becomes overly critical. At the same time, Ifemelu is unconsciously changing, in certain mannerisms, and she is slowing becoming "lost", like Bartholomew.

Week Three should be up on August 17th, followed by the Weeks Four and Five by August 22nd! Week Six will be posted by August 28th, and Week One of our second book, "The Shadows Between Us", will be posted by September 4th.