Jeanne answers “I am reading Americanah, and I'm about...”

A Goodreads user asked this question about Americanah:

I am reading Americanah, and I'm about half way through. If, for the protagonist, Nigeria is 100 % good, and the USA is 100% bad, why come to the States?

Jeanne There is a little bit of sourness underpinning this novel that I think is the basis for your question. Yes, Adichie is entitled to her point of view a…moreThere is a little bit of sourness underpinning this novel that I think is the basis for your question. Yes, Adichie is entitled to her point of view and often the complaints about America are justified, but too often I felt the novel fell into an easy condemnation of all white people -- a sort of assumption that all white people are clueless that I'm sure felt satisfying to the author, but felt kind of gratuitous. Especially that moment at the dinner party where Ifemelu bizarrely announces to a Black woman who is dating a white man that the relationship couldn't possibly be satisfying and gives the example of her own failed relationship with Curt. The victim of this attack is understandably flummoxed and offended.

This happens too often where a character assumes that because they are having difficulties the system is against them, discriminating against them unfairly. Another dinner party scene with Obinze where a white woman is saying that refugees and people who have been subjected to violence and intimidation should be allowed automatic citizenship and protection. Obinze feels "alienated" from this woman because he has no good reason for wanting to be in London -- he just wants to be there. He isn't fleeing anything except boredom and an inchoate desire to live in the West.

And yes I get that the point of the novel is to say that, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, they had to learn that their upper class obsession with Westernization was a false worship and that there's no place like home and learn to appreciate what Nigeria has to offer. Fine. But I agree with the Goodreads user question that getting there was at times heavy handed.(less)

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