Humility as an Expectation: Obinze's Character Analyzed

    In Americanah, there is no doubt that there is a certain tone and opinion on the will of certain characters to further their societal, academic, and economic standing. It is implied that characters who are outspoken and motivated are more likely to be successful in societal settings as well as in academia. An example of this may be the success of Ifemelu's blog, in which her brutally honest posts appeal to a mass audience and throw her into the world of online fame. When discussing the character of Obinze, one might say that his very nature is somewhat negative because of his lack of those character traits which epitomized the success of the blog: honesty and candor. However, it can be seen that although the man is reserved, his success in his profession has skyrocketed his social standing and that his reservation is now taken as humility. What makes Obinze such a thoughtful and righteously virtuous man is response to his so-called "humility" and his reactions to the extravagant, and sometimes sccurrilos, surroundings he has found himself in after the growth of his wealth.

   It can be argued that Obinze's humility comes not from a place of gratefulness, but rather comes as a result from his experiences in London and the forced silence he had to endure. Adichie describes this silence on page 318, "[Obinze] lived in London indeed but invisibly, his existence like an erased pencil sketch; each time he saw a policeman, or anyone in a uniform, anyone with the faintest scent of authority, he would fight the urge to run" (Adichie 318). When taking into account the fact that he was an undocumented immigrant to a strong nation, one can begin to see that his humility in the presence of Chief and other strong personalities may actually have been due to a survival mechanism he created for himself thousands of miles away. This perspective can add a deeper meaning to the scene in which Obinze says that "he wished Okwudiba would see that to call him humble was to make rudeness normal" (Adichie 40). To praise his Obinze's humility after later knowing what he has gone through would be to normalize his experience in the UK and the "invisibility" which he to suffer. It is known that Obinze is thoughtful and quiet, but his perspective on being called humble reveals much more of his personality than at first glance.