Ifemelu appears to be a forthright
and honest person in Americanah, especially when we first get to know her.
However, as the book progresses we see how her (and other characters)
relationship with honesty becomes more blurred. Honesty and innocence are
related in Americanah through the various ways that people are forced to be
dishonest with themselves and others to survive and get what they want.
There are some instances of
outright dishonesty in the book as characters manipulate the truth to get what
they want. For example, Ifemelu lies to Blain about why she didn’t come to his
protest on campus. Another particularly poignant example is Obinze’s mother
lying to get him a visa to England. This is dramatic for him as “she was a
woman…who would not lie” (290) and yet she had to get him a better life because
his mind was no longer in Nigeria. The book has a mixed reaction to these
choices. On the one hand, it excuses these acts as necessary for survival and
personal happiness. Obinze notes that “truth had indeed, in their
circumstances, become a luxury” (290), and for Ifemelu it allows her to escape
the bubble of Blaine’s self-righteousness. However, dishonesty leads to
unhappiness and distress; Obinze gets deported and Ifemelu gets into a fight with Blain. This isn’t to say that good things always happen when
characters are honest and bare their souls either. When Ifemelu tries to be
honest about race at the various conventions she is invited to she gets a very
cold reaction, and realizes that her audience doesn’t want her truth. I even
saw this in the way people reacted when
she started wearing her true hair as opposed to relaxing it. But in the scenes
where the characters allow themselves to honest with others, their best
qualities often come forth.
While the honesty with others is
important to character development in this book, I think that the characters’
honesty with themselves is even more important. Characters often ignore their
true feelings or problems. For example, Ifemelu refuses to admit that she had a
major depressive episode saying, “depression was what happened to Americans,
with their self-absolving need to turn everything into an illness” (194). This
prevails throughout the book, as many characters lie to themselves about the
status of their mental health. Another interesting example is her parents, who
both indulge in their own self-deception. Her father likes to speak high-brow
English even though he is a blue-collar worker, and her mother blames all her
problems on the Devil and refuses to admit fault. The self-deceptions tell us a
lot about the characters’ self-image. One could posit that Ifemelu refuses to
admit to mental health issues because that would prove she is a fragile American
and not a true Nigerian who (according to her) don’t have those issues.
Chithra, I agree with your evaluation of honesty in the novel, and believe it plays a major role in the way the characters evaluate many of the situations they find themselves in. Most importantly, situations always unfold more clearly when everyone tends to be more honest with themselves than with others. I believe the most clear and beautiful depiction of self-honesty comes when Obinze and Ifemelu reunite at the end of the novel and realize they are both still in love with each other. When Obinze confesses this to his fiend Okwudiba by saying, "'You know Ifemelu is back,... It's serious. I want to marry her" (Adiche 581), it is almost as if a large weight is lifted off of Obinze's shoulders now that he can admit this feeling out loud and accept the way he feels. Interestingly, though, his friend counters back and tells him it's too American to leave his wife and child and he has no real reason to because nothing in their marriage is going badly. This comparison between the Nigerian and American way of handling the issue of divorce also may show how American's tend to take the easy way out by simply leaving their spouses when they become unhappy, instead of sticking with the person they decided to marry, no matter if they do not want to. Overall, I think this shows how the Nigerian characters in the novel generally just have a more difficult time being honest with themselves, as they rather make everyone else around them happy and not cause too much trouble.
ReplyDeleteChithra, I think your interpretation of Ifemelu’s honesty to herself in connection to her mental health is extremely interesting and raises an important question about the connection between cultural backgrounds and response to mental health. Furthermore, I think it would be intriguing to explore how the mental health of others, like Dike, also affects the honesty of Ifemelu both internally and externally thoughough Americanah. As you mentioned, Ifemelu’s relationship with Blaine marks a time of self-deception and outward dishonesty. After she breaks things off with him, she stops lying to herself about her happiness in America, realizes her desires to return home, and reaches out to Obinze once again (Adichie 459). But when her plans are halted by Dike’s suicide attempt, whatever remnants of self-deception are still left in Ifemelu are destroyed as she is hurtled into the reality of almost losing her nephew. Adichie writes, “It did not happen. It did not happen. She told herself this often, and yet endless, elliptical thoughts of what could have happened churned in her head” (469). Whereas her previous emails to Obinze kept him at arms length, she opens up to him about Dike’s suicide attempt, regaining her forthright and honest abilities she once exhibited in her adolescence (461). This creates an interesting paradox between Ifemelu’s denial of her depression and her rumination of thoughts surrounding Dike’s suicide attempt. When confronted with the physical manifestation of these mental health issues and the love for her nephew, Ifemelu is unable to lie to herself any longer.
ReplyDeleteChithra, I completely agree with your points about Ifemelu’s honesty and how dishonesty also played a significant role in this novel. I think the biggest part about dishonesty too that I found was whenever anyone mentioned how long they were actually in the states. No matter how little or how long they were actually in the states they still continued to lie about how long they were actually there for. I understand that if you were there for less than a year you would want to say like three years so that you would not seem as if you knew nothing, but as for Ifemelu and how she lied when she had already been in the states for twelve years and rounded up to fifteen, that is when I do not understand. The main reasoning behind any of the dishonesty throughout the novel is to gain respect or to even have the chance to have respect in Obinze’s case and having to lie to even get out of Nigeria. Without the chance to escape the mundane life he was living in Nigeria, Obinze had to lie so that he could visit another country and gain some respect from others that he did not grow up with. There are so many reasons why everyone is lying throughout the novel, but the reason most of them keep coming back to is respect.
ReplyDeleteI really like your outlook on honesty in Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie; however, I slightly disagree with one of your statements. Personally, I do not believe that all of the main characters’ relationships with honesty become blurred as the novel progresses, especially Ifemelu’s. In the beginning of Americanah, Ifemelu is notorious for either keeping her mouth shut or being completely honest. Even so that she gets in trouble for calling out her local church for acquiring dirty money. As the story goes on, Ifemelu continues her streak of honesty. The whole reason for Ifemelu creating her personal blog is to fulfill her desire to say what is on her mind. One of Ifemelu’s blog posts states that the blogosphere, “is for the Zipped-Up Negros,” (Adichie 380) “who don’t talk about Life Experiences” (Adichie 380) “Because they want to keep everyone comfortable. Tell your story here. Unzip yourself. This is a safe space” (Adichie 380). Ifemelu not only asks others to be honest, but also expects herself to be honest. Her way of communicating honestly is via blog posts. Although I agree with your observation of Obinze’s situation, I believe that Ifemelu stays consistent with her level of honesty from the beginning of the novel to the end.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I also saw a heavy motif of honesty and dishonesty throughout the novel. I definitely agree with all of your examples, but I think there’s another important example of this motif you did not mention – Ifemelu’s blogging. I think, throughout the novel, it is in her blog that we see the true, honest Ifemelu. Consider the difference between Ifemelu’s blog post on how a non-American black should treat a conversation with American blacks. Her advice to non-American blacks is to “try listening, maybe. Hear what is being said. And remember that it’s not about you” (406). However, later in the novel, Ifemelu’s unique perspective as a non-American black is brought up by Shan, who claims that “she doesn’t really feel all the stuff she’s writing about. It’s all quaint and curious to her… If she were African American, she’d just be labeled angry and shunned” (418). In response, Ifemelu is embarrassed about the very same fact that she herself agreed with in her blog post. In this way, I think Ifemelu is more open and honest about herself on her blog, under the protection of anonymity, but cannot be as honest in-person. There is simply too much emotion and shame in real life for true honesty all of the time.
ReplyDeleteChithra, I enjoyed reading about the connection you made and feel that it deepened my perspective on the characters. I especially liked the emphasis you placed on self-deception, as this theme appeared consistently throughout the novel. However, the more prevalent this concept became, the more I began to see it in conjunction with the theme of assimilation to America. For example, multiple times throughout the book, readers see Ifemelu change her hair– either braiding it tightly, straitening it, or wearing it natural. In Chapter 19 (page 262), Ifemelu wears her hair short and natural, but is met with tentative comments from her white coworkers. Situations like these point to the juxtaposition of Ifemelu’s expression with her intention of homogenizing herself to fit the white, American norm. In other words, dishonesty in the novel also serves as a measure of Ifemelu’s attempt to Americanize herself. Furthermore, the quote that you mentioned, where Ifemelu claims that “depression was what happened to Americans” in an attempt to prove she’s not depressed, supports this idea. Yet again, she lies about her situation by comparing herself to Americans. Finally, I think that one of the best examples of ingenuity in the face of Ifemelu’s assimilation occurs when Ifemelu claims to have lived in America 15 years, noting, “Now that it was thirteen years, lying seemed unnecessary but she lied anyway” (pg.19). When Ifemelu lies, either to herself or to those around her, she is hiding her race behind a façade.
ReplyDeleteChithra, I found your post very insightful about the relationship between innocence and honesty, but like other comments I feel that you neglected the role Ifemelu’s blog in being honest. While Ifemelu may have become somewhat dishonest in her relationships and to herself, I felt that her blogposts were always true to what she felt and saw. Using the example of Ifemelu’s depression, while she initially lied to herself and denied her illness, she eventually was honest to herself through her blog: “Years later, she would blog about this: ‘On the Subject of Non-American Blacks Suffering from Illnesses Whose Names They Refuse to Know’” (Adichie 194). I found it interesting that when she was finally ready to be honest with herself and acknowledge what she went through, she decided to do it through her blog. I also felt that Ifemelu knew that she was showing her true self through her blog. As she began to post more and her blog began to increase in popularity, Ifemelu grew more anxious, she commented that “the blog’s many readers became, in her mind, a judgmental angry mob waiting for her, biding their time until they could attack her, unmask her” (Adichie 379). I found her use of the word “unmask” very interesting, and it made me think of how she has to use anonymity to express her true thoughts and feelings. After her cold reception at the panels, I think Ifemelu views her blog as the only way to be truly honest, and that scares her.
ReplyDeleteThroughout Americanah, there is a recurring theme where characters are dishonest with themselves, resulting in tragic situations. In particular, Aunty Uju is blinded by her desire for wealth and luxury, and she fails to evaluate her role as The General’s mistress. As a result of her dishonesty, The General’s death causes her to flee Lagos, forcing her to struggle and raise her newborn son in America.
ReplyDeleteAunty Uju’s desire for wealth and power overshadows her judgment. Her motives involving The General are transparent when she explains the catalyst for their relationship, saying, “Ah, this thing called power. I was attracted to him even with his teeth like Dracula. I was attracted to his power” (93). Because she desires the lifestyle of the Nigerian upper class, she doesn’t honestly evaluate her situation or consider her complete financial reliance on The General. Ifemelu, however, recognizes the risk of Uju’s situation. Ifemelu observes, “Aunty Uju, in her big pink house with the wide satellite dish blooming from is roof, her generator brimming with diesel, her freezer stocked with meat, and she did not have money in her bank account” (92). Ifemelu realizes Uju’s dishonesty; however, Uju further lies to herself, believing that The General will value her as more than a mistress. Aunty Uju demonstrates her belief, saying, “He’ll change. I’ll make him change. I just need to go slowly” (95). Ultimately, her dishonesty hurts her, as she is forced to confront reality when The General dies. Uju finally realizes her situation, declaring, “I have nothing. Everything is in his name. Where will I take my son to now?” (105). Because of her dishonesty, she was unprepared to face the consequences of complete dependence on The General, resulting in her flight to America.