Deconstructing Race and Nation

Thoughtfully create a written response to the following questions, citing all outside sources in MLA format:

  1. In the beginning of Americanah, one of Ifemelu friends states, “She’ll come back and be a serious Americanah…” (65). How is “Americanah” defined within the novel? Does Ifemelu become an Americanah? If so, how?
  2. Within Americanah, Adichie is careful to portray the cultures of each country. How do racial identities shift from country to country?
  3. In her blog, Ifemelu carefully categorizes differences amongst members of the African Diaspora: Africans, African Americans, Afro-Caribbean Americans. She does not make these distinctions in Nigeria. What observations does Ifemelu make, and why does she make them in America, rather than Nigeria?

Sample Solution