In my book, a Nigerian woman by the name of, Ifemelu, moves to the U.S. for her education. Americanah refers back to Ifemelus home and the past and people that she left behind. This book shows the discoveries of racial discrimination and stereotypes that Ifemelu finds in the U.S. While showing Ifemlu in the U.S. tne person from her home is her first love, Obinze, who becomes a very successful property developer is discussed as well. While Obinize is gaining succes in the growing democratic country of Nigeria, Ifemelu is gaining succes in America with her blog about race. When ifemelu returns to Nigeria she discovers this old love and they revive their relationship and discover their newly found identities and share their previous experiences.
In Chimimandas book she talks about how there's only one type of “black” when you come to America, there's only one single story of poc. Taking from Adiche’s book she says, ″ When you make the choice to come to America, you become black.” (Adichie 273)
In Chimimanda’s Ted talk she says, “My roommate had a single story of Africa: a single story of catastrophe. In this single story, there was no possibility of Africans being similar to her in any way, no possibility of feelings more complex than pity, no possibility of a connection as human equals.” (Adichie 4:37) This is explaining her “single story theory that is also seen in her book. The connection between the two is how in both she doesnt feel her culture is represented correctly, or rather enough.
Chimimanda in both her book and her Ted talk feels like the way other countries or people are brought up in America are very “single story”. In both she feels as though culture and ethics aren’t represented accurately or enough.
Why do characters stereotype others they haven’t met, when they know they’re being misled? Does your book show that any stereotypes play a positive role for immigrants? Do the negative impacts of stereotypes outweigh the positives or vice versa in your novel?
