Clara Muriel

In the book Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is based on a highly educated African American women named Ifemelu and her the struggle of being pinned under specific labels (especially labels about race). Although she is also in journey for love with Obinze. Her story is generally told through the element of fiction: Point of view, usually in third person (narrator). The book starts with third person to allow the setting to be set up for the reader to understand and get some background on the main character. For example, “The rude stranger in the supermarket-who knew what problems he was wrestling with, haggard and thin-lipped as he was- had intended to offend her but had instead prodded her awake”( Adichie,8). In this quote we see from her point of view how a label such as ‘fat’ has made her react a specific way. At first, she took it negatively by ‘noticing’ the tightness in her clothes. Although she also saw that she was not happy in her life and wanted desired a change. The ‘third-person’ point of view continues, but this time to allow insight on flashbacks/ thoughts. This allows for the reader to properly follow the zig-zag motions of the story line. Furthermore, when it states “Throughout the years of childhood, Ifemelu would often look in the mirror and pull at her own coils, will it to become like her mother’s, but it remained bristly and grew reluctantly”( Adichie, 49). This quote is a flashback to when the main character had a mother so beautiful and that everyone admired. She challenged her own ideas of beauty and her hair as an African girl. In conclusion, point of view allowed for the readers to see more than just one person’s perspective and specifically allowed for them to see the change or lack of change in the reaction to labels.

4 thoughts on “Clara Muriel

  1. I agree. I like that it is a third person point of view because we do not get only Ifemelu’s point of view but also the other characters which makes the story more interesting. It also give us, the readers, a more in depth understanding of the characters.

  2. I agree, third person point of view gives us a deeper understanding of the characters, mixing this with flashbacks we are able to get a greater understanding of the past and present.

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