Full Circle Love

Throughout Americanah by Adichie, Ifemelu has many male interactions, but three men prove to be the most significant in her life as it is told: Curt, Blaine, and Obinze.

Curt, a wealthy white man, was able to provide Ifemelu with the cushions of the American Dream using his luck and privilege. One day during their relationship, Ifemelu reflects on her situation: watching football on television and having prepaid trips, “that was what Curt had given her, this gift of contentment, of ease.” (202) However, due to Curt’s differing background and distasteful intentions, their relationship struggled. His understanding of the complexities Ifemelu faced as an American African were sparse. He wanted to feel Ifemelu’s resentment at society, but lacked deeper understanding. So, instead of comprehension, Curt had control over Ifemelu. Adichie revealed that Curt’s past relationships had been similar to that of a young child collecting baseball cards, each of with a different woman of color. In Curt’s mind, he was Ifemelu’s white man, and she was his black woman. After Curt and Ifemelu’s inevitable parting, she looked back on him with a “wistful sadness” (302) which further conveyed Ifemelu’s feelings of disappointment in the fact that Curt simply could not understand her.

There was also Blaine, a perfect man on paper. Blaine and Ifemelu were able to have the beginnings of a sturdy, intimate bond due to their joint love for Obama, and engagement in related politics. Yet, being African American, Blaine failed to fully connect with Ifemelu’s Nigerian roots, similar to Curt. Blaine’s heavy involvement in racial/social protests made Ifemelu feel alienated in the unfamiliar. In her eyes, she only “became Black” when she stepped foot in the US, whereas Blaine knew all about these ideas, having “been Black” since birth. After Ifemelu lied and didn’t attend a protest with Blaine, he had an outburst that spiraled into attacks on her persona. Ifemelu recognized “a subtle accusation, not merely about her laziness, but also about her Africaness.” (346) This demonstrates Blaine’s subconscious judgments of Ifemelu, and how their aspirations differed so much they couldn’t possibly compromise long term.

But always, there was Obinze.

At the beginning of the novel, Obinze’s mother talked about a book titled: Heart of the Matter. She said it was a wise novel, and “the human stories that matter are those that endure.” (70) The best example of this book’s philosophy is Ifemelu and Obinze’s story. They shared an unspoken connection, a love for eachother that resulted in comfort, understanding, and determination for one another. Unlike Curt and Blaine, Obinze did not want to control Ifemelu. Instead, he constantly reassured her of her ability and identity. After the failed relationships, and the brokenness, Ifemelu could reside with Obinze. At the end of the novel, Ifemelu ended up reading The Heart of the Matter because of Obinze’s mother. A perfect full circle moment for Americanah, and a human story that definitely did endure.

Ifemelu, Aunty Uju, and Their Hair

             Americanah isn’t just a novel about America, or just a novel about Nigeria. Both Adichie and the characters she writes have complex relationships with both countries. A main struggle many have is the struggle to stay true to oneself after emigrating from Nigeria. Both Ifemelu and Aunty Uju must ask themselves what they are willing to give up in order to assimilate into American culture. One way that the two specifically differ is their relationship with their natural hair.   

Aunty Uju is the first character to discuss relaxing hair with Ifemelu. When she goes in for an interview, she takes out her braids and relaxes her hair. Ifemelu doesn’t like this decision, but Aunty Uju responds that “[y]ou are in a country that is not your own. You do what you have to do if you want to succeed” (146). Aunty Uju is willing to change her appearance and give up her natural hair in order to succeed in a country with different beauty standards. To her, it’s an unfortunate yet necessary sacrifice that’s useless to complain about or argue against. To Ifemelu, however, it appears that “she had deliberately left behind something of herself” (146). She chooses to relax her hair, but in doing so, she’s giving up a part of herself for the sake of appearing more professional, something Ifemelu objects to. 

While at first Ifemelu is resistant, she also relaxes her hair for a job interview. Unlike Aunty Uju, however, she regrets this decision. Despite early insecurities about her natural hair, she later becomes a passionate defender of it, posting that “there is nothing more beautiful than what God gave me” (264). The first scene of the novel has Ifemelu defending her choice of hair when the hairdresser questions her decision, saying “I like my hair the way God made it” (15) and trying to convince her of the merits of natural hair. Ifemelu has not only reclaimed a part of herself, but is passionately defending natural hair as a symbol of embracing one's own identity. No longer is she forcing her hair into unnatural styles simply because of American standards.  

While Ifemelu finds natural hair beautiful and empowering, Aunt Uju disagrees with her.  “There is something scruffy and untidy about natural hair” (269), Uju tells Ifemelu. This conversation shows how the same woman who grew up wearing her hair natural has left that part of her identity behind to assimilate into America. This serves to contrast Ifemelu, who has now reclaimed that part of herself. While the two characters both left Nigeria to pursue careers in America, Uju is more willing to give into American pressures and ideals. Ifemelu sees natural hair as a connection to her culture and her identity, Uju compares natural hair to jute, preferring the look of relaxed hair. The contrast between the two characters helps to illustrate how Ifemelu manages to remain true to herself, and how she fights against the pressure to assimilate.