Self-Discovery and Identity : A Post Colonial Analysis of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah

Authors(2) :-Nida Zainab, Dr. Namita Chouhan

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah is a deeply nuanced narrative that explores the complex dimensions of identity, belonging, race, and self-discovery through a postcolonial lens. Set between Nigeria, the United States, and the UK, the novel traces the journey of Ifemelu, a Nigerian woman navigating foreign terrains both geographically and psychologically. This paper critically analyzes Americanah as a postcolonial text that reveals the interplay of personal and cultural identity within the broader frameworks of migration, colonial legacy, and racial politics. Many postcolonial writers has always been to help their people in regaining their lost confidence and validate their past glory. The colonial impact was so strong that it creates damage to the psyche of the colonised and the colonised were often left with losing themselves in the process. Search for Identity and Identity crisis have always been the major issues and themes in most of the postcolonial works and the eminent Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah (2013) deals with such issues. The research paper is focusing on themes of identity, race, and immigration. Through the protagonist Ifemelu’s experiences in America, the narrative explores the complexities of adapting to a new culture and the challenges faced by immigrants. The paper also delves into the postcolonial aspects of the novel, examining how colonial legacies impact identity formation and cultural assimilation. By tracing Ifemelu’s journey and her interactions with race and racism, the paper brings out American society’s racial dynamics and prompts to confront uncomfortable truths about belonging and identity in a racially stratified world.

Authors and Affiliations

Nida Zainab
Research Scholar, School of Arts and Humanities, Career Point University, Kota, Rajasthan, India
Dr. Namita Chouhan
Research Supervisor, School of Arts and Humanities, Career Point University, Kota, Rajasthan, India

महर्षिपाणिनि, लोकन्याय, अष्टाध्याPostcolonial Literature, Gender, Racism, African Diaspora, Identity.याी, व्याकरणम्, सूत्रम्।

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Publication Details

Published in : Volume 7 | Issue 5 | September-October 2024
Date of Publication : 2024-10-05
License:  This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Page(s) : 72-76
Manuscript Number : GISRRJ247512
Publisher : Technoscience Academy

ISSN : 2582-0095

Cite This Article :

Nida Zainab, Dr. Namita Chouhan, "Self-Discovery and Identity : A Post Colonial Analysis of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah", Gyanshauryam, International Scientific Refereed Research Journal (GISRRJ), ISSN : 2582-0095, Volume 7, Issue 5, pp.72-76, September-October.2024
URL : https://gisrrj.com/GISRRJ247512

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