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Essay / Gender Inequalities and Class Privilege in “Americanah”
The New Boy and His Mother The great Abraham Lincoln once said: “Eighty-seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. This is an extremely powerful quote that all men are created equal and relates to many issues in modern society. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of the critically acclaimed novel Americanah, exposes many issues of gender inequality and class privilege. Many characters in the novel face many difficulties in their lives but none, regardless of the obstacles, can define them. In this essay, I will connect issues of class and gender to the novel Americanah and to everyday life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Throughout history, many people have faced several difficulties related to their gender. In the novel Americanah, many characters face great difficulties because of their gender. The protagonist, Ifemelu, faces difficulties because she is a woman in everyday life. Ifemelu faces difficulties when she gets her hair braided. The braider, Aisha starts arguing with Ifemelu about her life and background. When Ifemelu talks about her great success in America and her plan to return to Nigeria, Aisha is immediately surprised because she is a woman. Gender inequality is prevalent all over the world. Obinze's mother, a very intelligent professor, was victimized by a colleague. Obinze explained to Ifemelu what happened that day: “She was on a committee and they found out that this professor had misused the funds and my mother accused him publicly and he started angry and slapped her and said he couldn't accept a woman talking to him like that. . So my mother got up, locked the conference room door, and put the key in her bra. » (Adichie 71) Obinze's mother was attacked because she was a woman and called her colleague. It was a horrible event that happened to Obinze's mother, but she didn't let it define her. She stood her ground and demanded the man apologize for his terrible actions. This event is a prime example of how society has made it acceptable for men to take advantage of women in Nigeria. Women around the world face challenges every day because of their gender. Recently, during an NBA game, Chris Paul received a technical foul for his gesture towards a female referee. After the match, Chris Paul said according to the Washington Post: “If that's the case, then maybe it's not for her. ” which raised many concerns about Chris Paul being seen as sexist. Whether the decision was good or bad, the referee was just doing his job. It is unacceptable for anyone to call her out on her skills. It just goes to show that women are fighting every day to achieve equality in sports, at work and in everyday life. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie shows in her novel Americanah how the world has become extremely materialistic. The social class to which a person belongs is very important in today's society. In Americanah, issues of class privilege are prevalent throughout the novel. The protagonist, Ifemelu, demonstrates class privilege when she visited Aunt Uju's new house at Dolphin Estate when she said, “She wanted to live there. This would impress his friends; she them.