Blog entries are both a turning point in Ifemelu's life as well as the plot in Americanah. It, at its core, is an outlet for Ifemelu to be herself and to have a deeper demonstration of things hinted at in Ifemelu's day-to-day life. In the book, Ifemelu says she discovers race in America and those experiences of discovery are adapted through blog postings. The majority of the book is about the following two lives. Within Ifemelu's life she experiences what it is like to live as an immigrant in America. While her life in Nigeria was exposed to classism, her exposure to how her skin color affected her life in America changed her point of view. While she learns and grows so does her voice, but Ifemelu voice in her life stays quiet for the majority of the time in America. There are few times where she frankly speaks out. The blog provides a constant in her life to honestly say the reality of things.
One example of how intertwined her life and the posts are coming from her connection to Obama. She falls in love with Obama early in his campaign. It is clear in the book that he is highly respected in her mindset. In one blog post however Ifemelu writes, “Obama is not the Magic Negro after all,” while he does remain to be a suitable candidate she backs in her mind, he is not the savior he is depicted to be according to his race (Adiche 398). In this blog posting Adiche can bring in the topic of black stereotypes and how this relates to Obama, “The black man who is eternally wise and kind.” This posting was created through Ifemelu’s personal support of Obama, but also the understanding that while he is a someone to back, part of his public perception is racially motivated. This blunt statement towards how his skin color impacts his persona is not clearly defined without this blog posting. The readers can clearly see a racial impact that was not previously stated in the book.
Once Ifemelu was adapted enough into American culture, she began to understand the way in which things work. Her blog could be interpreted as a “How-To” for being black in America without being an American. She used the space to share her own experiences, but also as a platform for others to learn and share as well. This is demonstrated by the overwhelming feelings Ifemelu had towards those who were also able to find a community within her blog. It became much larger than a hobby, it was a way to find a place in which she could be her truest self within her experiences.
I liked how you stated that many of the points made or themes addressed throughout the book are more directly conveyed through Ifemelu’s blog posts. As you said, the blog shows us insight into her thoughts that she may not outwardly address with other people. We discussed in class the idea of how if a black person stands up for themselves, they are seen as aggressive, but a white person can do the same thing and not be judged in the same way. This is more directly highlighted by Ifemelu through her blog post “Thoughts on the Special White Friend” (Adiche 448). Although readers are able to gleam many of her ideas and opinions from her experiences, the blog posts help to more clearly and blatantly articulate how she feels. The blog also stands to represent her adaptation to American culture and her growth into an adult. We are able to see her transform into a more Americanized version of herself, but still someone who longs for the feeling of belonging. It was interesting to me how even to Obinze, the blog posts were a surprise. He says that “the blog posts astonished him, they seemed so American and so alien” (Adiche 464). Even to someone who has always seen understood and seen the most true side of Ifemelu, he no longer completely understands her.
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