Narrative Techniques and Style
- Second-Person Narration (“you”)
- The story is told using second-person perspective, addressing the protagonist as “you.”
- cf. “You thought everybody in America had a car and a gun.”
- Strengthens themes of alienation and dislocation by merging reader and protagonist.
- Emphasizes universality — Akunna’s experience becomes shared or symbolic of broader immigrant reality.
- Limited Perspective
- Readers only see events from Akunna’s viewpoint; external motives of others remain unclear.
- Reflects her emotional isolation and difficulty understanding American culture.
- cf. “You did not know that people could simply choose not to go to school”
- Creates narrative tension through selective information.
- Minimalist, Direct Language
- Adichie uses simple, concise language to create clarity and emotional immediacy.
- Reflects Akunna’s straightforward, practical survival mindset.
- cf. “You walked into the restaurant ... ”
- Enhances realism and allows emotions to emerge subtly between the lines.
- Symbolism
- Objects and metaphors (especially the “thing around your neck”) represent psychological states.
- Symbols communicate feelings of suffocation, fear, and displacement.
- Symbolism connects personal experience with broader cultural critique.
- Realism & Everyday Detail
- Descriptions of work, housing, and daily life emphasize the ordinary struggle of migration.
- cf. “you paid rent for the tiny room with the stained carpet”
- Grounds themes in tangible, believable situations.
- Highlights contrast between expectations and reality in the American Dream.
- Non-linear Emotional Focus
- Chronology is straightforward, but emotional development is more central than plot progression.
- Focus remains on internal states — fear, desire, loneliness — rather than action.
- Emotional pacing shapes the reader’s experience of alienation.
- Understatement & Subtlety
- Traumatic events (e.g., her uncle’s attempted assault) are presented without dramatic exaggeration.
- cf. he “pulled you forcefully to him”
- The restrained tone increases emotional impact, portraying trauma realistically.
- Contrast & Juxtaposition
- Contrasts Nigeria vs. America to expose cultural differences and immigrant expectations.
- Juxtaposes Akunna’s hopes with harsh realities to critique the American Dream.
- Highlights the gap between imagined opportunity and lived experience.
- Character-driven Storytelling
- The narrative prioritizes inner transformation over external events.
- Focus on psychological journey allows exploration of identity, belonging, and trauma.
- Ambiguous Ending
- No clear resolution; future uncertain.
- cf. “you let go”
- Reflects real immigrant struggles — no simple success or closure.
- Encourages reader reflection on systemic challenges.