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Analysis Of Chimamanda Adichie 'The Thing Around Your Neck'

Decent Essays

Written Task 2 The Thing Around Your Neck, by Chimamanda Adichie depicts the lives of Nigerian women, some in the United States and others in Nigeria. Her short stories deliver a powerful take on the day to day struggles women face in multiple countries. In these works, women are marginalized and silenced within the text due to the lack of equality that lies within Nigerian and American culture. In doing so, the prevalent issue of the oppression women face on a day to day basis is brought to the surface. Throughout these stories, Adichie addresses these struggles through her expert use of irony and symbolism throughout her short stories. In “Imitation”, Adichie shines the light on the concepts of marriage in Nigerian culture and how husbands marginalize their wives. Her story displays the loyal housewife in the United States Nkem and her relationship with her husband Obiora, who lives in Nigeria. Adichie touches on the distance of the straining relationship through her symbolism of the masks Obiora collects. Nkem describes her feeling of the masks as “cold” and “lifeless” in contrast to when Obiora talks about them as “breathing” and “warm”.(25) As the story progresses, these masks represent the relationship the two have. Due to his work, Obiora only comes to the United States for two months a year. His actions display the marginalization Nkem faces. Obiora treats his wife as more of responsibility than an actual relationship. During his time away, the marriage feels like

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