#218 The Arrangers of Marriage- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

#218 The Arrangers of Marriage- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

A young Nigerian woman has just married. It was an arranged marriage to a Nigerian man who has lived in America for many years. When they arrive in her new Brooklyn home, she is surprised at the reality of her new life. And she is surprised at her husbands need to Americanize her.

“You don’t understand how it works in this country. If you want to get anywhere you have to be as mainstream as possible. If not, you will be left by the roadside.”

“Look at the people who shop here; they are the ones who immigrate and continue to act as if they are back in their countries…They will never move forward unless they adapt to America. They will always be doomed to supermarkets like this.”

Even their names are changed. Chinanza Okafor becomes Agatha Bell, and Ofodile Emeka Udenwa becomes Dave Bell. Although she finds it strange that in her building is a young woman that after visiting Tanzania decided to rename herself from her African roots: “A black American had chosen as African, name while my husband made me change mine to an English one.”

Culture shock, entitlement, independence, cultural value…all themes found in this entire collection.

Notable Passage: lacking in dignity, about this place, this open space of too many tables and too much food.”

Rating: 8-8-8-8 Total=32

#69 On Monday of Last Week- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

#69 On Monday of Last Week- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

New to the U.S., Kamara takes a job as a nanny to a seven year old Josh. His father is a overly protective but supportive Jewish man married to an African-American artist who is locked up in the basement working on her latest project.

Kamara is over qualified to be a babysitter, but until her green card comes in she cant get a job more befitting her Master’s Degree. However the work seems to suit her, and she falls into a nice groove as Josh prepares for an academic competition.

Her understanding of the local culture has a bit of a learning curve as she “…had spent the past months watching court TV and had learned how crazy these Americans were.”

She sways back and forth between liking the Father’s parenting and judging it harshly:

“She had come to understand that American parenting was a juggling of anxieties, and that it came with having too much food: a sated belly gave Americans time to worry that their child might have a rare disease that they had just read about, made them think they had the right to protet their child from disappointment and want and failure.”

She finally meets the mother and is overwhelmed with emotions, meeting a woman that free, and open was intoxicating: “What had happened in the kitchen that afternoon was a flowering of extravagant hope…”

Another good story from this collection, artfully written. These are true short stories, complete and fully executed, perfect pacing and length.

Notable Passage: “…she still said nothing, because all he seemed to need, desperately need, was her listening and it did not take much to listen.”

Rating: 9-8-10-8 Total= 35