On Chimamanda's views

I often make the mistake of thinking that something that is obvious to me is just as obvious to everyone else. (Chimamanda)


Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie an excellent speaker, Nigerian Novelist, writer of Short stories and non fiction. Americanah, half of a yellow sun, purple Hibiscus are her famous novels and We should All be feminist is her book length essay. The thing around your neck is her short story collection. She wad described in The Times Literary supplement as “The most prominent “ of a “Procession of critically acclaimed young Anglophone authors who is succeeding in attracting a new generation of  readers to African Literature.
In a 2014 interview, Adichie  said on feminism and writing , ‘ I think of myself as  a story teller, but I would not mind at all if someone were to think of me as a feminist writer… I’m very feminist in the way I look at the world , and that world view  must somehow  be part of my work.

(1) Here, is Chimamanda’s speech on “We should all be Feminist” 

‘The higher you go, the fewer women there are.’

The definition of Feminist is advocating social, political, legal, andeconomic rights for women equal to those of men.
In her speech she shares her Experience with Waiter in Hotel. Waiter greet only Man with her and ignore her every time. Waiter is product of society, who taught them that male are more important than female.  She add that Gender matters everywhere in the world. On gender she further says that Gender is not an easy conversation to have. It makes people uncomfortable, sometimes even irritable. Both men and women are resistant to talk about gender, or are quick to dismiss the problems of gender. Because thinking of changing the status quo is always uncomfortable.


How parenting  differentiate  gender: We say to girls: You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful but not too successful, otherwise you will threaten the man. If you are the breadwinner in your relationship with a man, pretend that you are not, especially in public, otherwise you will emasculate him.
Idea And Language of marriage is also discussed by her that,  language of marriage is language of ownership rather than language of partnership. We used the world respect something which women should show to Men but, not Men shows to Women.Compromise in relationship, we grows the girl with competence of rather girl’s intention is for the attention of Men. We praised girl for virginity not boy!  We teach girl shame, no desire, silence themselves. Apart from all we should focus on ability rather than gender. The problem with gender is that it prescribes how we should be rather than recognizing how we are. Imagine how much happier we would be, how much freer to be our true individual selves, if we didn’t have the weight of gender expectations After all, Culture does not make people. People make culture. If it is true that the full humanity of women is not our culture, then we can and must make it our culture.

2)Talk on Importance of story in literature.

In this TED talk Chimamanda tells the story of she found her authentic cultural voice… and turns on Danger of having a single story. If we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.
In the beginning, She talk about her mental shift on literature. How her early writings character with Fair skin and blue eyes, eat apple and drink ginger bear, when in reality having a chocolate color skin, kinky hair and normally eat mangoes and never taste ginger bear! Writers like Chinua Achebe and other African writer opens new door of her imagination. She says that What’s the discovery African writers did for her is…It save from having a single story.

It is impossible to talk about single story without talking about Power. Power is the ability "not to just tell" the story of another person but it’s make it definitive story  of that person. Single story creates Stereotype—it’s not that they are true, but they are incomplete, they make one story become the only story. In this talk she interpose Nollywood and Nigerian film.

She adds that , Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity. Chimamanda end her speech with that, ‘That when we reject the single story, when we realize that there is never a single story about any place, we regain a kind of paradise’.

3) Talk on importance of Truth in Post truth Era at Harvard class 2018

Adichie opened her remarks with an anecdote about a presenter who once, after devotedly practicing the proper pronunciation of Adichie’s name, accidentally introduced her as “chimichanga.” She said the moment taught her the importance of understanding the origin of ideas and actions.
Offering words of wisdom to graduating seniors who may not yet know what they want to do, Adichie reflected on her journey to literary acclaim. She quoted well-known television producer Shonda Rhimes regarding the importance of continuing to try until one finds an occupation at once enjoyable and successful.

For more reading on that click here

Not embraced with truth Is biggest courage!

Really, Chimamanda is an excellent speaker and her thought provoking speeches made me speechless. I love to read and hear more from her..!