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The Power Imbalance in Americanah


While reading Americanah, I have noticed several instances where there are power imbalances between men and women.  Something that jumped out to me was in chapter 6.  Aunty Uju has a very interesting relationship with the general.  It is obvious that is nothing like Ifemelu and Obinze’s relationship, where they obtain equal power from each other and they are no imbalances.  In any relationship, one person having more power than the other is problematic.  Aunty Uju depends on the general for almost everything, which reflects how she has no control in her life.  Uju could definitely attain a much younger, better partner, yet she stays with him on account of her power and money.  She does not even has any money of her own, which proves how little freedom she has in that relationship.  Ifemelu is in shock that Uju has nothing of her own, “you don’t have money?” (Adichie 92)   Aunty Uju has to physically ask the general for rent money because she does not have any.  He had arranged everything from her job, servants, her home, and clothes but does not want her to have anything for herself.  This traps her in a toxic relationship with someone who has much more control over things and shows that such is the reality in Nigeria with women.  The general not only steals what little power is rightfully hers but sets Uju up for ultimate failure and disaster.  She cannot see this imbalance however, because she is too blinded by her love for him.    

Comments

  1. Saumyaa SinhaJanuary 12, 2020 at 2:59 PM

    The power imbalance in relationship can be hard to see if you are with a problematic person, and I really like how you show how she could have someone else but the power is what is hurting her but keeping her in a way.

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