I think the title Americanah is not given as a criticism
to Ifemelu but rather suggests an accurate word to embody not only Ifemelu’s
fears of becoming it but also her observations of how she sees others changing.
When Ifemelu returns to Nigeria, we
see that she has changed, as Ifemelu notes when she mentions, “She was no
longer sure what was new in Lagos and what was new in herself” (478). This line
suggests Ifemelu is expressing her fears that she has embodied Americanah.
However, in her case, it is not that she has adapted to America and is now
hypercritical of Nigeria but rather that she doesn’t feel she belongs in either
place, which then complicates the idea of the word Americanah. When Ifemelu
returns to Nigeria and meets up with her friends, Ranyinudo notes, “You are
looking at things with American eyes. But the problem is that you are not even
a real Americanah. At least if you had an American accent we would tolerate
your complaining.” (475-6) In noting that Ifemelu is not a “real Americanah,”
Ranyinudo is pinpointing that Ifemelu has gotten used America’s routines and comforts
but has not changed by losing herself in trying to conform to the American way.
From Ranyinudo’s statement, it is suggested that Americanah is conforming to
the American lifestyle in such a way that you’re fundamentally different, which
makes you critical, and Ifemelu lacks the former.
In fact, we see the duality in
Ifemelu critiquing both Nigeria and America in equal measure, finding negatives
in both. Ifemelu faces discomfort in America because of the issue of race, as
she notes, “I only became black when I came to America,” (359) but she faces
discomfort in Nigeria because of its lack of modern conveniences as she notes
when “Warm, humid air gagged the room, and soon Ifemelu was tossing in the
wetness of her own sweat.” (481)
Because of this, the line “…she
felt suddenly guiltily grateful that she had a blue American passport in her
bag. It shielded her from choicelessness. She could always leave; she did not
have to stay.” (481) shows that Ifemelu is not tethered to one place, but
rather in saying the passport “shielded her from choicelessness,” it is
suggested that a part of Ifemelu rests in both places, giving her the option to
travel between them and not resigning herself to being strictly American or
Nigerian.
Therefore, the book’s title does
not seem to stem from critique of Ifemelu, as she has not conformed to America in
many ways. Ifemelu contrasts figures like Ginika who have conformed entirely to
the American lifestyle, as Ifemelu observes, “her American-accented words”
(152) and how she “was struck by how like her American friends Ginika had
become.” (152) America has made Ifemelu more outspoken and experienced, but it has
not fundamentally changed her like it did Ginika. Because of this, Americanah’s title is more an account of
Ifemelu’s fears and observations than a title she earned herself.
