La Bildung postcoloniale in Americanah (2013) di Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie: il femminismo africano all’opera

The article aims to depict Adichie’s Americanah (2013) as a postcolonial coming-of-age novel by focusing on the developmental stages of the main characters, Ifemelu and Obinze. Through the portrayal of these analogous Bildung processes, Adichie points to pervasive binary oppositions of the privileged, dominating North and underprivileged, global South and investigates the issues of migration, diaspora, displacement, racism, nationality, gender, and identity. In the article, special attention is paid to the exploration of gender issues, particularly to Adichie’s constant questioning of traditional conformity to gender roles. In this respect, the concept of African feminism is discussed, as well as its (in)congruity with the Western feminist model. The crux of its ideology relies on the blending of Africa’s colonial history and traditional African values that view gender roles as complementary. The idea that men are viewed as partners in the struggle against gender oppression rather than enemies serves as a valid confirmation of Adichie’s celebration of the myth of androgyne in Americanah and has the purpose of inventing new forms of cultural understanding between the West and Africa. The theoretical framework of the article relies on the critical insights of Adichie, Bhabha, Fanon, Okuyade, Villanova, Odhiambo, Mekgwe, Mikell, Ntseane, and others.