Maids and Mistresses: Negotiating the Journey of Similarity, Appeasement and Cultural Complexity in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Imitation

Registration ID: IJNRD_180618

Published ID: IJNRD2203022

: http://doi.one/10.1729/Journal.29419

Dr. Suparna Karkun

Alienation, Appeasement, Displacement, Maids, Mistresses, Similarity

Chimananda Ngozi Adichie’s story collection The Thing Around Your Neck is a vivid portrayal of Nigerian women and the cultural complexities they face, as a result of their displacement from their motherland to chase the American dream. Nkem’s challenge as a woman stuck in the conflicting zones of living a prosperous American life and bearing the stings of infidelity of her husband who lives in Lagos is ultimately solved when she decides to return back to her roots, sacrificing the American Dream. Her final decision not to be appeasing to her husband Obiora or to her temporary place in Philadelphia where she and her house-help Amaechi stand at the same pedestal is the crux of this paper. This paper explores the alienation of Nkem creating a new identity as a Nigerian in America with all amenities that aid her classy life style but leaves her with no companionship, respect or sense of belongingness in the alien land. The paper also scrutinises the similarity in the status of both the mistress Nkem and the maid Amaechi irrespective of the difference in their economic status. The protagonist Nkem, despite being the mistress of the lavish house that her husband Obiora owns in Philadelphia finds herself in the same shoes as her maid Amaechi. The similarity of vulnerability between Nkem and Amaechi and their keenness to appease Obiora to remain a part of the American affluent society is the focal point of this paper.

Published Paper   E-Certificate

Dr. Suparna Karkun (March-2022). Maids and Mistresses: Negotiating the Journey of Similarity, Appeasement and Cultural Complexity in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Imitation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NOVEL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, 7(3), 211-215. http://doi.one/10.1729/Journal.29419

Volume 7 Issue 3, March-2022

Pages : 211-215

Paper Reg. ID: IJNRD_180618

Published Paper Id: IJNRD2203022

Downloads: 000122040

Research Area: Social Science and Humanities 

Author Type: Indian Author

Country: Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

Published Paper PDF: https://ijnrd.org/papers/IJNRD2203022.pdf

Published Paper URL: https://ijnrd.org/viewpaperforall?paper=IJNRD2203022

Crossref DOI: http://doi.one/10.1729/Journal.29419

Journal Name: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NOVEL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT(IJNRD)

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