407691

Ifemelu and Obinze's White Masks and Black Skins: Politics of Gender and Color in Adichie's Americanah

Article

Last updated: 01 Feb 2025

Subjects

-

Tags

-

Abstract

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah intricately explores the racial identities of its protagonists, Ifemelu and Obinze, shedding light on the complexities of their experiences as black individuals navigating different cultural contexts. Drawing on Frantz Fanon's concept of "white masks" and "black skin," this paper delves into the ways in which Ifemelu and Obinze navigate their racial identities in the novel. Indeed, Frantz Fanon's concept of "white masks" refers to the ways in which colonized individuals adopt the cultural norms and values of the colonizer, often at the expense of their own identities. Fanon argues that colonialism imposes a sense of inferiority on colonized peoples, leading them to internalize the beliefs and attitudes of the colonizer, thereby masking their true selves. Besides, the study portrays gender roles and power dynamics; hence, it explores how characters challenge or conform to societal expectations based on gender. The study also spotlights the implications of these dynamics on relationships, career aspirations, and personal agency. The politics of color are shown in the way black characters are confronting or internalizing racial stereotypes, discrimination, and privilege.
 
Keywords: Fanon- gender-color- black skin- white mask- blackness-interracial relationships.

DOI

10.21608/jssa.2025.310958.1660

Keywords

فانون, النوع, اللون

Authors

First Name

Rashad

Last Name

M. Rashad

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

كليه الاداب جامعة دمياط قسم اللغه الانجليزيه

Email

rashadhamed55@gmail.com

City

mansoura

Orcid

-

Volume

26

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

53338

Issue Date

2025-01-01

Receive Date

2024-08-09

Publish Date

2025-01-28

Page Start

107

Page End

137

Print ISSN

2356-8321

Online ISSN

2356-833X

Link

https://jssa.journals.ekb.eg/article_407691.html

Detail API

http://journals.ekb.eg?_action=service&article_code=407691

Order

6

Type

المقالة الأصلية

Type Code

653

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

مجلة البحث العلمي في الآداب

Publication Link

https://jssa.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Ifemelu and Obinze's White Masks and Black Skins: Politics of Gender and Color in Adichie's Americanah

Details

Type

Article

Created At

01 Feb 2025