Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi was born in 15th September 1977.
Education
- Studied medicine in Nsukka.
- Studied Communication and Political science at Eastern Connecticut State University.
- Received a master's degree in creative writing from John Hopkins University.
- Studied African history at Yale University.
Important Works
i) The danger of a single story
Story teller
Chimananda begins her talk by referring herself as a story teller because she was telling her personal story.
Early reader and early writer
Chimamanda begins to read and write from very early age. She has read "Things fall apart" which was written by Chinua Achebe.
Description about Characters of her work
Normally she used white and blue eyed characters to portrait in her work of art. Characters drank a special kind of ginger beer. But all these things changed when she discovered African books. she never thinks that people like her could exist in literature.
Story of House boy 'Fide'
Chimamanda spoke about the poor house boy Fide who work in her house. She felt enormous pity for Fide's family. One day she went to see Fide's home and there she saw how his mother used to make creative work to earn living. That is one of the single story of Chimamanda.
Story of American roommate
Chimamanda has one American roommate who is amazed by her English. It is difficult for her to believe that a Nigerian can speak better English. That roommate felt sorry for Chimamanda.
Bad portrayal of Africans
Chimamanda spoke about the harsh reality that most of the writers are portraying bad image of Africans people. She felt for Africa in same way as she used to felt for Fide when she was child "A poor helpless". However her characters are not authentically Africans. It is true that when we show people one thing over and over again then they automatically become like that. This the case with Africans who are always portrayed as negative and therefore all started believing in it and not looking at things from other perspective.
She also spoke about her poor family condition, she said that:-
"I had seen Jam disappearing from breakfast table, then bread"
Even the condition of Nigerian was not that much good, more than 5000 people are applying for one single job.
John locke's Imagination about Africans
Chimamanda laughs at John Locke's imagination. But the importance of John Locke's writing is that the beginning of tradition of telling African stories in the West.
So many things she spoke about her life. The main thing is racism, difference between white and black people and their suffering. Chimamada speak about very true things that why there are no positive stories, why only terrible things are portrayed, All these stories are dependent on power. Whoever was in power decide what to present in society and what not.
Chimamanda spoke about the harsh reality that most of the writers are portraying bad image of Africans people. She felt for Africa in same way as she used to felt for Fide when she was child "A poor helpless". However her characters are not authentically Africans. It is true that when we show people one thing over and over again then they automatically become like that. This the case with Africans who are always portrayed as negative and therefore all started believing in it and not looking at things from other perspective.
She also spoke about her poor family condition, she said that:-
"I had seen Jam disappearing from breakfast table, then bread"
Even the condition of Nigerian was not that much good, more than 5000 people are applying for one single job.
John locke's Imagination about Africans
"People without heads, having their minds and eyes on breasts".
Chimamanda laughs at John Locke's imagination. But the importance of John Locke's writing is that the beginning of tradition of telling African stories in the West.
So many things she spoke about her life. The main thing is racism, difference between white and black people and their suffering. Chimamada speak about very true things that why there are no positive stories, why only terrible things are portrayed, All these stories are dependent on power. Whoever was in power decide what to present in society and what not.
ii) We should all be Feminist
Chimamanda as a feminist spoke about many aspect of her life whenever she felt inequality. She has spoke about her personal experiences in life. In the very beginning she has given a very awkward definition of a feminist, she said-
Personal experience of gender discrimination
In her childhood, she wanted to be class monitor. As per the tradition only those who can secured more marks and stood first in class can be next monitor. Chimamanda worked very hard and fortunately as a fruit of her hard work stood first, but unfortunately a boy becomes a class monitor who stood second. This is the first time when she felt gender discrimination.
Even she cannot go in reputed bar and club without being accompanied by man.Women are also human, why don't they get equal rights as men are getting. Mostly the power position were acquired by men, there are very less women who works in higher authority.
Boys are always taught to be afraid of fear. They are supposed to be like hard man. Normally a boy used pay for his girl, to prove his masculinity. There is always Ego conflict in their mind, that never allow them to beg down in any situation. Therefore the language of marriage is about ownership, husband as a owner of family, it is not about partnership. Girls are always being praised for their virginity but society allow boys to do not remain virgin. How could this happen, it doesn't make any sense. Many women are also pretend to be happy, even if there is domestic violence in their home, this pretension is only to prove themselves as a good, docile wife.
Paradox
Usually women are supposed to cook in their home, but the paradox is that most of the master chef outside the home, in big hotels, restaurant are men. Man always wants to earn money and without money they can't even cook food. Women who works for day and night in home, cook food, doesn't get anything in return. Men are awarded with fancy title "Chef", and women get only the tag of housemaid.
Culture
Culture is made by peoples, but culture not make peoples. In easy way whatever morality, value, prevailing in society are made by the people of society itself. The all cultural barriers for women are made by the all peoples of society. Then why should women supposed to follow each and every tradition and culture?, why all the time she has to sacrifice?, why not man?
These all questions raised a difficulty and force us to think in details that Why and How patriarchal society rules?
iii) Talk on importance of Truth in Post-Truth Era
Chimamanda spoke about the value of truth. She first begins with the interpretation of her name, "Chimamanda" which means personal spirit which can never be broken. Many finds difficult to pronounce her name. Once she went in an event and there the anchor mispronounced her name as "Chimichanga". That women tried very hard but ended with utterly human mistake. The point not about speaking incorrect name, but the focus should be on lie which normally people make, by changing the meaning of the concept. The lie in the word, idea, act all have some kind of political tendency.
Chimamanda herself spoke about common lies which she used to speak, about her height, about to struck in traffic when someone ask her for being late.
She has also shared her one experience when she has praised one writer whose name she dont know and when the wife of that writer ask her about which book she read, then she gave bullshit answer, beacause in reality she don't know about which book of which writer she is praising. She has spoke just a big lie that time.
I redily lie about my height, i lie about struck in traffic, othe rlies, i have alsmost felt my best when i don not lie.
For any human being it is difficult to spoke about their failures.
For Chimamanda, literature is her religion.
Act of courage\
Chimamanda again spoke about the importance of truth, she says that telling the truth is an act of courage. It also need courage to say I don't know, when someone ask about something.
Need of changing media
Chimamanda spoke about the need of changing media, there is no need of entertainment, nor profit making, the only one thing which must be taken into consideration is that it should be all about truth, not spreading lies. She has also spoken about the bad habit of procrastination which only generates fear in the mind of a person.
Self doubt and Self believe
These are two very important words to get success in life. We cannot create anything without self doubt. Without self doubt we become complacent and without self believe we we cannot succeed. therefore both these things are required in life.
Chimamanda as a feminist spoke about many aspect of her life whenever she felt inequality. She has spoke about her personal experiences in life. In the very beginning she has given a very awkward definition of a feminist, she said-
"Feminist are women who felt unhappy because they couldn't find their husband"But Chimamanda is not that type of typical feminist, although she is a happy feminist✌☺.
Personal experience of gender discrimination
In her childhood, she wanted to be class monitor. As per the tradition only those who can secured more marks and stood first in class can be next monitor. Chimamanda worked very hard and fortunately as a fruit of her hard work stood first, but unfortunately a boy becomes a class monitor who stood second. This is the first time when she felt gender discrimination.
Even she cannot go in reputed bar and club without being accompanied by man.Women are also human, why don't they get equal rights as men are getting. Mostly the power position were acquired by men, there are very less women who works in higher authority.
Boys are always taught to be afraid of fear. They are supposed to be like hard man. Normally a boy used pay for his girl, to prove his masculinity. There is always Ego conflict in their mind, that never allow them to beg down in any situation. Therefore the language of marriage is about ownership, husband as a owner of family, it is not about partnership. Girls are always being praised for their virginity but society allow boys to do not remain virgin. How could this happen, it doesn't make any sense. Many women are also pretend to be happy, even if there is domestic violence in their home, this pretension is only to prove themselves as a good, docile wife.
Paradox
Usually women are supposed to cook in their home, but the paradox is that most of the master chef outside the home, in big hotels, restaurant are men. Man always wants to earn money and without money they can't even cook food. Women who works for day and night in home, cook food, doesn't get anything in return. Men are awarded with fancy title "Chef", and women get only the tag of housemaid.
Culture
Culture is made by peoples, but culture not make peoples. In easy way whatever morality, value, prevailing in society are made by the people of society itself. The all cultural barriers for women are made by the all peoples of society. Then why should women supposed to follow each and every tradition and culture?, why all the time she has to sacrifice?, why not man?
These all questions raised a difficulty and force us to think in details that Why and How patriarchal society rules?
iii) Talk on importance of Truth in Post-Truth Era
Chimamanda spoke about the value of truth. She first begins with the interpretation of her name, "Chimamanda" which means personal spirit which can never be broken. Many finds difficult to pronounce her name. Once she went in an event and there the anchor mispronounced her name as "Chimichanga". That women tried very hard but ended with utterly human mistake. The point not about speaking incorrect name, but the focus should be on lie which normally people make, by changing the meaning of the concept. The lie in the word, idea, act all have some kind of political tendency.
Chimamanda herself spoke about common lies which she used to speak, about her height, about to struck in traffic when someone ask her for being late.
She has also shared her one experience when she has praised one writer whose name she dont know and when the wife of that writer ask her about which book she read, then she gave bullshit answer, beacause in reality she don't know about which book of which writer she is praising. She has spoke just a big lie that time.
I redily lie about my height, i lie about struck in traffic, othe rlies, i have alsmost felt my best when i don not lie.
For any human being it is difficult to spoke about their failures.
For Chimamanda, literature is her religion.
Act of courage\
Chimamanda again spoke about the importance of truth, she says that telling the truth is an act of courage. It also need courage to say I don't know, when someone ask about something.
Need of changing media
Chimamanda spoke about the need of changing media, there is no need of entertainment, nor profit making, the only one thing which must be taken into consideration is that it should be all about truth, not spreading lies. She has also spoken about the bad habit of procrastination which only generates fear in the mind of a person.
Self doubt and Self believe
These are two very important words to get success in life. We cannot create anything without self doubt. Without self doubt we become complacent and without self believe we we cannot succeed. therefore both these things are required in life.
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