October 26, 2014 - 14:18
As I mentioned in class, next week I'd like to talk about women's relationships with men in Americanah; the value of "independence" in different cultures, how relationships change what it means to be independent; and how financial stability does or does not play into one's sense of freedom.
In the beginning of Aunty Uju's relationship with The General, Aunty Uju talks with Ifemelu about her reliance on The General for finances, and fear spreads through Ifemelu (92). I have always felt this sense of dread when I think about being financially dependent on another person in my adulthood because I've equated my financial stability with my independence. But at the same time, I realized how flawed this thinking can be in terms of my own life as well as the lives of others who really need to rely on others for money. How do current conversations in the United States (and in popular culture) complicate the relationship between money and independence? (For starters, see: Beyoncé). What are ways to exercise one's independence while still relying on another for money? (See: nego-feminism). But how much independence can one really have when they are working within someone else's framework? Also, how much does our Western notion of independence correspond to our definition(s) of feminism? Where do we see this playing out in Americanah? What about the dynmaic between men and women in relation to all of this?