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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Ifemelu take Dike for his birthday in Chapter 43?

2. What is Priye's profession in Chapter 44?

3. What colors does Ranyinudo describe the wedding as having been that she just attended in Chapter 44?

4. Who is Blaine's ex-girlfriend that reads one of Ifemelu's blog posts at the party in Chapter 36?

5. What area is described in Chapter 47 as "the old Lagos, a slice of the past, a temple to the faded splendor of the colonial years"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the root of Ifemelu's discomfort around Paula in the narrative?

2. What is symbolized by Ifemely's invitation for Dike to visit her in Nigeria?

3. Why does the author employ flashbacks in Chapter 31? How do flashbacks enhance the reader's experience?

4. What history do Obinze and Emenike have? What connects these characters?

5. How would you describe Ifemelu's employer and boss at Zoe magazine?

6. Why does Ifemelu argue with the Haitian woman in Chapter 31?

7. What connection does Ifemelu reach with Aisha in Chapter 41? What does this foreshadow?

8. How are the concepts of race and class in England and America compared in the narrative?

9. What issues does Shan describe with her editor and the publication of her book?

10. What does the bookstore symbolize in Chapter 27?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the themes of isolation and conformity. How do Ifemelu and other Nigerian immigrants go about assimilating into American culture in the narrative? What do you think they lose along the way toward conformity? How is Ifemelu affected by her assimilation into American culture?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss hair as a metaphor and symbol in Americanah. What does Ifemelu’s hair mean to her? How is the protagonist’s hair reflective of the changes that she undergoes in the narrative? Where does this symbol originate for Ifemelu? How does she emerge as an individual through her discussions of African hair?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the motif of accents or dialects in the novel. What do dialects symbolize to the Nigerians in the narrative? How is dialect perceived differently in America than in England? What are the correlations between class, race, and dialect?

(see the answer keys)

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