Different Types of Discomfort: A Comparison of Ifemelu and Shan in Americanah

In Americanah, Adichie develops a number of interesting female characters who highlight Ifemelu’s unique perspectives. One of the most interesting character foils Ifemelu meets is Shan, Blaine’s sister. The dichotomy of Ifemelu and Shan’s dispositions highlights common themes around identity crises, as well as Ifemelu’s confidence and relative success in America.

Shan is an intellectual who loves to be the loudest voice in the room. She is performative and cares deeply what others think about her, though she battles with her desire to be a leading voice about racism in America while feeling trapped to the topic of race. Shan feels boxed in by her status as a Black intellectual in America, but Ifemelu takes a distanced look at race relations, telling colleagues in Nigeria “I discovered race in America and it fascinated me” (499). Ifemelu, though impacted by racism, views it as a more abstract concept. Furthermore, when Shan’s book receives a lukewarm welcome, causing Shan to fall into a depressive episode, Ifemlu finds success with her blog and can support herself with the proceeds. Shan’s confident act convinces Ifemelu, who is surprised when Blaine tells her “Shan is one of the most fragile people in the world. She’s not strong, she’s never been” (445). Ifemelu, who is generally a good judge of character, miscategorizes Shan, likely because she harbors such strong dislike for her.

Throughout Americanah, readers witness Ifemelu’s internal battle with her identity. She willingly moves to America, deeply cares about the 2008 election, and dates multiple American men, yet she is terrified of assimilating too deeply. Meanwhile, she feels incredibly disconnected from her Nigerian heritage, which is portrayed in her dread for her parents’ visit to the US. Ifemelu expects to finally find peace when she moves back to Nigeria, but her battle continues once she returns to Lagos and feels like a foreigner. For example, Ifemelu begrudges how at-home she feels with the Nigerpolitan Club. She rebels against this comfort when Fred mocks Nollywood productions, claiming that “the urge to be contrarian was strong. If she set herself apart, perhaps she would be less of the person she feared she had become” (504). Ifemelu often takes a contrarian stance throughout the novel, showing her certain nature and general disregard for external opinions.

Ifemelu despises the intellectual elitism that Shan represents. Ifemelu’s blog is meant for anyone to read and encourages conversation in the comments. Shan, on the other hand, dominates conversations and speaks in long, drawn out paragraphs. In conversations with Shan, Ifemlu takes a backseat and silently bemoans Shan’s claims.

All in all, Shan, while infuriating to Ifemelu, accentuates Ifemelu’s confidence and success in America. The two women share an identity crisis, but while Shan feels trapped in the role she’s been assigned as a Black intellectual, Ifemelu refuses to be bothered by external pressures telling her who to be. She remains authentic to herself by embracing her Nigerian-ness and refusing to be too comfortable in any room.