November 27

Reader Response Criticism

My own race gives me a clearer perspective on the main characters of this novel, especially Ifemelu. I migrated to a new country when I was younger, and so understand much of the paranoia, and confusion that Ifemelu felt when she first migrated to America. Many people who have experienced the struggles that Ifemelu and Obinze felt after migrating would empathize with them: it was not their fault for migrating, they were only seeking a better life.

“How easy it was to lie to strangers, to create with strangers the versions of our lives we imagined.” Ifemelu and Obinze may not have lived a life of fame and wealth in Nigeria, but believed, like any other migrant, that they would be able to start fresh in this new land, ‘where all dreams were possible’.

Ifemelu writes in her own blog that “black people are not supposed to be angry about racism” because their anger makes whites uncomfortable. This is absurd. Essentially, racism is the belief that one’s own race is superior to that of all or specific others, and treating an individual from another race with inferiority. Ifemelu stands against racism, and yet contradicts her own views by supporting that blacks should remain silent. It would have been clear that, at the time, blacks were reminded of ‘white power’ through racial abuse on a day to day basis. Therefore, the majority of African-Americans may have believed Ifemelu’s quote to be true, and unknowingly let racism prolong.

September 20

Eilis’ Guilt

Brooklyn is a coming of age story for a young Irish girl named Eilis. At the time, especially for younger generations growing up in rural areas, the prospect of shifting to a far away, foreign land could be too much to accept. When Eilis is offered the opportunity to move to America and begin life anew, with a stable work and income, it isn’t just the thought of leaving abroad for a place that she may never return from – or truly feel at home at – that disturbs her: she feels an ample amount of guilt for leaving her mother, and sister, Rose, behind.

In part 1 of the story, when she is preparing to leave and Rose is helping her to pack her belongings, Eilis feels a strong guilt toward the position that she is in when thinking of her sister. She believes that Rose would have been more capable of living to her full potential in America; essentially living up to the “American Dream”, and that the opportunities that Rose had turned down were for Eilis to live a better life. She feels guilty, as if she is somehow taking a future of opportunities from Rose, and depriving her of what she is really capable of. We learn this is somewhat true in part 1 of the story, that Rose prefers a simple life with her family and golf rather than living up to her true potential. We learn that Rose is somewhat selfless, and wants her sister to have these opportunities instead.

“It occurred to her also, as she tried on some earrings, that Rose knew all this too, knew that either she or Eilis would have to leave, and had decided to let Eilis go.” (Page 32)

Eilis is and has always been thankful toward Rose – she looks up to her as a role model. However, knowing that Rose has sacrificed a potentially rich future for Eilis impacts her self-esteem greatly, to the point where she is wishing that she would not have to leave, and go through with the guilt, that Rose could take her place instead.

Eilis’ guilt is also directed toward leaving her already dissipating family behind. We know from part 1 of the book that her brothers are all off working in the U.K, her father having passed away before the beginning of the story. Eilis is very reluctant to leave her fragile mother behind, as she is characterised as close to her family members, showing a softer side to the people she loves. This guilt originates from having to leave the responsibility of taking care of her aging mother, and their home, and somewhat forcing it upon Rose. Furthermore, when the tragic news arrives from her home in Ireland, Eilis feels even more guilty for not staying to take care of her family, instead of seeking fortune and a new life in a foreign land.

 

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