False Identities In ‘Imitation’ By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Nagozi Adichie’s novel “Imitation” tells the story about a Nigerian couple that uses false identities to mask their anger. Nkem, whose husband lives in America, plays Nkem’s role of the submissive husband. However, she isn’t as vocal as he would like. Obiora, who lives in Lagos and visits Nkem twice a year, considers himself a man of reverence. He should be free to choose with women that lead to infidelity. The Benin Mask is used to represent Nigerian culture. It also represents the tendency of people hiding their true selves.
American culture is fundamentally different to Nigerian culture. Nigerians are strict about class consciousness. American housegirls are allowed to be friends with their employer. America has long gone beyond the old-world ways of thinking. American culture is more egalitarian. She thinks it’s what America does. You are forced to embrace egalitarianism. You don’t really have anyone to talk too, aside from your toddlers. So, you turn your attention to your housegirl. She is soon your friend. You’re equal’. Nkem misses home because of her negative feelings about Americans, which aren’t as common as those experienced by immigrants. It almost feels like she is trying comfort herself with images of Lagos. Because she considers them her only family, she is fixated on the mask and on the similarities that they share. Like many immigrants, she is obsessed with the masks. Masks can conceal an individual’s identity, but they can also appeal emotionally. It’s not unusual to show only one aspect of yourself to others. It is not unusual for people to show only one side of themselves. Nkem, for instance, cuts her hair so that it looks more like Obiora’s affair. She lifts her head to grab the scissors and begins to cut. She feels insecure in her true identity, and cuts the hair to show this. This is related to Benin’s mask as it hides her true identity and makes her feel more comfortable with herself. She feels lost, disregarded, and sad. Nkem desires to be ‘the only women’. The mask symbolizes her desire to feel alone and makes it clear that she is not her real identity. This causes her mixed emotions.
Obiora is a different person, however, and he views the Benin Masks differently. They are a symbol for a family tradition, but Obiora sees them as status symbols. The masks made tribal leaders feel special in Lagos. Only custodians were allowed to protect them. Obiora loves to feel valued and is a collector of masks. He is also not as interested in American customs than he is in Nigerian. This makes his collection of masks more valuable than Americans, since he doesn’t stray too far from his own traditions. He feels like a “Big Man” because of this. However, Americans don’t care about his status symbol.
Finally, the Benin Mask is an illusion that equality exists. Their marriage is marked by inequality. Nkem doesn’t have any autonomy or voice. Nkem believed her husband at first, but she didn’t believe him. Obiora answered that she liked her shorter hair more than her beautiful face. It is time to cut it. A Big Man’s wife will look more elegant with long hair. He laughs when he says Big Man’. Obiora doesn’t see Nkem in a respecting way, but rather as someone who can help him maintain his status. Nkem is a big man when he ignores her needs and keeps quiet.
He prefers this way of thinking. It was not obvious to her that she was suppressing herself by not saying something. She finally speaks out when she discovers the truth about her marriage. Although she didn’t intend to, it seemed right. It is what she had always wanted to. The’masks’ were removed.
Masks are not only for hiding behind, but they can also serve multiple purposes. In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Imitation, the Benin masks symbolize Nigerian culture. It also represents the tendency of people hiding their true selves. Adichie illustrates it by showing different aspects Nkem-Obiora’s relationship. Although Benin masks are not common in every culture, it is easy to understand why Nkem or Obiora use them. People are prone to ignore the truth to maintain their comfort in their current situation. Even though it seems easier to hide the truth, it can eventually wear on someone and make the mask more heavy. Nkem shows that this can be difficult but it is possible to remove the mask and regain your truth.
