The award winning American novelist, Nicholas Sparks, once wrote “He often felt that too many people lived their lives acting and pretending wearing masks and losing themselves in the process.” Indeed, a mask is worn to obfuscate an individual’s true identity and to conceal their abiding fear of failure. In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel, Americanah, the creation of this facade is exhibited through the characters’ deep-seated desire for social acceptance. The story begins by showing all of the triumphs that the two main protagonists, Ifemelu and Obinze, have had throughout their lifetimes. Yet, despite these tremendous accomplishments, their identities have become tainted by their longing for society’s unattainable image of success. This pursuit for social acceptance strips them of their integrity and authenticity.
