BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CONTINENT

ANCIENT AFRICA
The African is the birthplace of humanity and with it, has the longest human
history of any continent. Many civilizations sprung from this continent, and many historic
wars were fought here. One of those civilizations that sprung in Africa is the first great
civilization of Egypt, which rose during 3400 BC. Egyptians are well known throughout
history for bringing many inventions in the world, like paper and black ink, and the
marvel of engineering which are the pyramids. The Phoenicians rose next at 480 BC
and they established the city of Carthage in Tunisia, which is now modern-day Lebanon.
This civilization also contributed to the world the alphabetic mode of writing, which
became the basis for other Western civilizations. Then the Roman empire came into the
picture, where they continued to expand and Rome conquered and destroyed Carthage
at the battle of Zama. Rome also conquered Egypt in 30 BC and Morocco in 42 AD. At
that point in time, Rome expanded in North Africa, but failed to pursue the rest of Africa
due to the Sahara Desert.
AFRICA IN THE MIDDLE AGES
The Arabs conquered North Africa, absorbing Egypt, Tunis, Carthage and other
minor civilizations, which led to North Africa converting to the Islam religion during the
conquest of the Arabs, with the exception of Ethiopia which remained Christian. This
resulted in Ethiopia being ostracized by the Arabians. Other organized kingdoms in
Africa became affiliated with the Arabs, improving trade between the civilizations.The
Arab merchants brought luxury goods and salt. In return, they purchased gold and
slaves from the Africans. This also resulted to Islam spreading across the continent.
However, while the Muslims enjoyed the spoils that Africa was offering to them. The
Portuguese began exploring the coast of Africa, reaching various places. This marks the
transition of Africa from the Middle Ages to the period of colonization.
AFRICA DURING THE 1500-1800
As more empires rose in Europe. More European powers came to Africa to
gather and transport slaves. Britain for example took African slaves to the West indies.
This slave trade was called the Triangular Trade. But unbeknownst to other European
powers however as the slave trade was happening, and Europe’s just started to put its
eyes on Africa, the Turks began conquering the North African coast. The North portion
of Africa was embroiled in a messy situation, while South Africa meanwhile was growing
and saw the rise of powerful kingdoms like the Kanem-Bornu, which had a partnership
with the Turks.
MODERN AFRICA
In the 19th century, European powers began to stop the slave trade, whilst
maintaining colonies in Africa. Most of Africa were colonies, with Lithuania and Ethiopia
being the exceptions. This would be the springboard for many issues to come up,
causing divide and disparities in former colonies. Fast forward to the 20th century.
Europe’s attitude towards imperialism begins to shift, along with Africa’s growing desire
towards independence. In 1960 alone, 17 countries were granted independence. Now in
the 21st century. Africa is a booming continent, with many investments from powerful
countries pouring in to develop the continent. Along with it is the rich tourism industry,
further pushing Africa’s development.

PROMINENT 21ST CENTURY WRITERS AND THEIR

LITERARY WORKS

1. CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian writer born in Enugu. She studied
medicine at Nsukka and then left for the US of A at the age of 19.
She wrote numerous novels, short stories, poems and plays, which are often
best known for exploring the theme of politics, culture, race and gender. Examples of
her work includes:
● Purple Hibiscus
The story talks about the emotional turmoil of an incoming adolescent, familial
bonds and the search for freedom due to tyranny.
 ● We Should All Be Feminists
The story tackles the gender standards and the misconceptions that shrouds
feminism. It also opens the idea of encouraging men to engage with women on
topics of sexuality, roles, appearance and success.
2. NURUDDIN FARAH
Born in 1945, in Baidoa, Somalia. He is considered to be one of the most
significant Somali writers as a result of his rich imagination, and his refreshing use of
the English language.
His works are often novels, most of which revolve around the themes of crushed
idealism, otherness, feminism, tyranny and many more. Some of his works include:
● Links (2003)
The story follows the journey of Jeebleh, a Somali woman who returns to her
homeland after 20 years of exile in North America. Jeebleh is searching for her
son, who disappeared during Somalia's civil war, and hopes to reconnect with
her family and her roots.
● Hiding In Plain Sight (2014)
The story is set in Somalia and follows the journey of Bella, a woman who returns
to her homeland after spending several years in Europe. Bella is searching for
her missing brother, who disappeared during Somalia's civil war, and hopes to
find some answers about his fate.
3. AMINATTA FORNA
Born in 1964 in Glasgow, Scotland to a Scottish mother and Sierra Leonean
father, raised in Sierra Leone and the UK. She was educated at the University of
London and Columbia University in New York.
Themes in her work include displacement, identity, politics, and the intersection
of personal and public history. Two examples of her work are:
● The Memory of Love (2010)
The story is set in Sierra Leone and follows the lives of several characters whose
lives have been deeply affected by the country's civil war.
 ● Happiness" (2018)
The story is set in London and follows the lives of two characters - Attila, a
Ghanaian psychiatrist, and Jean, an American wildlife biologist - whose paths
cross by chance.
4. ALAIN MABANCKOU
He was born in 1966 in the Republic of Congo, and was educated in Brazzaville,
Paris, and the United States.
Themes in his work include identity, postcolonialism, globalization, and the
relationship between Africa and the West. Two examples of his work are:
● Broken Glass (2009)
The story is set in the Republic of Congo and follows the life of the protagonist, a
Congolese man named Moki, who has just been released from prison after
serving time for a crime he did not commit.
● Black Moses (2017)
The story is set in the 1970s and follows the life of an orphan named Moses, who
grows up in a Catholic orphanage in Pointe-Noire, a major city in Congo. As
Moses grows older, he becomes involved in a revolutionary movement and takes
on the role of a Robin Hood-like figure, stealing from the rich and powerful to give
to the poor.
5. NADINE GORDIMER
She was born in 1923 in Springs, South Africa. She studied at the University of
the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in
1991.
Themes in her work include apartheid, race relations, and the effects of
colonialism. Two examples of her work are:
● July's People (1981)
It is set in an imminent South African future in which riots have broken out across
the country and evolved into an all out black liberation revolution.
 ● The Conservationist (1974)
The book tells the story of a conservative, white, South African
“developmentalist” business-tycoon named Mehring who decides to buy a large
ranch/farm outside of Johannesburg.

ANALYSIS OF THE SELECTED LITERARY WORK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The author of the story is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She was born in Enugu,
Nigeria in 1977. Her father was a professor in the University of Nsukka, while her
mother was the first female registrar of the university, which had her grow up in the
university as well. She studied medicine at Nsukka, and left for the United States at the
age of 19. Now she has written
THE AUTHOR’S PURPOSE
There are no direct words of her explaining in detail on why she has written this
piece, but audiences have come up with ideas as to why she wrote the thing around
your neck.

I. The story details the depression that immigrants feel when they immigrate to
America.
II. She tries to analyze and study the psychology of Nigerian characters who settled
in America and she explores their agonies, struggles and hardships.
III. Tries to understand how national identity functions both as a pendant and a
milestone, and on the flipside. A blessing and burden to the wearer.
SUMMARY OF THE TEXT
The story begins with our nameless protagonist (also the narrator). She thought
that everyone in the US had a house, car and a gun. To which her uncles and aunts
agreed. The protagonists just won the American visa lottery, and soon the protagonists’
family cheered that she will also have her own house and car, but advised her not to
buy a gun. The family also asked her to send them back bags, shoes, clothes, perfumes
and purses when she arrives. When the protagonists came to America, she was
greeted by her “uncle”. Your uncle bought you a hotdog and took you to the white town
of Maine where he lives. The uncle then showed the protagonist the school he enrolled
her in, and the protagonist met with some girls in the college. They asked her about her
hair, houses and cars to which the uncle told the protagonist to expect this kind of
treatment. A mix of ignorance and arrogance. Despite this treatment. America is give
and take; it provides opportunities but you give up a lot to get them.
When the nameless protagonist was in the basement (it is where she slept). Her
uncle came in and grabbed her buttocks, then sat on her bed. The uncle uttered that
smart girls like her would allow him to “help” her. After the incident. She ran to the
bathroom and locked herself in until the next morning, the protagonist decided to leave.
After she left, the protagonist met Juan. A restaurant manager who is willing to take her
in for a dollar less, because all immigrants work hard. Most of what the protagonist
earns is spent on rent. She can’t afford to study so she studies in the public library. She
went home after, and began reminiscing about her home back in Nigeria.
The protagonists wanted to write back to Nigeria. Telling them everything about
her experiences in the US. But with how little she earns, and is unable to buy the
perfumes, bags and other whatnot. She sends the money back to Nigeria, but with no
letter accompanying it. The protagonist begins to feel as if she is not a whole-rounded
person. She feels invisible. Trying to walk through the walls of her place, but only gains
bruises in the end. She laughs it off. And when she tries to sleep, something wraps itself
around her neck. Causing her to nearly choke.
In the restaurant. The protagonist encounters customers claiming she’s from
Jamaica, as all black people with a foreign accent are Jamaican. Some customers just
assume that Africa is just Safari. When the protagonists were reciting the daily specials
to another customer, a boy in his late-twenties. The nameless boy asked some
questions. The nameless boy asks what African country she's from, and then asks if
she's Yoruba or Igbo. The protagonists said she is from Nigeria and belongs to the Igbo.
The nameless boy then asks her name. To which the protagonists replied. “Akunna”.
After the encounter, Akunna shows her disdain as she thinks all white people are
condescending.
The boy returns multiple times. Asking Akunna about Lagos. The boy tells his
stories about his visit to Bombay and told how much he wanted to visit Lagos to see real
people living in the shantytowns, rather than doing typical tourist activities. One night,
the nameless boy comes to the restaurant and asks Akunna out, to which no response
was directly given. The boy proceeds to tell her that he’s a senior at the state university,
but did not graduate yet as he longed to “find himself”. Akunna asked if he found himself
to which the boy simply laughed the question off. Akunna did not, as she was caught off
guard that people can simply choose whether or not to go to school. Akunna simply
accepted what life gave her. No questions. No second thoughts
He asked you a few more times to go out with him, but Akunna persistently says
no. But one day, Akunna saw the boy no more. Akunna panicked and prayed that he
would come back, and miraculously he showed up behind Akunna, with Akunna
immediately saying yes she would go out with him, even before he asked. Akunna and
the boy then went to Chang’s and Akunna opened some fortune cookies, which were
revealed to be blank strips of paper. Akunna felt that she was becoming more close with
the boy. Akunna shared the story of her father during a rainy time in Lagos. Her father
bumped into a green car, to which the father pleaded so desperately to the driver of the
car. The driver let go of Akunna’s father. Akunna did not look at his father, and told him
he looked like poop. The boy grabs Akunna's hand and says he understands, but
Akunna feels annoyed and says there's nothing to understand. Both of them head out
and the boy finds an African store. The store owner asked the boy if he is African, to
which he replied yes. He felt pleased fooling the store owner. At Chang’s one night, the
boy says he speaks Mandarin, to which the waiter asked if he has a girlfriend in
Shanghai. He responded with silence. This led to Akunna losing her appetite.
They both leave Chang’s and at home, Akunna tells she was hurt that the boy did
not correct the waiter at Chang’s. The boy apologizes for what he thought he did, but
Akunna knows he does not understand. The boy buys Akunna gifts, but Akunna
responds to him, saying stop buying useless things. Akunna keeps the gifts though as
she will give those to her family. The offers to fly her to Nigeria, to which Akunna
refused. She finally confronts the boy of his beliefs that poor people are real people, and
she asks him if he’s a real American since he is not poor. No answer was given but they
made up. Which loosened the thing around her neck
 Akunna finally wrote a letter back home, along with some cash, but was shocked
when she received a letter from Nigeria. Her father died and all the money Akunna sent
was used to get him a good coffin. Extreme grief engulfs her, as she curls up in bed
remembering what she had been doing while her father was dying. The boy offered
once again they both go to Nigeria, but Akunna wants to go alone. The boy asks if she’ll
come back. Akunna responds by saying she must maintain her green card. The boy and
Akunna hug for a moment before finally letting go.
SPEAKER
The primary speaker of the story is Akunna itself. Akunna is the Nigerian girl that
won the American Visa lotto, and is now headed for America. She narrates her
experiences before and during her stay in America.
MOOD AND TONE
The general mood of “The Thing Around Your Neck” is that of melancholy, and
the exhibited tone is discomfort. Evidence includes Akunna crying for a reason she does
not know. It is also evident that when she arrived in America, her mood dramatically
shifted as well from a person brimming with hope to dread and loneliness, longing to go
back home.
PLOT
Exposition
● When Akunna won the American Visa Lottery
It is interesting as to how Akunna’s family refer to getting a visa as a form of
lottery. They see getting a visa as a game of luck or chance. According to a file
uploaded on the website of the US Department of State. Nigerians have a
64.83% chance for their visa to be rejected so, it does make sense for them to
consider it a lottery, as good luck would land you on that remaining 30% whose
visas get accepted.
Rising Action
● Her experiences with her uncle
As difficult as it may sound. This is one of Akunna’s difficult experiences in the
US. She gets sexually harassed by her uncle while she stays there, even
bringing out a disgusting offer, where the uncle tells her to give up her dignity in
 exchange for a comfortable life. In an effort to save herself, she ran away from
her uncle without leaving a word of goodbye.
● Her experiences when she ran away from her uncle
After she ran away from her uncle, she falls once again to exploitation under the
restaurant manager Juan, who offers her work, but it is considered “under the
table” type of work. She is not registered as an employee in the US government,
making her vulnerable to exploitation. To which Juan takes advantage of. Juan
pays Akunna less, and he gives Akunna the notion that immigrants work hard.
● Her experience with the nameless boy
The character that Akunna spent the longest with, where she also showed her
most vulnerable. Akunna met the nameless boy in the restaurant where the boy
flaunts his knowledge of Africa and his beliefs, which caught Akunna off guard.
This nameless boy was also spoiling Akunna of material things, but to Akunna
they were useless. Akunna also sometimes felt as if she was invisible to the boy,
as the boy sometimes ignored her questions or answers with something else. To
our interpretation, it seems like a form of manipulation, but there are instances
where Akunna liked it as it was her form of release from all the terrible things that
happened to her. A boy that she can relate to at a small level.
Climax
● Her father passes away
This was really the event that broke the camel's back. This is the main turning
point of the story, as it struck Akunna harshly, as it haunted her in her sleep. She
was distressed, guilty and ashamed of what she was doing, while unbeknownst
to her, her father was struggling to survive.
Falling action
● She comes to the realization that the American dream is false, and she feels
separated from her family, leading to her concluding that she and that she will
never be happy in the United States.
Denouement
● She decides to go back to Nigeria, despite the boy offering to go with her. She
refuses, as she wishes to go back alone. The story ends in a bittersweet note,
 with an ending left for the reader to formulate their own conclusions on whether
Akunna will return to the United States or not.
CHARACTERS
● Akunna
A woman coming from Lagos, Nigeria is the main character of the story.
● Nameless boy
The boy in the restaurant asks about Akunna’s relation to Africa. He builds an
uneasy relationship with Akunna.
● Akunna’s Uncle
Not his uncle by blood, but he is the brother of the husband of Akunna’s auntie.
● Juan
The restaurant manager that hires Akunna and pays her a dollar less. Believes
that immigrants work hard.
SETTINGS
The story primarily takes place in the modern-day United States of America in the
small town of Connecticut, however in the story’s beginning, the implied setting is in
Lagos, Nigeria.
POINT OF VIEW
The POV employed in the story is the second POV. The author constantly makes
use of the “you”. This places the reader into the story, as if the reader is the character.
This furthers the impact that the story holds as it allows us to truly empathize with
Akunna and experience what she is experiencing. It allows the reader to immerse
themselves in the story, feeling every feeling that the character is feeling, learning of
what is happening to you, and it helps us understand how difficult it was for her to
assimilate herself in the American culture.
THEME
“Family weighs more than the dollar bills one can earn”
This
STRUCTURE/FORM/LITERARY DEVICES/FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Structure: Prose
It is written in a narrative style that uses sentences and paragraphs to tell a story.
Form: Fiction
It is a form collection of short stories that are not based on real events, but rather
are imagined by the author.
Literary Devices:
● Allusion
She makes references to other literary works or historical events to create a
deeper meaning in her story/s.
● Foreshadowing
To give hints about what is going to happen later in the story.
Figurative Language:
● Metaphors
Uses metaphors throughout the collection to create vivid imagery and also
to convey complex ideas.
● Personification
Uses personification to make inanimate objects more relatable or
understandable to the reader.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

THE CONTEXT
Political context
The political context of the story is depicted by how Akunna and her family
viewed getting in America as a lottery. Despite America promoting the American Dream,
it fails to make it easier for other nationalities to experience it.
Economic context
The economic context of the story is depicted by the economic situation of
Akunna. The main point of her going to America was to help her family in Nigeria rise
from poverty.
Socio-cultural context
The socio-cultural context of the story is depicted by how Americans view
immigrants. It is either they know little about another country, or pretend to know more
than the people who actually live there. Furthermore, the Americans seem to hold
stereotypes that are either false or stem from complete ignorance.
Technological context
There is minimal reference to any technological aspect in the world of Akunna. The only
possible technological context we could make out is that commercial flights already
exist. We may even say that it is quite old-fashioned as they still use letters to
communicate. But with how little the protagonist earns, electronic communication may
seem to be out of reach.

THE LITERARY APPROACHES

Feminist Literary Criticism

This approach critically analyzes literary works in the feminist perspective. It is a
way to reject the norms that benefit males more than females in terms of psychological,
economical and political aspects
The Feminist approach is applicable to this story as it explores the experiences
of our female protagonist Akunna and her experiences with other characters. Many of
which are males. Most of the males Akunna encountered unfortunately had either
sexually, psychologically or economically sabotaged her in some form. Making this an
appropriate lens to use to critically analyze the story.
Postcolonial Literary Criticism
This approach critically analyzes the literature produced in former colonies, and
explores how the colonizers respond to the produced text. It immerses readers to the
perspective of the colonized/subjugated.
Nigeria is a former colony of the British Empire, which makes this approach
suitable for the piece. It can explore how colonization affected the political, cultural,
economic and other various aspects of Nigeria’s landscape. Furthermore, it can also
open discussions on the relationship of the US characters with Akunna.

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