MIGRATION AND PERSONALITY CONSTRUCTION IN CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE’S AMERICANAH AND THE THING AROUND YOUR NECK

Abstract

This paper argues that migration exerts a lot of influence on the migrant and that personality construction is the tool utilized by the migrant to adapt to the diasporic culture. Some of the influences like identity switch comes naturally as the migrant settles in the diaspora. Others like disguise are nurtured by the migrant to evade the challenges associated with the host society. The paper relies on the psychoanalytical theory and uses the analytical method to examines illustrations from Chimamanda Adichie’s Americana and The Thing Around Your Neck to evaluate the factors that contributes to the construction of the migrant’s personality. The analysis of data shows that the tropes of poverty, instability, deprivation and optimism about the future are the factors that construct the migrant’s personality while still in the home culture. Once the migrant has moved to the diaspora, the issues of poverty, invisibility, identity crisis, racism and sex are the reoccurring ideas that continues the development of the migrant’s personality. The dream of the migrant for a better future helps the migrant to forge a hybrid personality through disguise and a hypocritical life. This life of “assorted personality” often leads to the fulfillment of the migrant’s dream in some cases. In others, the life of ambivalence leads to forgetfulness and depression in extreme cases. In whatever ramification it manifests, the deliberate and intentional construction of personality enables the migrant to adapt successfully to the host’s culture in the diaspora.