Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, HALF OF A YELLOW SUN

There were 6 of us meeting at Maren’s place on Thursday 12th for a delicious Croque-Monsieur night: Cynthia, Robin, Maren, Myriam, Michel and a newcomer, Florence.

After a round of chitchat related to the various experiences  of the bookclub members over the summer holidays the discussion turned to the book which brought us together that night. ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ (HoaYS) by Nigerian female author Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie.

The background and reasons for my choice is the interest I grew in African literature when I moved to Angola for work some years ago and was trying to get a feel  of the place. I realised then how African literature was both flourishing and varied in style but also drastically underrepresented in the international literature market.

I first read HoaYS in that context, and was enchanted by the voice and personality of its young author, Chimamanda Adichie.  A woman I said I would love to meet (the bookclub assembly joined in and suggested we invite Chimamanda for tea and biscuits at a later bookclub session).

Most present that day said they enjoyed reading the novel, whilst Florence mentioned she remained neutral to it, not disliking it although it did not win her over either.

Michel mirrored the novel’s structure by launching the discussion on the central character of Ugwu. The novel starts with the arrival of Ugwu in his master’s house on the Nsukka campus, and he provides the pivot to the story, a sort of witness, as we follow his personal development throughout the novel. Robin mentioned how the reader grows fond of Ugwu and Cynthia asked our reactions to the ‘act’ (gangrape) that Ugwu is involved in during his military days.

We also discussed the characters of the twin sisters Olanna and Kainene, and agreed that their being twins did not bring anything to the novel, and the story may not be different had they been introduced as mere sisters rather than twins.

Maren pointed that the food/cooking and sex themes provide for important and lively scenes of the novel, and are written in a style that made them feel very natural and a ‘true part of life’. No unnecessary taboo and no spoiling the fun.

We also discussed how the author’s style was effective in keeping the reader going, although the atmosphere grows gloomier as the Biafran war progresses, by going back and forth between detailed descriptions and ordinary domestic activities. (Olanna who interrupts her introspection to blow the baby’s nose).

Robin had noted a few quotes she wished to share with us, one being a great illustration of the author’s feminist thinking. Interestingly  this feminist view was part of a line by the upcountry aunty, supposedly not literate and no suffragette herself, but an independent woman all the same.

The quote that Robin read to us is a perfect illustration of the feminist positions that Chimamanda developed in one of her several talks available on Youtube (‘We should all be feminists’. Accessible here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg3umXU_qWc).

We unfortunately did not have time to listen to the High Life music that Olanna is so fond of. So here is a link to try it out on Youtube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOluwt5FSVM

>>> Also, it seems that a ‘HoaYS movie is expected to come out before the end of the year. We said we’d keep an eye out for it. Maybe a good reason for a bookclub outing ?

Myriam

More recommendations by Myriam:

Other recommended talks by Chimamanda: (yes, yes,  I got to select the book AND draft the Minutes, ah,ah ! So additional promotion for Chimamanda…)

‘The danger of a single story’ or why we should look for information beyond the basic clichés that we usually encounter.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg

A talk on her recent book Americanah, where her life in the US, multicultural societies and the author’s obsession with hairstyle are being discussed.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n8LtRi2i8c



Thanks also to Michel for this summary and appreciation of "Half of a Yellow Sun":

Olanna is a perfect woman. Well educated, intelligent, " illogically pretty". Her romance with Odenigbo is an ideal one. They live  apart from the rest of the country, in  an oasis where theoreticians can talk, have drinks , imagine the world. Ugwu is fascinated by Master and Olanna. He wants to own them, almost worships them. Over the years he will start to teach, the way they do, and put together the book that should have been written by Richard. As this " blue eyed, fair haired" Englishman  deeply fell in love with Kainene, Olanna's twin sister, the loop is looped. Our characters are expected to be good : they like, admire, support and respect each others.

But the fairy tale cannot go on. Mother casts a spell over Olanna,  who " did not suck her mother's breasts".Odenigbo makes a village girl pregnant. Olanna leaves him, although she will come back later. But she also faults. Our characters are not ideal. They are fallible. Why did she choose the shy Richard to take revenge? It is her sister who is hurt:: " you fucked my lover" ! While until the end Olanna and Richard will share their guilt ,the determined and strong Kainene will surpass the hardship.

Are the characters  performing onstage? Each chapter begins with  the name of character and tells a bit of  that character's story. The narrative becomes chopped off  while the reader finds himself  ten years or so forward immersed  into the brutal racial war. Unbearable pictures of the war: the aunt's and uncle's corpses lying on the ground, the little girl's head in a calabash, or the body of the  house boy that continues to run  beheaded. The play becomes more confused. Olanna takes care of "Baby". Only later will we find out that Baby is Odenigbo's child and that Olanna has decided to keep the child.

But the war subdues everything. The family ( Odenigbo-Olanna-Baby- Ugwu) has got  to leave. This is the start of a lengthy exodus: Abba, Umuahia,  Orlu  . The war creates splits within the Odenigbo-Olanna couple: all Haussas are complicit in the massacre of the Igbos, including Olanna's former lover, an unacceptable proposition. Yet, the war also bring the characters more closely together.  Biafra, a new country is born. They, as all Igbos, strongly believe in Biafra's victory against the Nigerian vandals.

During the first times of the war, enthralled by their credo, our heroes remain   knit together. Odenigbo is active with Biafran organisations. He goes in the interior to educate the people. Olanna teaches the children. Kainene urges Richard to write press articles to support Biafra. Ugwu also teaches . Later he will start to write  " The world was silent ...". Eventually,Olanna marries Odenigbo. Yet the hardships of the war end up  fragmenting  the couple. When his mother is killed, Odenigbo becomes depressed, openly alcoholic. Ultimately he is likely to have slept with a refugee girl. Olanna will not pardon, keep him aloof. Their love story is dead, as many Biafrans are dead.

Not only death is around but  also  hatred ( "All Igbo women deserve to be raped") while children are starving. Enrolled by force in the Biafran army, Ugwu is forced to rape a Biafran girl. He will be haunted by "the hate in her eyes as she lay on her back on the dirty floor".  Olanna  has no more  food for Baby. Kainene decides to trade with the ennemy to buy protein tablets for Baby. She will not come back. Richard will not console himself. And, although the war is over, Olanna can only keep crying, in Odenigbo's arms eventually.