Lin's mother

Outer characterization

Lin’s mother is another main character in the short story “My Mother, the Crazy African” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She has relocated to America from Nigeria with her family and has been living in Philadelphia for three years (p. 1, l. 22). Her daughter, Ralindu, is her only living child, as her other children “died as babies” (p. 1, l. 19). Lin’s mother is called “Chika” (p. 2, l. 20), which is her Igbo name and is only called that by Lin’s father. 

Inner characterization

From Lin’s perspective, her mother appears to be a traditional and conservative woman who is only concerned with preserving Nigerian traditions. When she talks about her mother, Lin mocks her disdain for America, which sometimes comes across as amusing:

You would think she hasn't ...