Narrator and point of view

The events described in the short story “My Mother, the Crazy African” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie are told by Lin, the first-person narrator and one of the story’s main characters. 

The first-person perspective of the events helps readers understand the narrator’s thoughts and feelings. For example, her attitude suggests that her actions are motivated by her desire to appear as a typical American teenager and to please Matt, her boyfriend: “And I am sorry, don't get me wrong, but a name like Ralindu and an accent are too much for me right now, especially now that Matt and I are together” (p. 1, ll. 19-20). In this example, readers understand why appearing American is so important to the narrator, who puts Matt before her family.

The narrator uses ...