Perspectives

Literary perspective

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the author of "My Mother, the Crazy African", is an author of African literature and a feminist writer. On the one hand, the short story “My Mother, the Crazy African” is an example of feminist fiction. The text introduces two women – Lin and her mother – and focuses on th…

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Works with the same theme or by the same author

The short story “Who’s Irish?” by Gish Jen explores the theme of mother-daughter relationships. The story looks at three generations of women – the old narrator, her daughter Natalie, and Natalie’s daughter, Sophie – and the different perceptions of education and discipline. While Natalie believes in setting a good example for Sophie, the narrator ignores her and thinks that children need to be physically disciplined. When comparing “My Mother, the Crazy African” with “Who’s Irish?”, you could look at how Lin’s mother and Natalie’s mother deal with adapting to American society. Although one woman is Nigerian and the other is Chinese, they have similar ideas and express their disdain for the American way. 

We also recommend you read the short story “Cell One” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which offers a new perspective on Nigerian society. The story looks at corruption, class differences, and Western influences in Nigeria, and explores the theme of coming of age. When you compare “My Mother, the Crazy African” with “Cell One”, you could look at the similar ways in which Lin and Nnamabia are influenced by Western culture. 

You could also take a look at Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Commencement Address at Wellesley College, which could …