Characters

The main character in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s short story “The Arrangers of Marriage” is Chinaza Udenwa, whose perspective the reader follows. She is a Nigerian woman who struggles to adapt to the American lifestyle. Her husband, Ofodile, is also Nigerian. His marriage to Chinaza was arranged by their families. Their relationship is tense, as they barely know each other and Ofodile insists that Chinaza should abandon her Nigerian identity in order to fit in. 

Another important character is Nia, Chinaza’s neighbor and friend. Chinaza finds Nia to be a source of comfort for her because she is bold and gives her advice. Nia uses a Swahili version of her name, as she wants to recapture her old identity. In this way, Nia is the opposite of Ofodile, as she does not mind showing she is different and enjoys standing out.

You can read a full characterization of Chinaza, and Ofodile, in the following pages.