Literary Analysis of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s ‘Ceiling’
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s ‘Ceiling’ is a short story written in 2011. The piece was featured in The Best American Short Stories 2011. Her work talks about the life of Obinze and the realities of living a life in contemporary Lagos, Nigeria. As readers tread to the pages, they are able to recognize the rags to riches story of the protagonist. Yet, despite having wealth and connections, he continues to be unhappy and clings on to his past. In particular, his interaction with Ifemelu, his past college romance, demonstrates his escape to his current life and showcases one of his what ifs that continues to make him question the decisions he has made in the past.
One of the significant realities that Adichie offers readers in the story corresponds to the modern realities that are happening in Nigerian society. It provides emphasis on the contrasting features of Lagos society wherein the disparity between the rich and poor remain to be widespread. It focuses on the life of Obinze who is considered one of the success stories of young individuals who became rich in Nigeria due to individual affiliations and personal connections (Adichie 6). Though this may seem to be the case, Adichie also mirrors the other side of Lagos society through the main character’s interaction and personal thoughts about the changes that took place in the country. From a social standpoint, there clearly are social transformations that are happening as traditional and modern values and beliefs influence the character development in the story.
Another important and arguably central in Adichie’s story is the notion of ‘what ifs’ in an individual’s life. Examining the piece, the story focuses on Obinze’s thoughts and how his personal feelings in the past is making him feel nostalgic and imagines the potential life that he could have with his college sweetheart. As Obinze clearly entertains these thoughts in his mind, the more he is inclined to show readers about how he is falling out of love to his current wife (Carlson 1). Equally, Obinze’s continued exploration of his past and the manner that he continues to hang on to the wonderful memories of being called ‘Ceiling’ by Ifemelu. Seeing this, it is through Adichie’s effective combination of flashback and word choices that readers are able to paint a picture of Obinze’s what ifs in the past and how it continues to consume his present life.
Lastly, the insights brought forward by Obinze’s actions demonstrate that money and power cannot influence happiness. Despite becoming a member of Lagos elite society, the protagonist feels empty inside. He continues to find his present life difficult despite having wealth. That is why he continues to recall his past relationship with Ifemelu and wonders what his life would have been had he stuck with her. By carefully piecing together the experiences of Obinze in the past, Adichie is able to indicate his unhappiness and how he felt about the material things (Guyton 1). This is relatively astonishing given the rags to riches story of Obinze and how he has sacrificed so much in order to be in such position.
Overall, Adichie’s ‘Ceiling’ provides a wonderful story about a man who continues to live in the past and what ifs in life. Despite having the power, connections and wealth, Obinze continues to hang on to the past and finds solitude with her brief interactions with his former love Ifemelu. Through the author’s effective use of words alongside the integration of flashbacks within the story, she is able to create important lessons to readers and indicate that happiness does not necessarily mean having money or power. The case of Obinze clearly shows how he has a falling out with the life many continues to dream and aspire for.
Works Cited
Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. ‘Ceiling’ The Best American Short Stories 2011: Selected from U.S. and Canadian Magazines, Geraldine Brooks and Heidi Pitlor (Editors). New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2011. Print. 1-13.
Carlson, Karen. Bass 2011: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s ‘Ceiling’ originally from Granta. 19 Oct. 2011.Web. Accessed 31 August 2014.
Guyton, Claire. ‘Sideways Review: Tuning in to Voice’ Hunger Mountain.org. 2011. Web. Accessed 31 August 2014.