Second Class Citizen

by Buchi Emecheta

Book Overview

In the late 1960's, Adah, a spirited and resourceful woman manages to move her family to London. Seeking an independent life for herself and her children she encounters racism and hard truths about being a new citizen. "Second Class Citizen pales a lot of academic feminist writing into insignificance." -The Guardian

"Emecheta's prose has a shimmer of originality, of English being reinvented....Issues of survival lie inherent in her material...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0807610666
• ISBN13: 9780807610664
• Release Date: February 1983
• Publisher: George Braziller
• Length: 174 Pages
• Weight: 0.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

gritty, realistic and human

Gritty, realistic, and very human. Tells a true autobiographical story of a remarkable Nigerian woman who surpassed gender, race, and tribal roles in Nigeria and England to recover her dreams "the presence" and utilize her talents.

Wonderful book

You can never go wrong with Buchi Emechete. Her books are multi-layered and beautiful. She is a masterful storyteller and presents the complexity of tribal versus modern life from a feminine view. If you love writing with a feminist bend, you will enjoy her works. A+++

To be what you are, and not what you are supposed to be

"Second Class Citizen" is the story of Adah, a resourceful, intelligent girl from Nigeria who comes to Great Britain shortly after Nigeria gained independence in 1960. Going to Great Britain was a dream she pursued with determination against the wishes of the family of her husband, who had departed for Great Britain before her, and against the traditional role which her native culture saw fit for women. Adah is not so much disappointed with what she finds in Great Britain (surprisingly, since she expected to find the "kingdom of heaven" there) but with the lack of change in her husband who neither can nor wants to question his traditional ways. On top of that he is lazy, bad tempered, and spoilt. He does not care for his wife, he cares for the money she brings home so that he can slouch on the couch and otherwise follow his whims.Adah brings an interesting aspect to racism: You are only a victim if you think of yourself as a victim. For her part, she never accepts that she is regarded as a "second class citizen" because she is black or because she is a woman. Her husband, on the other hand, wants to fit in and actually tries to conform to the society's racist view of him. He has lost his sense of dignity, but Adah has not. She draws great strength from her determination to lead a better life, to get an education, to give a better life to her children, and to become a writer.The style in which the novel is narrated is very plain and simple, just in line with Adah's sraightforward, practically minded character. It is quite unemotional and creates a certain distance between Adah and the reader. Beneath Adah's tough surface, however, one can sense the pain she feels at not being loved by her husband "for what she was and not just because she could work and hand over her money like a docile child.""Second Class Citizen" is an impressive portrait of human dignity under pressure, and of the the sheer will of an individual to persist and to be what she knows she can be.

a must read, for every woman

this book should be read by every independant young woman. Emcheta's story of a young woman struggling to uphold the traditions of her continent in a strange country is poignant yet very real. This book is full of power and energy. A must read, for every young woman.

Second Class Citizen

This book is fantastic! This book deals with the internal conflicts one faces with race, identity, love and life. This book deals with the theme of "borderland", which is being between two cultures, not being accepted by Nigerians and denied also by Europeans. The theme of colonialism is present throughout the book and gives the reader a first hand look at what happens when two different cultures merge. What captured by heart in this book is Adah's determination in life. With each turning page one goes through the hardships of her life. Your heart yerns for everything to work out in the end. This book is written in very simplistic terms but has so many deep symbolic undertones. Believe me your heart will grow heavy as you make the journey of this book.