Americanah

Ifemelu comes to love living in Baltimore, but struggles to find her place within Curt’s group of “sunny and wealthy” (256) white friends. Despite her years in America, their speech and actions are still not “fully knowable to her” (256). She begins to resent Curt’s spoiled affectations, his ego’s need for “constant buffing, polishing, waxing” (257). Her straightened hair begins to fall out, so she cuts it short, but hates how masculine it makes her look. A friend advises her to go natural, with an Afro. She discovers emails on Curt’s computer, messages in which he flirts with a woman he met at a work conference. Curt apologizes and swears it meant nothing, but Ifemelu leaves. Curt brings her flowers and she takes him back. She decides to wear her hair naturally, and falls “in love with her hair” (264). 

Aunty Uju calls Ifemelu, once again exasperated by Dike. He has refused to wear a shirt Bartholomew bought him. Ifemelu talks to Dike, advising him to wear the “striped, humorless shirt” (267) to make his mother happy. She brings Curt to meet Uju and Dike that weekend, and Uju is pleased by Curt’s charm and attentiveness.