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.

Chinaza

Outer characterization

Chinaza Udenwa is the main character in the short story “The Arrangers of Marriage” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche. She is a young Nigerian woman who was raised by her uncle and aunt as her parents died, probably when she was quite young. Her middle name is Agatha, and her new husband insists that she use this name from now on, as it sounds more American. Chinaza is a high-school graduate and she even mentions at one point that she wishes to take the “JAMB exam” which is a Nigerian exam for people who want to further their studies and go to university. While she was in school, Chinaza also worked in her aunt’s bakery.

Inner characterization

From the very beginning of the story, Chinaza refers to Ofodile as “my new husband”. This is because she does not know the real him and ...