Comprehensive Study Guide: The Arrangers of Marriage by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Arrival and Initial Impressions of the American Home

  • The Setting: The protagonist and her new husband arrive at a brownstone via taxi. The entryway features a "flight of brooding stairs" and an "airless hallway with frayed carpeting."

  • Apartment 2B: The apartment is marked by the number 2B2B, which is described as being unevenly fashioned from a yellowish metal.

  • Expectations vs. Reality:

    • The Husband's Description: He had previously used the word "house" to describe their living situation.

    • The Protagonist's Vision: Chinaza imagined a smooth driveway snaking between "cucumber-colored lawns," a proper hallway, and walls adorned with "sedate paintings," similar to the homes of white newlyweds shown on NTA (Nigerian Television Authority) on Saturday nights.

    • The Reality: The living room features a single beige couch sitting alone and slanted in the middle. The room is hot and smells of old, musty air.

  • Layout of the Apartment:

    • Small Bedroom: Contains only a bare mattress lodged in a corner.

    • Large Bedroom: Contains a bed, a dresser, and a phone located on the carpeted floor.

    • Space Perception: The protagonist describes the rooms as lacking space, noting that the walls seemed "uncomfortable with each other."

  • Husband's Justification: He explains the lack of furniture by stating, "I didn't need that much when I was alone," and promises to get more now that she has arrived.

The Customs Encounter and Nigerian Foodstuffs

  • The Journey: Chinaza underwent a ten-hour flight from Lagos to New York.

  • Customs Inspection: An American customs officer conducted an extensive search of her suitcase, described as "raking through" her belongings.

  • Foodstuffs Examined: The officer used gloved fingers to poke through waterproof bags containing:

    • Ground egusi.

    • Dried onugbu leaves.

    • Uziza seeds.

  • Seizure of Seeds: The customs officer seized the uziza seeds, fearing Chinaza would grow them on American soil, despite the seeds being sun-dried for weeks and being as hard as a bicycle helmet.

  • Reaction: Chinaza expressed her fatigue in Igbo, saying, "Ike agwum" (I am tired/exhausted).

First Night and Marital Dynamics

  • The Bed: The sheets are described as soft. Chinaza curled up tight, comparing her body to "Uncle Ike’s fist when he is angry," hoping to avoid "wifely duties."

  • The Snoring: Her husband's snoring is described as a "deep rumble" that ends on a "high pitch," sounding like a "lewd whistle."

  • The Morning Ritual:

    • The husband wakes her by settling his heavy body on hers.

    • He grunts in response to her "Good morning."

    • When she asks him to wait so she can remove her nightdress (to avoid seeming hasty), he crushes his mouth down on hers.

    • Chinaza describes his breath as smelling like the "rubbish dumps at Ogbete Market" and his mouth feeling like "old chewing gum."

    • The sexual act is described as his "thrusting," ending with him resting his entire weight, including his legs, on her.

Telephone Logistics and the History of the Arrangement

  • The Phone Call: The husband insists they call her uncle and aunt to report their safe arrival.

  • Costs and Codes:

    • The cost is approximately $1.00 per minute to Nigeria.

    • The dialing procedure: Dial 011011, then the country code 234234, followed by the number.

    • Chinaza punches in a total of 1414 numbers.

  • The Arrangers:

    • Uncle Ike: Described as the one who found the "perfect husband." He is a "titled man" who smiles the same way he did when the Super Eagles won the soccer gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics.

    • Aunty Ada: She raised Chinaza as her own. She views the marriage to a doctor in America as winning a "lottery."

  • The Timeline of the Arrangement:

    • Ofodile had not been home in 1111 years.

    • Uncle Ike provided a photo to Ofodile's mother.

    • The couple had "plenty of time" to get to know each other, which amounted to exactly two weeks in early June before the wedding.

  • Chinaza's Unspoken Thoughts: She did not remind her relatives that she wanted to retake the JAMB exam for university, or that she had sold more bread in Aunty Ada's bakery than all other bakeries in Enugu combined, or that she was responsible for the cleanliness of their home.

Cultural Assimilation and the Erasure of Identity

  • Vocabulary Training: The husband constantly corrects Chinaza's English to align with American usage:

    • "Engaged" vs. "Busy."

    • "Lift" vs. "Elevator."

    • "Biscuits" vs. "Cookies."

    • "Jug" vs. "Pitcher."

    • "Consultant" vs. "Attending Physician."

    • Greeting: He instructs her to say "Hi" rather than "You are welcome" when meeting people for the first time.

  • Name Changes:

    • Ofodile: Changes his name to "Dave."

    • Udenwa: Changes the surname to "Bell" because Americans have a hard time with the original. Chinaza notes this is not even close to the original name.

    • Chinaza Agatha Okafor: Her husband fills out her Social Security application using the name "AGATHA BELL."

  • The Reasoning: Dave explains, "If you want to get anywhere you have to be as mainstream as possible. If not, you will be left by the roadside."

Life in Flatbush: Shopping and Economic Realities

  • The Neighborhood: Identified as Flatbush. Chinaza describes it as noisy and smelling of fish left out too long.

  • Commercial Landscape:

    • "Best Caribbean and American Food" restaurants.

    • A car wash offering washes for $3.50\$3.50 advertised on a chalkboard.

    • Chipped sidewalks and litter (Coke cans).

  • Key Food Supermarket:

    • The Process: Dave shows her how to use the bus, including pouring coins and pressing the wall tape for stops. He sneers at the Nigerian system of shouting to a conductor.

    • Economic Constraint: Dave insists on buying store brands because they are cheaper. He specifically avoids the familiar "Burton’s Rich Tea" biscuits (cookies).

    • Sanitation Views: Dave disparages other immigrants (Spanish speakers) for not adapting to America, claiming they are "doomed" to shop at such supermarkets because they act as if they are in their home countries.

Medical Profession and Financial Standing

  • The Professional Hierarchy:

    • The arrangers told Chinaza that doctors in America make a lot of money, but excluded the details of internships and residencies.

    • Pay Rate: As an Intern, Dave earns $28,000\$28,000 a year working approximately 8080 hours a week.

    • Hourly Breakdown: Dave calculates this to be about $3\$3 an hour, which is less than what part-time high school students earn.

    • Future Goals: Dave promises that when he becomes an "Attending," they will move to a better neighborhood where shopping carts do not have bars preventing them from being taken to the car.

  • Transportation: Dave's current car is old and rattles like a "tin full of nails." It frequently stalls at traffic lights.

The American Mall and Food Court Experience

  • Atmosphere: Chinaza feels like she is on another planet. The mall has floors as smooth as ice cubes and ethereal lights in the ceiling.

  • The Food Court:

    • Dave orders "two pepperoni and sausage" pizzas using a combo deal.

    • Social Critique: Chinaza finds the public eating area humiliating and lacking dignity, noting that Uncle Ike would never eat in such a public space.

    • Taste Critique: She complains the tomatoes in the pizza aren't cooked well. Dave responds by saying Nigerians overcook food and lose nutrients.

  • Macy's Department Store:

    • Dave buys Chinaza a sky-colored puffy coat on sale.

    • He emphasizes the importance of sales as one of the "wonders of America."

  • McDonald's: Dave orders two large "Number 2" meals. He rejects Chinaza's offer to cook at home, showing a deep concentration while eating the hamburger.

Home Cooking vs. The All-American Cookbook

  • The Coconut Rice Incident: On Monday, Chinaza prepares coconut rice. She has to cut a coconut into tiny bits for an hour because there is no grater.

  • Interaction with Shirley: Shirley (the neighbor from 3A) visits to complain about the "foreign" smell filling the building, though she tells Chinaza it "smells really good." Shirley mentions that Americans have "no culture."

  • The Cookbook: The next day, Dave brings home the "Good Housekeeping All-American Cookbook," which Chinaza describes as thick as a Bible.

  • Cooking Adjustments: Dave tells her, "I don’t want us to be known as the people who fill the building with smells of foreign food." Chinaza struggles to learn new techniques like browning beef in oil and dredging chicken in flour, whereas she used to poach chicken with skin on and cook beef in its juices.

Relationship with Nia

  • Nia's Appearance: Nia lives in 2D. She wears see-through tops, mismatched bras, shimmery orange lipstick, and orange eye shadow. Aunty Ada would label her an "ashawo" (prostitute).

  • Shared Heritage:

    • Nia explains her name is Swahili and that she spent three years in Tanzania.

    • She appreciates Chinaza's name, noting it is Igbo and means "God answers prayers."

  • Nia's Offer: Nia owns a hair salon. She offers to help Chinaza get a job at Macy's through her sister, who is a manager. This represents Chinaza's first hope of earning something that is "mine."

  • Dave's Warning: Dave warns Chinaza to stay away from Nia, calling her a "bad influence."

  • Bonding: Nia stops by frequently. Chinaza turns off the A/C so Nia can smoke. Chinaza teaches Nia Igbo phrases like "I’m hungry" and "See you tomorrow."

The Revelation of the Previous Marriage

  • The Conflict: After winter arrives, Chinaza expresses frustration about not having her work permit yet.

  • The Secret: Dave reveals he was married before to an American woman to obtain a Green Card.

  • Current Status: The divorce was not final when he married Chinaza in Nigeria. The American woman is now blackmailing him for more money and threatening to report him to Immigration.

  • The Argument:

    • Chinaza is horrified she wasn't told.

    • Dave dismisses her concerns, saying her uncle and aunt had already made the decision and asking what she would have done in Nigeria where master's degree holders are jobless.

  • Dave's Motivation for Marriage: He wanted a Nigerian wife, specifically one who was "light-skinned" because light-skinned blacks fare better in America, and because his mother said she was a "good girl" and likely a virgin.

The Ending: Nia's Confession and Chinaza's Decision

  • The Escape: Chinaza takes her own clothes (Aunty Ada’s cast-offs) in her suitcase and goes to Nia's apartment.

  • Nia's Confession: When Chinaza asks if Nia ever met Dave's girlfriends, Nia reveals that she slept with (fucked) Dave for a week about two years ago when he first moved in.

  • Nia's Advice: Nia tells Chinaza she cannot leave yet because she has no papers. She advises Chinaza to wait for her papers, then apply for benefits, get a job, and start over.

  • Resolution: Chinaza realizes Nia is right. She goes back across the hall to the apartment. Dave opens the door and lets her in, signaling her temporary return to the marriage until she can achieve legal independence.