Because of writers like Chinua Achebe and Camara Laye … I realized that people like me, girls with skin the color of chocolate, whose kinky hair could not form ponytails, could also exist in literature.
Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieRead
I have my father's lopsided mouth. When I smile, my lips slope to one side. My doctor sister calls it my cerebral palsy mouth. I am very much a daddy's girl, and even though I would rather my smile wasn't crooked, there is something moving for me about having a mouth exactly like my father's.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a deep connection between the speaker and her father through a shared physical trait.
In this quote, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie expresses pride and affection for the unique physical trait she inherited from her father, despite acknowledging its imperfections. The 'lopsided mouth' symbolizes not only a family bond but also a sense of identity and love for her father, indicating that the imperfections he passed down are cherished symbols of connection rather than mere flaws.
Themes
FamilyIdentityInheritanceLoveImperfection
In practice
Example use cases
During a family gathering, I shared this quote to highlight the beauty of family traits.
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If I had not grown up in Nigeria- and if all I knew of Africa were of popular images- I too would think that africa was a place of beautiful landscapes, beautiful animals and incomprehensible people fighting sensless wars, dying of poverty and aids- unable to speak for themselves and waiting to be saved by a kind white foreigner.
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Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity.
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You can't write a script in your mind and then force yourself to follow it. You have to let yourself be.
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