
The Criterion: An International Journal in English
African Literature
Representation and Identity in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun
Abstract
This paper explores the complex negotiation of representation and identity in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun, situating the novel within postcolonial literary discourse and the cultural memory of the Nigerian-Biafran War. Adichie constructs a narrative that challenges colonial historiographies while foregrounding the lived experiences of ordinary individuals navigating fractured identities. Through characters such as Ugwu, Olanna, Odenigbo, Richard, and Kainene, the novel interrogates the layered formations of selfhood shaped by ethnicity, class, gender, language, and national belonging. Each character’s identity is ruptured and redefined by the shifting socio-political landscape of 1960s Nigeria, demonstrating how identity is never fixed, but rather fluid and contingent upon external pressures and internal desires. The novel further dismantles simplistic binaries of representation by questioning how African stories have historically been told—and who possesses the authority to tell them.
Keywords
Representation, Identity, Postcolonialism, Biafran War, Trauma, Memory
How to Cite
Deena Nath, Prof. Deepak Kumar Singh. “Representation and Identity in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun.” The Criterion: An International Journal in English, vol. 17, no. 1, Feb. 2026, pp. 1103-1124. ISSN: 0976-8165.

Comment:
Excellent analysis of identity formation in postcolonial literature. Adichie’s work demonstrates how narrative perspectives shape cultural understanding much like diverse platforms create inclusive experiences. Just as nustar game club offers varied entertainment options, literature needs multiple voices to truly represent complex human experiences across cultural boundaries.