The Thing Around Your Neck

The Thing Around your neck is a short story written in the 2nd perspective. It details a possible real life story of the author, using a 2nd perspective to make it so that the reader feels as if they were actually in their position. This could include decision making, thoughts and memories across her encounters.

Throughout the short story, the author details the events of her life that she has experienced in America. Particularly, the first phases of realising the differences between your native country and a global superpower. For example, in this short story, young impressionable African females are sent to America and tag alongside a… [distant] relative. However, from the short story, it seems as if all things are too good to be true. The author’s uncle would go on to abuse his power over the author, inciting her to leave. Eventually the author would move on with her life and experience an American life and enter a relationship with an American.

One of main global issues that is focused on is stereotyping. As detailed in the book, the primary issue that the author and many US-African migrants is stereotyping. In America, many white-Americans have a belief of something similar to a Poor-African demographic. Africans are considered to be poor, come from a destitute country or probably have a outbreak of malaria every other week. This is generally considered to be a stereotype or generalisation over an entire continents population. The story is set to take aim at these stereotypes in an attempt to make the reader feel guilty, given if they actually held these beliefs about all African people.


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