Angelica Rosado
Dr. Sharon Gonzalez
GLLN 210
October 9, 2021

Religion Reflection

     Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was the first Nigerian female register of the University of
Nigeria. After she traveled to America, she attended Yale and eastern Connecticut University.
She several academic prizes, and a Commonwealth prize for best first book. Whereas Aisha
Redux was born and raised in New York City, but her parents are from West Africa. Redux has
written for several publications. Both authors have distinct different forms of writing. They each
have stories surrounding religion, which display their differences and similarities.
In ‘A Private Experience’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, she uses many different
narrative techniques, such as, flashbacks, reflections, and dialogue. Moreover, Adichie contrasts
quite often. She detailed the differences between Hausa and Igbo, Muslim and Christian, rich and
poor, belief and doubt, and the list goes on, whereas the author Redux has a more concise writing
technique in the story ‘Finding my God’. Although Redux’s story also includes some flashbacks
they were structed more clearly.
     A Private Experience is about an Igbo Christian woman that is in distress because of
rioting in her town due to the rivalry between the Igbo Christians and Muslims. She hid in an
abandoned store where she finds a Muslim woman who was also in hiding. The story illustrates
how completely different people, culture, religion, and age can form a strong bond because they
share the same life circumstance. At first, they were intimated by each other because of they are Rosado 2
on different sides of the battle their town was facing; however, they were able to find comfort in
each other's company because they both shared fear.
In Finding My God, the author explains her experience with religion. Redux compares
her upbringing with the Muslim faith with other children who were also brought up Muslim. She
describes her parents as people with a strong Islamic faith, but never imposed their beliefs onto
her unlike other parents. She goes on to question extreme interpretations of her religion. The
highlights Rebux emphasizes are the oppression of women, and the idea of the devil. Overall,
Rebux defines spirituality as something that’s within despite what religion a person wishes to
follow.
     It is easy to relate to both stories. A Private Experience highlights that human are more
alike than most may consider. Adichie beautifully captured the true essence of why people are
stronger together than apart, while conveying the negative impact religion has on society.
Similarly in Finding My God, Rebux dissects how religious extremist can be harmful. Rebux
also implies building a divine relationship can be liberating.