Open City by Teju Cole is an elegantly written work of fiction that explores the importance of identity and belonging in the modern world. Set against the backdrop of New York City, the novel follows a Nigerian immigrant named Julius as he navigates the cultural and psychological complexities of life in the metropolis. Julius is a medical student and aspiring psychiatrist who finds himself struggling to make sense of his heritage and place in society. Throughout the novel, Julius takes long walks through the city, where he is both a tourist and an observer, absorbing the sounds and sights of his new home while reflecting on his life and his relationship to his past.
Open City is an important novel in that it probes the struggles and alienation that immigrants experience in their assimilation into American culture. In some ways, it paints a dark picture of modern life, highlighting the loneliness and alienation of living in a city full of strangers and the difficulty one may experience in developing a sense of belonging. Julius’s experiences reveal the difficulties and confusion that can accompany life in a big city – the feeling of being an outsider, caught between two cultures and trying to build a new one in a place where engagement can often be challenging.
The novel also brings a useful perspective to the issue of race and racism in America. Through the travels and observations of Julius, Cole addresses the ongoing cultural dynamics of race and power in American culture that have so often been relegated to the realm of unacknowledged or unspoken conversations. The occurrences of racism presented in the novel are direct, but they are also subtle and nuanced, indicating that even in liberal, open cities like New York, insidious forms of racial discrimination are still pervasive and possessing the power to corrode relationships between different ethnic groups.
Open City is also a novel about personal growth and identity formation. Julius’s travels throughout the city become a setting for introspection and searching, as he's creates new meaning from his observations and experiences. He meets interesting people and contemplates public spaces and monuments, in order to connect with the past and learn about his place in the present. Ultimately, this journey leads himself to a place of self-awareness and understanding.
The strength of Open City lies in its strong writing, captivating plot and exploration of an important theme. Although it is told from the perspective of a single character, the protagonist’s struggles and inner dialogues are reflective of many others in our contemporary society. Through the character of Julius, the novel creates an intimate portrait of a world in which many individuals struggle to find their identity and place in their adopted homes. Open City is therefore a must-read for anyone looking to gain insight into the nuances of the immigrant experience and the psychological complexities of finding one’s identity in a globalized society.
