Social realities in Half of a yellow sun using social reality theory

Another pivotal theme that permeates this narrative is that of oppressive stereotyping within a society that, presumably, is becoming more modern. There are several characters who surrender to the Orientalist narrative that caricatures non-European society as an uncivilized, inferior space. Characters like Susan echo this belief, and the American reporters who tour Biafra with Richard are outsiders who, in a few cases, are given to openly racist remarks. While more sympathetic European characters like Richard are portrayed as benevolent people despite their colonial background, the central idea seems to create a binary between the East and West and delineate how the East, or Nigeria in this case, has been oppressed by the weight of Western influence.