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An ‘Angry’, ‘Bossy’ Woman Tells Her Story the Way It Is
‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama explores race, power, and the search for identity
Excelling in her studies, a young, smart African-American woman goes on to ace her way through Princeton and Harvard, eventually landing a plum job at a law firm. Her zeal to give back to her community leads her to be a much-admired advocate and leader. Married to another bright lawyer, blessed with two children she’d always wanted, her life is complete. All she looks forward to is nurturing her tiny universe, and move up meaningfully in her career.
And then, her husband decides to run for President of the United States of America. He wins, creating history as the first African-American president. As he basks in the glory and battles with the challenges that one of the most coveted posts in the world automatically brings with it, what then, of the woman? His wife, always expected to be supportive, cheerful, and devoted to him and his ideals?
What happens to Michelle Obama, as she stands shoulder-to-shoulder with her super-powerful husband? A brilliant professional and devoted mother, her identity is far more and infinitely broader than the former First Lady.
This, essentially, is what her autobiography ‘Becoming’ seeks to capture. In a history…
