Checking Out

“‘I’ve never been to Africa. I’d love to go.’ She said ‘Africa’ wistfully, like an admiring foreigner, loading the word with exotic excitement. Her black Angolan father had left her white Portuguese mother when she was three, she told him, and she had not seen him since, nor had she ever been to Angola. She said this with a shrug and a cynical raise of her eyebrows, as though it had never bothered her, an effort so out of character, so jarring, that it showed him just how deeply it did bother her.”

The use of simile and descriptive language creates a vivid portrayal of Cleotilde’s attitude toward Africa. Obinze notices that she discusses Africa wistfully, “like an admiring foreigner,” emphasizing her detachment from her African heritage and the romanticized perception she holds. Additionally, the description of Cleotilde’s cynical shrug and the raising of her eyebrows reveals the underlying emotional turmoil and the discrepancy between her outward nonchalance and her true feelings of longing and hurt.

“He wanted to kiss her, her upper lip pinker and shinier with lip gloss than the lower, to hold her, to tell her how deeply, irrepressibly grateful he was. She would never flaunt her power over him.”

By describing Cleotilde’s lips with contrasting colors and textures, Adichie uses visual imagery to symbolize the power dynamics within their relationship. Cleotilde can both relate to Obinze’s status as an outsider because of her African heritage and hold power over him since she is not an immigrant.

“A woman was walking toward the door, talking loudly to her companion. ‘Look how crowded this place is,’ she said. ‘It’s all sham marriages, all of them, now that Blunkett is after them.’ Perhaps she had come to register a death, and her words were merely the lonely lashings-out of grief, but he felt the familiar tightening of panic in his chest.”

This dialogue highlights the theme of xenophobia. The woman’s statement about “sham marriages” and her association of them with a political figure reflects a biased and prejudiced view toward immigrants. Obinze’s panic and the mention of “lonely lashings-out of grief” indicate the emotional impact of xenophobic sentiments, emphasizing the negative consequences of such attitudes on individuals with immigrant backgrounds.

“It had always been America, only America. A longing nurtured and nursed over many years. An advertisement on NTA for ‘Andrew Checking Out,’ which he had watched as a child, had given shape to his longings. ‘Men, I’m checkin’ out,’ the character Andrew had said, staring cockily at the camera. ‘No good roads, no light, no water. Men, you can’t even get a common bottle of soft drink!’”

The quote explores American exceptionalism through Obinze’s long-standing aspiration to move to the United States. The advertisement on NTA, presented through the character Andrew’s words, portrays America as a land of abundance and opportunities, contrasting it with the perceived lack of basic amenities in Nigeria. This juxtaposition, reinforced by the use of dialogue and the character’s longing, underscores the allure and idealization of America as a superior and desirable des tination.

“‘It’s the terrorism fears,’ his mother said. ‘The Americans are now averse to foreign young men.’”

The quote underscores attitudes toward immigration post-9/11. This dialogue reflects the heightened sense of fear and suspicion toward outsiders in the aftermath of the attacks, illustrating the impact of global events on the perception of individuals based on their nationality or ethnicity. The use of direct speech emphasizes the mother’s assertion and captures the prevailing sentiment of American exceptionalism, where the perception of threats justifies a sense of caution and discrimination toward certain groups.

“She was a woman who asked no favors, who would not lie, who would not accept even a Christmas card from her students, because it might compromise her. Yet here she was, behaving as though truth-telling were a luxury that they could no longer afford. She had lied for him. If anyone else had lied for him, it would not have mattered as much or even at all, but she lied for him and he got a six-month visa to the United Kingdom. He felt, even before he left, like a failure.”

This quote delves into the theme of immigrant family structures by portraying the mother’s sacrifice and compromise of her principles for the sake of her son’s opportunity to go to the UK. The juxtaposition of her usual adherence to truth and her decision to lie highlights the complex dynamics of immigrant families, where the pursuit of better opportunities can sometimes require compromises and moral dilemmas. The use of contrasting elements emphasizes the internal conflict faced by the mother and evokes a sense of guilt and disappointment felt by the son, who perceives himself as a failure despite the gained visa and his mother’s support.

“The toilets were not bad—some urine outside the urinal, some unfinished flushing. So he was shocked, one evening, to walk into a stall and discover a mound of shit on the toilet lid, solid, tapering, centered as though it had been carefully arranged. It looked like a puppy curled on a mat. It was a performance. He thought about the famed repression of the English. There was, in this performance, something of an unbuttoning.”

This quote delves into the UK’s historical attitude toward immigration by presenting a stark contrast between the perceived propriety and repression associated with the English culture and the shocking act of finding a carefully arranged mound of feces on a toilet lid. The metaphor of the mound resembling a puppy curled on a mat symbolizes a deliberate act of disruption and defiance, reflecting the challenges and frustrations experienced by immigrants in a society that has historically upheld conservative norms and a reserved demeanor.

“‘The Zed! Kinsman! You did not tell me you were coming to London!’ Iloba said, using Obinze’s old nickname. ‘How is your mother? What of your uncle, the one who married from Abagana? How is Nicholas?’ Iloba sounded full of a simple happiness. There were people who were born with an inability to be tangled up in dark emotions, in complications, and Iloba was one of them.”

This quote portrays Iloba as a character who embodies simplicity, happiness, and an innate ability to avoid getting entangled in emotionally complex situations. The use of Obinze’s old nickname, “The Zed,” and the mention of familiar names and relationships evoke a sense of familiarity and camaraderie, emphasizing Iloba’s warm nature. The contrast between Iloba’s carefree disposition and the complexities faced by Obinze highlights the varying ways individuals navigate life’s challenges.

“Iloba placed bottles of beer and a small plate of fried chin-chin on the table. The ritual of hospitality raised a sharp homesickness in Obinze. He was reminded of going back to his mother’s village with her at Christmas, aunties offering him plates of chin-chin.”

The warmth of sharing food triggers a profound sense of homesickness in Obinze. The mention of the ritual of hospitality and the specific reference to his mother’s village at Christmas evoke a nostalgic longing for Africa and a yearning for the familiar comforts of home. Through the literary devices of sensory detail and cultural symbolism, the quote underscores the power of food and hospitality as a means of connecting with one’s cultural roots and provoking a deep sense of longing for the familiar traditions and experiences of one’s homeland.

“‘I think you’ll like working here, Vinny Boy!’ It had taken him five minutes to go from Vincent to Vinny Boy and, in the following months, when they played table tennis during lunch break, Roy would tell the men, ‘I’ve got to beat Vinny Boy for once!’ And they would titter and repeat ‘Vinny Boy.’”

The transformation of Vincent’s name to “Vinny Boy” reflects a forced loss of personal identity and assimilation into a new environment. The repetition and casual usage of the nickname by his colleagues further emphasize this loss, reducing Obinze to a caricatured and diminished version of himself. Through the name change and the repetition of the nickname, the quote highlights the dehumanizing effects of assimilation and the erosion of individual identity within a new cultural context.

“Nigel asked him to come into the coffee room, where all the men were trooping in, passing around the muffins and Coke they had bought with their own money in honor of a birthday they believed was his. A realization brought tears to his eyes: he felt safe.”

The birthday party symbolizes belonging and acceptance for Obinze’s alter ego, Vincent. The acts of sharing food and acknowledging his presence demonstrate a positive aspect of assimilation, highlighting the potential for finding a supportive community and regaining a sense of safety and belonging despite the challenges of identity loss. Through the use of emotional tears, the quote underscores the transformative power of human connection and the possibility of rediscovering a sense of security within a new social environment.

“Obinze had never made as much of an effort as he did the rest of the day to seem normal, to tame the rage that was engulfing him. It was not the thought of the power that Vincent had over him that infuriated him but the recklessness with which Vincent had exercised it.”

Obinze’s desire to appear unbothered reflects his longing for connection and a sense of belonging. The mention of his wish to reveal his real name to Nigel and Roy highlights his yearning for authenticity and the genuine human connection that comes with sharing one’s true identity. The contrast between the perceived power dynamics and the desire for genuine connections emphasizes the importance of personal relationships and the human need for community.

“Cleotilde flung herself on the ground and began to cry. She may never have visited her father’s country, but he was convinced at that moment of her Africanness; how else would she have been able to fling herself to the ground with that perfect dramatic flourish? He wondered if her tears were for him or for herself, or for what might have been between them.”

Cleotilde’s dramatic and emotional response signifies her connection to her African identity. The use of the phrase “perfect dramatic flourish” suggests a certain cultural expectation or stereotype associated with Africanness. Furthermore, the narrator’s speculation about the reason behind her tears highlights the complexity of Cleotilde’s emotions, raising questions about the intersection of personal and cultural identities, as well as the potential unfulfilled possibilities in their relationship.