Redemption
Abani includes a character named Redemption in this novel. This character's name is pure symbol. When he takes Elvis under his wing, Redemption offers Elvis the chance to take charge of himself since his parents are so unreliable. He also tempts Elvis, however, giving him ample room to make mistakes. Redemption takes Elvis along on numerous criminal endeavors which feed Elvis but also compromise his values. Through this series of tests Redemption appears to be testing Elvis by offering challenges. In the end, Elvis decides to abandon his life of crime. He's too conflicted. Redemption rewards him with a passport which he's taken out in his (Redemption's) own name. Bearing the literal name of the act, Elvis passes through customs to leave his homeland and embrace his dream. He decides to use Redemption's name going forward, embodying the selfless act of his friend in the next chapter of his life.
The Desire for Parental Approval
Elvis grows up adoring his mother. She teaches him to believe in himself and to set his sights high, but she cannot support him when she grows sick, eventually dying. When he moves in with his father in Lagos, Elvis learns that the man is a cruel tyrant. Sunday has no love for his son and resents the burden of having him around in his already complicated home life. He makes Elvis support himself still. With these two role models in mind, Elvis desperately sets about seeking his father's approval and trying to honor his mother's memory. He's insecure because he has no firm anchor in his family. This is why Elvis latches onto his namesake -- Elvis Presley -- and decides to become an Elvis impersonator. He works because he has to, but he does through a means which celebrates his mother's love for the performer. Although Elvis believes he has solved both problems, making all parties happy, he still receives no love or approval from his father. In fact Sunday thinks he's a deadbeat. In the end, Elvis' challenge is not survival so much as defiance. He must learn to approve of himself because his father is not a fair judge and doesn't deserve so much of Elvis' esteem.
Internal Conflict
Elvis has real doubts about his participation in Redemption's various illegal activities. He needs the money, but he doesn't appreciate the cost. His mother raised him to be honorable. When he meets the King of the Beggers, Elvis is astonished by how much the man bothers him. The old guy's disapproval is nearly unbearable. This is because he confronts Elvis with his own conscience, representing the preexisting internal conflict with which Elvis was already engaging. With the creepy old one-eyed man on his mind, Elvis decides that he cannot sustain his current lifestyle. He allows the King of the Beggars to embody his conscience, a manifestation which keeps Elvis motivated to act correctly.
