Summary
"Cell One"
An unnamed narrator begins describing the two times her family home was robbed. The first robbery occurred when the neighbor, Osita, climbed in through the living room window and stole the TV, VCR, and two videotapes. The second robbery was committed by the narrator’s brother, Nnamabia. Although Nnamabia first protested his innocence, he later admits to traveling far from home and pawning his mother’s gold jewelry. The narrator continues, explaining that Nnamabia’s actions reveal a greater pattern of behavior among the community. All of the children of professors at the Nsukka campus are robbing neighborhood families.
The robbers are called “cults,” and they terrorize the college community in an intensifying series of violent actions. A series of murders are committed on campus, and female students begin to fear for their lives. The narrator suspects that her brother is a cult member, as he is revered and respected among his community. This suspicion is confirmed when Nnamabia is arrested for his suspected involvement in the murder of three boys on campus. Nnamabia is taken to a high-security prison in another town, three hours from Nsukka.
The narrator accompanies her parents to the prison to visit Nnamabia. Her mother bribes the security officer with jollof rice, and Nnamabia is allowed to leave his cell to have a meal with his family. The narrator’s brother first appears unphased by his conditions, though he has an insect bite on his forehead. He reveals that in order to receive better treatment in prison, he had to bribe the officers with money that he hid upon entry. Over the next week of visits, Nnamabia begins to describe the horrific conditions of the prison.
The second week of the visits, the narrator protests against visiting her brother because it is costing the family too much gas money. As an act of rebellion, the narrator hurls a stone at the window of the family’s car, shattering it. When the family returns to visit Nnamabia another day, they find that his condition has deteriorated. He has run out of money to bribe the police, and he is deeply hurt by the authorities’ treatment of an old and innocent prisoner.
Later on, after another crime is committed in the community, Nnamabia is acquitted of the crime. The family ventures to the prison to retrieve him, but he is nowhere to be found. They fear that Nnamabia has been killed by the corrupt police. Instead, they find that he was transferred to “Cell One,” the cell that is infamous for its harsh violence. After being placed in Cell One, Nnamabia was transferred to another facility, and then released. The family is reunited, and Nnamabia appears to have grown from his experience in prison.
"Imitation"
At her home in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Nkem receives a call from her friend, Ijemamaka. Ijemamaka has just returned from a trip to Lagos, and she calls to inform Nkem that Nkem’s husband, Obiora, has a new girlfriend that has moved into the family’s home in Nigeria. This news startles Nkem. She begins to think about her life in America and how it compares to her life in Nigeria. She reminisces about her impoverished upbringing, and she recalls her own previous relationships with married men.
Nkem explains that Obiora spends only two months a year in the United States. As she prepares for her husband’s annual visit, she grows defiant. After hearing that Obiora’s new girlfriend has short hair, Nkem chooses to cut and style her hair differently. In addition, she refuses to shave. Nkem confides in her housemaid, Amaechi, about her husband’s affair. Amaechi attempts to persuade Nkem that she should not be preoccupied with this news. She explains that the story could be untrue, and Ijemamaka is merely acting out of jealousy. Nkem seems unconvinced.
Each visit, Obiora brings back gifts for his wife and children. However, during this visit, everyone can sense that Nkem is on edge. When Obiora offers Nkem a bronze statue, Nkem asks questions about the statue’s meaning and historical significance. For the first time in her life, Nkem begins to take a stand and become her own person. As they shower together for the first time in years, Nkem tells Obiora that the entire family will be relocating to Lagos in the following year.
Analysis
In “Cell One,” the narrator uses the occasion of Nnamabia’s arrest to explore and understand societal flaws. As university professors, the family epitomizes the privileges of the educated class. Although crime and gang-related activity is often associated with impoverished communities, the narrator explains that her brother and his friends engage in criminal activities on the Nsukka campus. This aspect introduces a motif of appearance versus reality. Although the professors aim to depict their university life as idyllic, their children wreak havoc on their own community.
This motif reappears during Nnamabia’s imprisonment. Nnamabia’s experience highlights the irony of jails as a symbol of justice and discipline. Ultimately, Nnamabia is able to receive preferential treatment in jail because his family barters and negotiates with security officers. This action demonstrates the prevalence of corruption in the judicial system. As time passes, Nnamabia witnesses the mistreatment of many other prisoners. He realizes his own privilege, and he is humbled by his prison experience.
Throughout the That Thing Around Your Neck, food remains a recurring symbol of identity and family. In “Cell One,” food also symbolizes currency. Nnamabia’s prison life is significantly impacted by his mother’s ability to cook and provide food for the prison guards. The shifted emphasis on the importance of food further indicates the country’s disparity at the moment of Nnamabia’s arrest.
Both “Cell One” and “Imitation” are told from the female perspective. In this way, both stories address the drastic differences between the societal treatment of men versus the treatment of women. In “Cell One,” the unnamed narrator grows frustrated when she realizes that her family sacrifices their own economic welfare on Nnamabia’s behalf. The “Cell One” narrator grows resentful when she realizes that her family would not do the same if she was in Nnamabia’s shoes. As she hurls the stone at the window of her family’s car, the narrator asserts that her family needs a wakeup call. This action symbolizes the physical manifestation of her frustration.
In “Imitation,” Nkem is expected to be the perfect housewife and mother. These expectations differ greatly from that of her husband. After Nkem learns that Obiora has been having an extramarital affair, she aims to demonstrate the repercussions of his actions. Nkem’s behavior addresses the significance of the story’s title. Nkem imitates being a happy Nigerian wife adjusting to a new American life. Beneath the surface, however, she struggles with raising her children in a foreign country while navigating a crumbling marriage.
