Stars

In Emezi’s novel, stars represent beginnings, ends, and the movement of time. The mark on Vivek’s foot, which resembles the scar on Ahunna’s foot, is in the shape of a starfish, and is described as “the beginning and end of everything” (14). When Osita visits Vivek’s grave, which is next to his grandmother’s at her house, he buries Vivek’s favorite dress under a starfruit tree by the grave, which represents his cousin’s return to the infinite stream of time. Nnemdi expresses this sentiment at the very end of the novel: “Somewhere, you see, in the river of time, I am already alive” (245).

Gold

Gold symbolizes imagined potential. Kavita’s dowry is a collection of gold jewelry that she intends to sell and use to fund Vivek’s college education. As it turns out, Vivek never goes to an American college...