54 pages • 1 hour read
Lawrence HillThe Illegal
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Eye of the Needle
The phrase “eye of the needle” is used repeatedly throughout the text in connection with the theme of Legality Versus Justice. It is an allusion to the Christian Bible, in which Jesus says that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. The phrase first appears when Yoyo is speaking with the corrupt dictator. When the dictator asks Yoyo to write his autobiography, Yoyo replies, “There are the fishes and the loaves to consider, Your Excellency […] but there is also the eye of the needle” (44). If Yoyo writes this autobiography, he may gain riches from the government, but he will become corrupt by extension and therefore a sinner, a man who cannot gain entry to the kingdom of God. Ultimately, Yoyo decides it is better to die with integrity than to sell his soul for “loaves and fishes.” This symbol is again used in reference to Ivernia, who also chooses to risk legal trouble by helping those in need.
Christianity
The novel is in conversation with Christianity almost from its opening. Keita’s family belongs to a Baptist church. His sister is a member of the choir. Keita himself is subjected to Christlike persecution and intense struggle with his health. References to hymns and Bible passages feature throughout the text.
The novel does not instruct the reader in Christianity; rather, the characters and plot are informed by Christian teachings, which constitute a recurring motif. Furthermore, the novel points to the hypocrisy of Western countries that claim a Christian foundation yet allow large numbers of their proverbial flock to live in impoverished conditions. The novel also addresses the history of abolition, which was a movement influenced by Christianity.
Cameras
John Falconer’s documentary is a critical plot-driving tool. It also becomes a significant symbol of surveillance and subversive power. As a poor young teenager from AfricTown, John doesn’t have much access to power, but through brave use of his camera and USB sticks, he effects huge change. This symbolizes the power of perspective and exposé and in particular The Power of Marginalized Voices. John turns the public’s gaze on the people in power, reversing the typical dynamic. The fact that he uses film footage, as opposed to journalistic writing, serves to more closely document the corruption of those abusing their power.
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By Lawrence Hill
