Cell One by Chimamanda Adichie is narrated by an unnamed young woman who is the sister of the central character, Nnamabia. The story explores the themes of family dynamics, corruption, societal pressures, and the Nigerian criminal justice system, Adichie’s storytelling skillfully captures the tension between tradition and modernity.
Set in Nigeria, specifically the town of Nsukka and its university campus, the story follows Nnamabia’s journey from being a charismatic and troubled young man involved in violent cult activities to his eventual arrest and imprisonment. Through the eyes of the narrator, the reader witnesses the unraveling of Nnamabia’s life and the impact it has on their family.
The story is part of Adichie’s collection of short stories titled “The Thing Around Your Neck,” published in 2009.
Cell One | Summary
In the story “Cell One,” the narrator reveals that their neighbor was responsible for the first robbery of their family home. However, the second time, it was the narrator’s own brother, Nnamabia, who broke in and stole their mother’s jewelry. During this incident, their parents were out of town, and Nnamabia used their mother’s car, a Peugeot 504. The narrator and Nnamabia sat together in church for a brief period of ten minutes before Nnamabia abruptly left. Coincidentally, Nnamabia returned just as the church service concluded, and upon arriving back home, he exclaimed in English that their house had been robbed.
According to the narrator, the mess left behind in their house after the robbery appeared staged. It was evident that the windows had been opened from the inside, and the thief seemed to have precise knowledge of where the jewelry was kept. The narrator was certain that Nnamabia was the culprit, and their father shared the same belief. When confronted, Nnamabia theatrically acted wounded and left for a two-week period. Upon his return, he tearfully apologized for pawning their mother’s jewelry.
The mother cried upon hearing that Nnamabia hadn’t received a good price for the stolen jewelry, which angered the narrator. The father instructed Nnamabia to write a report detailing his actions since he was now 17 years old and considered too old for physical punishment.
The narrator explains that the stolen jewelry was the only valuable possession in their home. Furthermore, it was a common occurrence for the children of professors, including Nnamabia, to engage in such thefts during that time. The thefts were prevalent on the Nsukka University campus. However, these professors, despite being aware of their own children’s actions, would complain about the “riffraff” stealing their belongings. The thieves were popular among their peers and would even drive their parents’ cars. The narrator mentions a neighbor who had also stolen from their family, and despite knowing the culprit, the narrator’s parents never confronted the neighbor’s parents about the theft.
Nnamabia is described as beautiful with fair skin. People in the market would often comment on how Mother gave all the beauty to “the boy” while leaving the narrator with darker skin. Mother would simply chuckle in response, taking responsibility not only for Nnamabia’s appearance but also for his misdeeds. The narrator lists several instances of Nnamabia’s wrongdoings, all of which Mother either covered up or attributed to youthful experimentation.
The narrator explains that three years later, the Nsukka campus was engulfed in a wave of cult activities. What initially began as fraternities had turned deadly due to the influence of American rap videos. Cult members resorted to stabbing or shooting members of rival cults, and this violence became alarmingly normalized. The police made attempts to intervene, but their outdated vehicles and rusty guns proved inadequate against the modern weaponry possessed by the cult members. Despite speculations from Mother, Father, and the narrator about Nnamabia’s potential involvement in a cult, he vehemently denies it.
On Monday, four cult members steal a professor’s car and engage in a shooting outside a lecture hall, targeting three other cult members. Nnamabia does not return home that night, and the following morning, a security guard informs Mother and Father that Nnamabia has been arrested. They drive to the police station in town, where an officer informs them that Nnamabia and the other cult members have been taken to Enugu, the state capital. The narrator emphasizes that the police at the prison in Enugu have the power to resort to violence and even killing to achieve their desired outcomes.
We are given a description of the Enugu police station, where Mother resorts to bribing the officers with food and money. This bribe enables Nnamabia to sit outside with his family. As Nnamabia eats, he exudes an air of entertainment, describing the perceived order within his cell. He even confesses to slipping money into his anus to gain favor with the cell chief. The mother appears worried about the situation. During the car ride home, Father remarks that Nnamabia is visibly shaken, although the narrator cannot personally observe it.
After several days, Nnamabia is taken aback when he witnesses a gang member crying. A few days later, he experiences another instance of distress as he watches two policemen carry a corpse out of Cell One. The narrator emphasizes that even Nnamabia’s cell chief exhibits fear towards Cell One. Nnamabia begins to have nightmares about it.
The narrator describes the presence of tiny insects that bite the inmates, resulting in infected bumps covering Nnamabia’s face. Nnamabia recounts to the narrator, Mother, and Father that earlier that day, he had to resort to defecating in a plastic bag due to the overflowing toilet. The narrator feels irritated, believing that Nnamabia relishes the role of the “sufferer of indignities” without truly comprehending his relative luck.
During the first week of Nnamabia’s imprisonment, their Mother, Father, and the narrator visit him daily. However, the narrator notices a change in her parents’ behavior—they no longer criticize the brutal practices of the police as they used to. In the second week, the narrator declares to her parents that they won’t be visiting Nnamabia anymore. This shocks Mother and Father. Frustrated, the narrator throws a rock at the windshield of the Volvo, then rushes upstairs. On that day, Mother and Father choose to stay home.
The following day, the narrator, Mother, and Father resume their visits to the prison. Nnamabia appears somber and reveals that an old man had been placed in his cell the previous day. The man’s son was wanted by the police, but since they couldn’t locate the son, they imprisoned the innocent old man instead. Nnamabia insists that the man did nothing wrong. While Mother argues that Nnamabia is also innocent, he responds as if Mother fails to grasp the situation. Over the next few days, Nnamabia becomes increasingly quiet, only speaking about the plight of the old man when he does speak.
Nnamabia expresses his desire to provide food for the old man, but he is unable to bring food back into his own cell. Father approaches a prison guard and requests the release of the old man, suggesting they offer him some rice. However, the guard dismissively laughs and yells at Father. The subsequent day, Nnamabia breaks down in tears as he recounts the indignities the guards subject the old man to. The narrator feels a profound sense of sadness for her brother.
Two days later, a violent incident occurs on campus where a cult member attacks another individual with an axe. Mother and Father spend the entire day at the superintendent’s office, and by the end of it, they obtain a release order for Nnamabia. The following day, Mother, Father, and the narrator embark on a journey to Enugu. Mother appears particularly nervous throughout the trip. Upon arriving at the prison, the narrator tries to avert her gaze from the sight of policemen beating a familiar boy.
Mother and Father present the release note to the officer on duty. However, the officer informs them of complications. Distressed, Mother seizes the officer’s shirt and demands to know the whereabouts of her son. The officer contacts his superior for an explanation. It is revealed that Nnamabia had misbehaved the previous day and was subsequently moved to Cell One. Additionally, all the inmates from Cell One had been transferred to another prison facility.
In the car, the narrator sits in the backseat alongside the policeman. Upon arriving at the prison compound, its neglected appearance is apparent. The officer enters the premises and returns after a few minutes, accompanied by Nnamabia. As Mother embraces him, Nnamabia flinches, bearing bruises and blood on his body. The policeman tells Mother that she cannot raise her children to evade the consequences of their actions, emphasizing her luck that Nnamabia is being released at all. Father speeds home without stopping at any of the police checkpoints they encounter along the way.
Upon returning home, Nnamabia recounts the events that transpired. He explains that the guards had attempted to torment the old man, but Nnamabia intervened by shouting at the officers, asserting that the old man was innocent and unwell. Despite the officers warning him to stop, Nnamabia persisted in defending the old man. Consequently, the guards resorted to beating him and ultimately placed him in Cell One. Nnamabia refrains from divulging what occurred thereafter. The Cell One narrator envisions how the rest of Nnamabia’s transfer unfolded. She contemplates that Nnamabia could have easily turned the situation into a dramatic account, but he chose not to do so.
Cell One | Analysis
In “Cell One,” the wayward son serves as a symbol of Nigeria’s anarchic state, representing the rebellious tendencies of 17-year-old sons from privileged backgrounds who are joining gangs and undermining authority. Adichie critiques these boys for adopting a Western lifestyle, influenced by shows like Sesame Street, Enid Blyton’s books, and Western breakfast habits. These same boys, she argues, are stealing from their affluent families while their “professor parents” turn a blind eye and complain about the lower-class individuals from town.
Nnamabia, the protagonist’s brother, robs their own house, stealing their mother’s jewelry. Ironically, during the robbery, a priest urges the congregation to “go in peace.” The narrator mentions that her brother often engages in vices like smoking or visiting girls. Both the father and sister instinctively know that Nnamabia is the thief based on the nature of the crime. When he returns after two weeks, he admits to losing the stolen money.
In another instance, Osita, the son of Professor Ebube, steals a television, and his parents overlook the theft. Adichie criticizes both the children, who lack moral values, and their parents, who have spoiled them and failed to instill a sense of African pride and responsibility. The mother constantly makes excuses for her son’s irresponsible behavior, rationalizing it.
The breakdown of the family mirrors the breakdown of societal laws. Adichie also highlights the gender imbalance in Nigerian society through the rivalry between brother and sister. The narrator is furious that the parents continuously spoil Nnamabia and overlook his faults. This anger leads her to throw a stone at the family car, expressing her dissatisfaction. As a result, nobody visits Nnamabia that day.
The story also showcases the corrupt and brutal nature of the government. Adichie emphasizes the power of soldiers, their lack of compassion, disregard for human rights, and indifference toward Nigerian citizens. The family must bribe the police, and the mother always brings “jollof rice” to ensure better treatment for Nnamabia. The police would even arrest relatives if they couldn’t find the actual culprit. Nnamabia’s father, who is innocent, is shamefully mistreated by the police.
In Cell One, the old father is imprisoned because the authorities cannot locate the suspected criminal, dehumanizing and humiliating him. The fear experienced by family members searching for Nnamabia reflects the unjust prison system and the harshness of the police and guards. Even the prisoners themselves fear Cell One, considering it worse than their current conditions. The encounter with the senior policeman fills the family with dread, suspecting that Nnamabia might have been killed, and the officer’s role is to fabricate a believable lie about his death.
The son is eventually transferred to Cell One because he “misbehaved,” but the narrator’s parents and she herself are filled with palpable fear. Adichie uses incidents of violence and aggression to foreshadow the harsh treatment prisoners face. The son is not exempt from punishment; upon his release, his physical wounds reveal the violence he endured. The policemen attempt to excuse and rationalize the brutality, blaming the parents for not disciplining their children and considering themselves fortunate that Nnamabia was released.
Ironically, the narrator’s outburst leads to a change in her brother’s behavior. The next day, he appears strangely sober and exhibits a demeanor the narrator hasn’t seen before. Nnamabia’s encounter with the mistreatment of the old man affects him deeply. He cannot eat his rice, speaks in a calm tone, and becomes more subdued.
Nnamabia explains that he was transferred to Cell One because he defended the old man and protested his own innocence. He defied the police, even when threatened with Cell One, expressing his indifference and determination. Adichie doesn’t directly describe Nnamabia’s traumatic experiences resisting the unjust treatment, but she fills in the gaps through assumptions and intuitions. She invites readers to imagine his audacious stance and the shock it might cause to those in positions of power.
Nnamabia’s act of “misbehavior” reveals his internal struggle. He questions the authorities and their unjust treatment of the old man, suggesting a clash between his principles and his views on human rights. His actions are not driven by stupidity or arrogance, as the policeman suggests, but by a rejection of harsh and unjust authority.
Cell One | Themes
In the short story “Cell One,” Adichie highlights the growing lawlessness in Nigeria, where younger Nigerians are increasingly joining subversive cults as a sign of the erosion of authority. The story focuses on a wayward and rebellious son who becomes entangled in the corrupt political system. Adichie also criticizes the “professor parents” who overlook their children’s irresponsible behavior.
The story begins with a reference to a robbery, where the narrator’s house is targeted by their own neighbor, and this is not the first occurrence. This reference underscores the pervasive danger in Nigeria, where trust is scarce, even among neighbors and family members.
A significant number of African youth are joining cults like The Black Axe, the Buccaneers, and the Pirates, influenced by Western culture. These cult members exude a sense of swagger inspired by American rap videos, but they are caught in a web of conflicted loyalties and violence, as Adichie notes that “cult wars had become common.”
The theme of imprisonment is a prominent and multifaceted aspect of the story “Cell One,” encompassing both its physical and metaphorical forms. The story explicitly portrays the physical confinement and imprisonment of Nnamabia when he is arrested and detained in prison. The prison serves as a tangible representation of the loss of freedom and the oppressive nature of the criminal justice system. Beyond physical imprisonment, the story also delves into emotional and psychological confinement. Characters like Nnamabia and the old man are trapped within societal expectations, cultural norms, and the weight of their own actions. They experience a sense of entrapment and struggle to break free from the constraints imposed upon them by their circumstances.
The story examines the limitations and expectations imposed by Nigerian society and culture. Characters, particularly Nnamabia, feel confined by the pressures to conform to certain social norms, family expectations, and the influence of Western culture. These constraints restrict their ability to express their individuality and lead to a sense of imprisonment within their own lives.
The theme of imprisonment extends to the moral and ethical realm. Characters face internal conflicts and moral dilemmas, feeling trapped by their own choices and the consequences that follow. Nnamabia, in particular, grapples with the impact of his actions and the guilt associated with his involvement in criminal activities.
Cell One | Title of the Story
The title “Cell One” refers to the prison cell where Nnamabia is eventually held. It represents the physical space where he experiences the harsh realities of the criminal justice system. The conditions and events that occur within this particular cell play a pivotal role in shaping Nnamabia’s perception and personal growth.
The term “cell” in the title connotes confinement, restriction, and isolation reflecting the broader theme of imprisonment present in the story, not only in a literal sense but also metaphorically. Characters, such as Nnamabia and the old man, find themselves confined and constrained by societal expectations, corrupt systems, and the limitations imposed by their circumstances.
The title also signifies a transition or change occurring within the narrative. “Cell One” represents a stage or chapter in Nnamabia’s life where he confronts the realities of his actions and begins to undergo a transformation. It serves as a pivotal point where he starts questioning the systems, experiences personal growth, and reevaluates his own identity and values.
Cell One | Characters
In the short story “Cell One,” Nnamabia is portrayed as a strikingly handsome and charismatic yet troubled 20-year-old. He is the son of Mother and Father, and the older brother of the narrator. Nnamabia becomes entangled in violent cult activities on the Nsukka campus, although he vehemently denies being a cult member himself. Despite his arrest, he adamantly maintains his innocence and takes pleasure in recounting the mistreatment and humiliations he experiences in prison to his parents and sister. However, Nnamabia develops a deep fear of “Cell One” after witnessing the police remove a lifeless body from that particular cell. His perspective begins to shift when an innocent elderly man is placed in his cell, and subjected to unjust treatment. Nnamabia is profoundly affected by witnessing the old man’s suffering and decides to stand up for him. When he shares this incident with his parents, Nnamabia presents the story without embellishment or melodrama.
The narrator of the story is the younger sister of Nnamabia, the main character in the story. Throughout the narrative, the narrator observes Nnamabia getting away with various minor offenses and holds suspicions about his involvement in a cult. The narrator finds Nnamabia’s tendency to embellish his stories irritating, just as she finds Mother’s tendency to excessively coddle him bothersome. However, the narrator experiences a sense of pride when Nnamabia refrains from adding unnecessary drama while recounting his final day in jail.
Cell One | Literary Devices
Adichie effectively utilizes point of view to highlight the biased relationship between her mother and herself, emphasizing the issue of colorism present in “Cell One.” The story reveals the societal disadvantage associated with having a darker skin tone, as light-skinned individuals are often favored. In the narrative, Nnamabia inherits his mother’s fair complexion, while Adichie does not. The author describes how traders in the market would comment, “Hey madam, why did you waste your fair skin on a boy and leave the girl so dark?” This illustrates the preference given to lighter-skinned individuals, a phenomenon recognized globally. Many people can relate to instances where lighter-skinned individuals receive preferential treatment compared to those with darker complexions, reflecting the biases prevalent in our society.
Although Adichie’s mother displays love toward her, it is evident that she holds a stronger affection for Nnamabia. Adichie highlights this by mentioning how her mother goes to great lengths to defend her brother, even lying to the police on his behalf. The author expresses her belief that if she were in the same situation, she would have been treated differently. Consequently, despite having a relationship with her mother, Adichie feels a growing distance between them due to her mother’s continuous defense of her brother.
Adichie skillfully employs imagery to depict the transformation of Nnamabia’s perspective once he witnesses the corruption within the prison system. Initially imprisoned for his repeated thefts, Nnamabia finds himself stripped of his former authority, with the prison guards now holding power over him. Adichie effectively portrays Nnamabia’s terror of prison, stating, “they had pulled corpses out of Cell One,” indicating the profound horror he experiences upon seeing the grim reality within the prison walls. Nnamabia’s preconceived notion of prison as a relatively calm place is shattered by the presence of corpses, permanently altering his perception.
While Nnamabia’s actions leading to his imprisonment may label him as a troublesome individual, Adichie reveals a fortunate change in his character throughout the course of the short story. Notably, she explains how Nnamabia selflessly aids an old man, stating, “he was hurt, and I had to offer my help.” This demonstrates Nnamabia’s personal growth within the prison environment. Despite the initial fear and shock he experiences, Nnamabia takes responsibility for his past actions and actively seeks positive change. Adichie effectively communicates that Nnamabia risks his own well-being to save another person’s life, illustrating his newfound sense of accountability and his desire to transform for the better. As the story progresses, Adichie suggests that Nnamabia gradually adapts to the prison environment, demonstrating his ability to adjust over time.
The story employs a non-chronological structure, incorporating flashbacks to provide a deeper understanding of the main characters and the social context. The central character is Nnamabia, the brother of the narrator, whose development is traced over a two-year period. The parents of Nnamabia also play significant roles in the story. The story primarily takes place in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria, focusing on the Nsukka University campus where the narrator and her family reside. The Enugu police station, where Nnamabia is taken after his arrest, also holds significance. The social setting of the story delves into themes such as police brutality, corruption, Western influences, and class disparities. Narrated in the first person, the story is recounted by a character who is both a witness to the events and an active participant. The narrator offers personal opinions about the other characters and their actions. The language employed in the story is neutral, aligning with the social and political backdrop. Additionally, the inclusion of the Igbo language, spoken by a regional ethnic group in south-eastern Nigeria, enhances the story’s authenticity and cultural context.
