Checking Out

In “Checking Out,” allusion is used to deepen the story’s cultural context through references to Nigerian culture, history, and events. For example, in the story’s exposition, Obinze recalls the violently oppressive tactics of General Buhari’s military regime during the 1980s, including “flogging adults in the streets” (Paragraph 32).

The allusion to “checking out” in the story’s title is central to the narrative’s exploration of the immigrant experience and cultural identity. As a child, Obinze perceived the infomercial “Andrew Checking Out” as confirmation of his belief that leaving Nigeria for the West would result in a better life. He shared Andrew’s frustrations with Nigeria’s limited resources, which meant that he could only drink Fanta on a Sunday. Obinze did not appreciate that the advert was a campaign critiquing the trend of Nigerians abandoning their nation and culture. The protagonist only begins to understand the implications of “checking out” when he arrives in the United Kingdom.

Repetition is a prominent literary device in “Checking Out” and is used to emphasize key ideas and evoke a sense of rhythm. Adichie repeats certain phrases, words, or motifs throughout the story, creating a pattern that reinforces the story’s themes and underscores important moments. Repetition is used in the final lines of the story to convey Obinze’s emotions: “Removed. The word made Obinze feel inanimate. A thing to be removed. A thing without breath and mind. A thing” (Paragraph 136). The repetition of the word “thing” underlines the dehumanizing nature of the deportation system.