Tortoise and Leopard (Allegory)
When Ikem meets with the Abazon delegation, the Chief tells a story of a tortoise and a leopard. When the tortoise realizes that he will be defeated, he asks for a moment to prepare his mind. He then begins to scratch with his hands and feet on the road and throws sand everywhere. The tortoise says to the confused leopard, "Because even after I am dead I would want anyone passing by this spot to say, yes, a fellow and his match struggled here."
Similar for the Abazon delegation, their efforts may not lead to assistance for the drought. The Chief explains, "My people, that is all we are doing now. Struggling. Perhaps to no purpose except that those who come after us will be able to say: True, our fathers were defeated but they tried" (132).
The Abazon delegation is outmatched and His Excellency appears to be ruling without any real concern for the welfare of his people, and yet Abazon must try because what else is there to do, even when it seems helpless?
The Story of Idemili (Allegory)
Idemili is the daughter of the Almighty who was sent on Earth to control Power and to bring morality, peace, and modesty. As the people started to spread, there was a need for leaders and they had to go through testing by the Daughter of the Almighty to become one. If she found them fit for the role they could go back home, but if not then they would be dead. This is her contempt for men's hunger for authority and power.
This story comes after Ikem's love letter and his thought about the nature of women's oppression throughout the ages. The story agrees with the notion of Ikem's view of women's passivity in the society. Even though Idemili has a high position she still was sent as a last resort to calm Power down, when all things started to go downhill. It is an allegory for both men's hunger for power and their desire for women to occupy a passive role in society.
Anthill (Symbol)
Upon seeing the anthills in the scorched landscape on his way to Abazon, Chris is inspired to read Ikem's "Pillar of Fire: A Hymn to the Sun." He has a new perspective of the work and realizes the gravity of the death-stricken surroundings. Anthills symbolize Chris's realization of the gravity of the situation, the suffering, and the dry and poor landscape.
The Last Green (Symbol)
"The last green" are the last words Chris speaks before his death. It is an inside joke between him and his friends having to do with green beer bottles. These words give hope to his friends and to Beatrice. They are a symbol of a man bravely looking into the face of death with a smile on his face.
Sun (Symbol)
Rather than a symbol of brightness and hope, the heat of the sun is seen as "routine oppression." It exhausts the characters, such as Beatrice while Chris is in hiding, and the people of Abazon, who have been suffering from a drought. The sun has the ability to punish people with its unrelenting heat. It is above everyone constantly, and there is no real escape from it.
