Apollo

In her interview with The New Yorker, Adichie says, “I think of Okenwa’s attraction to Raphael as a certain kind of first love, childhood first love, that early confusing emotional pull, that thing filled with an exquisite uncertainty because it does not know itself and cannot even name itself” (Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. “This Week in Fiction: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.” Interview by Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2015). This theme is central to “Apollo,” as the plot revolves around young Okenwa’s budding romantic feelings in a culture that does not recognize them as legitimate. Adichie depicts the rollercoaster of Okenwa’s infatuation with Raphael, from the first thrilling moment of connection, to the growing sense of closeness and emotional vulnerability, and finally to the bitter betrayal of realizing that his feelings are not reciprocated.

The first time Raphael reveals that he shares Okenwa’s love of Bruce Lee movies, Okenwa experiences “a thrill of unexpected pleasure” (15). The word choice—“thrill,” “pleasure,” etc.—is lightly sexual, but the real joy lies in the sense of meeting a kindred spirit. Okenwa is drawn to Raphael because Raphael offers him an escape from the expectations of his parents and allows him to express himself in an authentic way.