The Death of Vivek Oji

In Chapter 2, a third-person narrator describes a young Vivek wearing the jewelry that comprises Kavita’s dowry. This is the first glimpse of Vivek alive. Osita watches Vivek dripping in jewelry, which makes him “hard with desire” (26), an attraction that angers and frightens Osita, who snaps at Vivek to remove the jewelry. In retrospect, Osita wishes he could see Vivek one more time wearing the jewelry, “alive and covered with wealth” (26). This jewelry scene symbolizes Vivek’s willingness to step into his own glory while Osita shrinks away from his desire and identity, even mistreating Vivek in order to avoid his own shame.

Throughout The Death of Vivek Oji, Vivek’s Ganesh charm, which was part of Kavita’s dowry, reappears as a point of connection and a catalyst for the narrative. Since Vivek rarely removed the charm, Kavita fixates on finding it upon Vivek’s death. Osita helps her search, knowing full well that they will not find it. Later, the reader discovers that Osita had pulled the charm from Nnemdi’s dead body and kept it. Throughout Vivek’s death, the charm represents his embrace of his femininity. Osita often recalls it on Vivek’s body as a sign of his beauty and a symbol for Osita’s admiration for him.