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Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue Summary Study Guide

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Characters

Jende Jonga: Jende is an illegal alien from Cameroon who invades America. He comes on a short term visa but then purposely overstays and makes up a story about being persecuted. Despite this, he presents himself as a virtuous immigrant, when he is not beating his wife Nemi.

 

Nemi: Nemi is Jende's wife. When he is not beating her he loves her very much. He paid a lot to get her--goats, pigs, seashells--so you know he's in love with her. In Africa women have to be bought and paid for like tampons. Nemi likes blackmailing white people to make money, but, like Jende, presents herself as a virtuous, hardworking person.

 

Clark Edwards: Clark is Jende's boss. Jende drives him around and listens to his fascinating, one sided conversations on the phone, none of which we can understand.

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Cindy Edwards: Cindy is Clark's wife. She is an alcoholic and drug addict. Nemi sees this and uses this to her advantage, blackmailing Cindy for $10,000 in a brown paper bag.

 

Vince: Vince is Clark's son. He desperately wants to be a third worlder so he moves to India and grows dreadlocks like black people.

 

Mighty: Mighty is Clark's younger son. He likes going to Harlem and slumming with Jende.

 

Bubakar: Bubakar is Jende's untrustworthy Muslim lawyer. He always promises he is doing everything he can to get Jende a green card but in reality does little or nothing.

 

Winston: Jende's cousin. He's a lawyer who likes to bone white women, even though he has no intention of marrying them.

 

Liomi: Jende's son. He watches Jende beat his mom so he can learn how to do it when he gets married too.

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