The Illegal

Keita Ali is a young black man from a third-world country. He is a Christian and a devoted son. His character is, at its essence, a manifestation of good. He stands in contrast to the other characters who are either all bad or more complex. No one else in the novel is as selfless as Keita. He is a runner who gets little joy or pride from his running. Rather, he uses running as a means to protect himself and save his sister’s life. He endures horrible physical symptoms race after race until he is finally diagnosed with diabetes. We can read Keita as a Christlike figure, as he suffers for the betterment and the sins of others (specifically the sins of two corrupt governments).

Lula is a contradictory character. The madam of a brothel, she deals in the underside of society, making money from human trafficking and using the poor and undocumented to grow her empire. However, as she argues, these same people would otherwise be unemployed and homeless, so she convinces herself she is a good person. Other characters see her in a similar light; they aren’t sure if she has their best interests at heart or her own.