Adichie's The Purple Hibiscus

The novel “Purple Hibiscus” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie tells a story of how two Nigerain children rebelled against their very father. For these children to end up rebelling against their father they must first bring about a change in themselves, they must become more mature, more responsible and not so dependent on their father. Kambili is one of those children that does go through a considerable change in her character, she reaches maturity. In fact this novel is a bildungsroman which is a story about a character self-development, her change.

Imagine living in dramatic fear, someone who loves you, puts you through abuse, depression, and demolishing your self-esteem. How does a person grow from such a traumatic experience and become brave? Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was born on September 15, 1977 in Enugu, Nigeria. During her senior year at Eastern, she started working on her first novel, Purple Hibiscus, which was released in October 2003. Adichie demonstrates bravery and growth in humanity. Kambili and her family’s lives are followed throughout Purple Hibiscus. Kambili and her family live through fear of Papa, they are silent and are afraid to stand up for themselves. Fear suppresses our individuality and confidence- thus; it controls humanity and hinders us from bravery and growth.

Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus is a story set in Nigeria told from the perspective of Kambili and her journey towards independence; along the way, she looks to the female role models in her life, each which aid her path to liberation. Mama and Aunty Ifeoma are two vital female characters to the development of the story but with stark contrasts; Mama’s submissive and reserved demeanor provides a perfect foil to Aunty’s outgoing and independent personality. They both influence Adichie’s bildungsroman, but how they aid Kambili’s endeavor is strikingly different. Mama and Aunty Ifeoma represent the female figures in Kambili’s life; Mama shows Kambili to submit to the men in her life, while Aunty Ifeoma opens up the idea of being independent and free thinking. Mama stresses submission and dependency as a sacrifice to tradition while Aunty Ifeoma emphasizes independent thought to embrace oneself and progress over all others. The way that these two women uphold themselves throughout the novel, demonstrates how these patriarchal societies, like the one in Nigeria, restrict women like Mama, while women like Aunty are deemed rebellious to society.

TOPIC 2: Analyse the development of Kambili in Purple Hibiscus as she moves from strict, fearful obedience to tentative defiance of her father. In your response account for her initial subservience and explain what factors contribute to her increasing maturity and independence.

An important relationship in the novel Purple Hibiscus by Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie is the relationship between Kambili and her Aunty Ifeoma, and her family. It introduces Kambili into a less sheltered environment where she is not only free to speak her mind, she is encouraged to question things, and form her own opinions. She also looks up to and admires her cousin, Amaka, who influences Kambili to be more confident and free thinking, like she is. The relationship between Kambili and Aunt Ifeoma’s family also opens Kambili up to new relationships, such as her relationship with Papa-Nnukwu. She begins to

The novel Purple Hibiscus, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is a story of a young girl , who tries to find her own voice and speak out against her violent oppressive father. The novel is set in post-post-colonial Nigeria, in a time in which the government was run by a military dictatorship. There are a number of symbols used to help develop ideas in the text; the three most important ones being purple and red hibiscuses and Mama’s figurines. The red hibiscuses are symbolic of the violence in Kambili’s life while the purple hibiscuses symbolise freedom, defiance and the freedom to speak out. The figurines are symbolic of Mama’s quiet character and of the violence in her home. These symbols are there to show the

Throughout Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie, Kimbili and her brother become more defiant. The two learn that standing up for what one believes in is of the utmost importance, even if it means defying those you love. This lesson is most relevant when the reader analyses the narrator's relationship with their tyrannical father, Eugene. Adichie portrays two different views on defiance through Kimbili's father and her brother, Jaja. This stark contrast facilitates the reader's understanding on Adichie's own conflicted stance on the topic of defiance by the death of Eugene and his brutal rule and his family's reinvention of themselves after Kimbili's trip to see her Aunt and cousins.

Nigeria, a barren wasteland, now an uprising land of civilization enters an era of ferocity, dominance, depravity. From the ashes of Nigeria, emerges Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the author of Purple Hibiscus. She intertwines Purple Hibiscus with her personal memories; she wrote her tale based on her experience-religion, history, and politics. Purple Hibiscus is a novel expressing the complexity of the human nature. From tragedies to happiness, life is a pendulum of occasions. Life consists of abrupt changes; these changes are caused by external factors such as government. However, when a government is corrupt, two primary courses are presented: to submit or rebel. The corruption within government vastly expands towards major concepts-politics, economy, religion-that influences people’s lives. Therefore, Adichie exposes the detrimental transformation of a tyrannical government through her portrayal of the economic, religious, and political strife throughout Nigeria.

1) Five major issues explored in purple hibiscus are; domestic violence, oppression, religion, education and love.

Kambili and Jaja break free from their father, Eugene’s, abusive and controlling ways in the novel Purple Hibiscus. Kambili is a shy and scared girl at the beginning, but by the end she was changed into a beautiful outgoing girl who develops her voice and her laughter. Jaja is more outgoing in the beginning and becomes more protective of his family throughout the book. The change didn’t come to Kambili and Jaja naturally; it came through Aunty Ifeoma and their time away from Eugene. Ifeoma’s rejection of Eugene’s Catholic-driven control inspires Kambili and Jaja to break free.

When Jaja initially discovers the the flower in Aunty Ifeoma’s garden, he bewilderedly inquires, “This is a hibiscus isn’t it, Aunty?... I didn’t know there were purple hibiscuses” (128). The introduction of the purple hibiscus to Jaja sparks a monumental change in him; his interest in the flower is one of the first things that he, not his father, has decided for himself, and his newfound independence opens the gate to a life of freedom from his father’s oppression. Jaja’s excitement about the hibiscus also reflects how he could not previously comprehend a life without abuse or suffering; however, his visit to Aunty Ifeoma’s shifts his perspective and provokes his transformation from reserved and frightful to strong and resistant. Following Jaja’s refusal to take communion, Kambili reflects, “Jaja’s defiance seemed to me now like Aunty Ifeoma’s experimental purple hibiscus: rare, fragrant, with the undertones of freedom…

In Purple Hibiscus “silence and Feminism” is a theme of grave adversity. The household in which the story surround comprised of Papa Eugene, mother Beatrice, daughter Kambili and son Jaja. Papa Eugene is a very successful and prominent figure who dominated the family with an iron fist. His devout to Catholicism propel him from a loving public figure to an authoritative husband and father at the hint of any religious indiscretion. His method of punishments is immoral by nature, but yet no one dear speak against him. They flout it, acting as if though nothing occurred and returned to normalcy just as fast as Papa violent outburst. The silence is abnormal and heavy; Kambili feels “suffocated” by it (Adichie 7).He is, a sick, demented man who is

In conclusion the characters in Adichie’s “Purple Hibiscus” Papa and Jaja’s relationship is almost nonexistent due to Jaja’s rebellion. After Jaja misses communion that is the beginning of their strained relationship. After spending time away from home Jaja learns of life outside of his controlling Papa. After transitioning into his own man Jaja begins to stand up for his

In the novel Purple Hibiscus, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a young woman named Kambili struggles to live under her father's extremist beliefs, causing her to be unable to break away from his rule. However, on a trip to Nuskka, she lives with her aunt who views life more open-mindedly, thus giving her a new perspective of life. At the beginning of the novel, Kambili is introverted and close-minded, while as the book progresses, she changes into a more open-minded and independent person.

The novel Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was published by Anchor Books in 2004, a first person narrative of life in the political turmoil of post-colonial Nigeria. Purple Hibiscus, exemplifies how the western feminist theory has greatly failed to address the needs and wants of the african women and their children. This essay focuses primary on the forms of patriarchy presented in the novel and how each utilizes violence, religious oppression and silence as forms of control over the mother and the children of the Achike family. The family's patriarch Eugene, the patriarchal religious leaders and the corruption of the patriarchal government attempt to control homes, parishes, and nations through silence and violence.The use of