The novel Purple Hibiscus was written by a woman named Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who is a Nigerian novelist and short story writer. One of Adichie 's most prominent works is Purple Hibiscus. It tells the story of Kambili, a teenager growing up in Nigeria. Her family is very wealthy and she has a devoutly Catholic father named Eugene. Eugene is both physically and mentally abusive to his children and his wife. In the middle of the novel Kambili and her brother Jaja travel to their Aunt Ifeoma’s house. Kambili at first dislikes how different and liberal their household is but, soon grows very fond of her aunt and all her cousins. Later in the novel Kambili 's mother realizes that she can no longer take any more of the abuse and kills Papa by …show more content…
In the novel Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Kambili completes her journey from a young and docile child to an independent and strong women through the guidance, enlightenment and teachings of the three women most important to her: Aunty Ifeoma, Amaka and her mother, Beatrice.
Aunty Ifeoma is unlike any of the women Kambili has ever met and she helps Kambili to become a stronger and more independent women. Aunty Ifeoma is Kambili 's Aunt on her father side. She lives in Nsukka with her three children: Obiora, Amaka and Chima, Kambili 's cousins. She works there as a professor at the University of Nigeria. Growing up Kambili did not really have much of a relationship with Aunty Ifeoma. She never really saw her or her cousins because Papa would never allow it. However, one summer Papa allows her and Jaja to go visit Aunty Ifeoma for a week and from there everything changes. Living there is a rude awakening for Kambili because things are so different from what they are like at home. There are no more uncomfortable silences or looming clouds of fear. Aunty Ifeoma teaches her to laugh more, not take things for granted and to speak for herself. She finally gets to start to act like a normal teenager and be free from Papa expectations. At first her cousin Amaka would take jabs and sneer at her because she thought she was a snob because of her upbringing, but when Amaka says something rude to Kambili Aunty Ifeoma responds with, “O
Religion is a very prominent theme in the “Purple Hibiscus”. The author, Adichie, uses a variety of characters to explore different ways of expressing one’s faith. She explores the ways in which three very different characters express their religion of the Catholic faith, as well as looking into the traditional Nigerian beliefs of Papa Nnukwu. By illustrating some very contrasting religious beliefs and methods of religious expression in her characters, she encourages readers to consider their own views on religion and helps them understand some valuable lessons on the subject.
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.
Her fingers and toes are missing. Everyone in the village thinks she is crazy because she burned down her house in order to live in the bush. She has no possessions but lives completely on the land, by faith” (Davis 173). From this description the reader learns some of Jja Ja Nakibuuka’s physical traits as well as the fact that she is very in touch with nature and the Lord. Clearly, Katie’s choice of words and emotion behind her writing allows her to successfully bring the characters to life through vivid descriptions.
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.
During the novel “Purple Hibiscus”, we witness the transformation of Kambili Achike from a silenced, repressed and wary girl into a more confident, mature and happy young woman. This change is brought upon by significant characters in the story, who help show Kambili how joyous the world can be and how she also has a place within this joyous world. And through this Kambili finds a way to slowly crack through her father’s hold over her and come into her own.
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.
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.
Purple Hibiscus takes place in Enugu, a city of political conflict in post Colonial Nigeria. The story is narrated by the protagonist Kambili Achike, a teenager and lives with her elder brother Jaja, who excels in academics like his sister but is withdrawn and sullen. Kambili’s father papa is a delightful but a harsh authoritarian whose faithfulness to
She learns from watching Papa Nnukwu doing his morning prayer (p. 167 – 169) that his traditionalism is a very spiritual thing for him and something that made him happy; happiness her family doesn’t feel after saying their prayers. This is a breakthrough for her as she makes the conclusion for herself and understands herself that there is an important something in Papa Nnukwu regarding his beliefs that is missing in their own lives which revolves around their religion. She also understands her grandfather better and sees and experiences that her father is wrong. This matures Kambili greatly and contributes to her independence of her father.
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 Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie the characters Papa and Jaja’s relationship is put to the test when Jaja begins to rebel. When Jaja misses communion that is when everything changes, including Papa and Jaja's relationship. Jaja is forced to grow up at a young age after realizing there is world outside of his father’s home. After becoming his own person Jaja feels even more protective and responsible for his family. In Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie the relationship between papa and Jaja is strained because of Jaja’s disobedience.
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