Themes Explored in Purple Hibiscus

Through characterisation, the author is able to construct representations of disempowerment. One of the most important characters in the story is “Fat Maz” and her parents. In the story, the main character is portrayed as being fat, unmotivated to do anything and living a very bland life. For example,

Josie's perspective of her grandmother changes from viewing her as nagging old women to having a loving, caring, respectful relationship with her. The narrative, which is written in first person, enables the reader to see the stages in which her perspective changes as she gains knowledge about her grandmother and also how it is her own actions that

Hugh Prather, an American writer, once said “Just when I think I have learned the way to live, life changes.” Change is an inevitable part of being human. As we grow we meet and discover new ideas and people, that change our thinking. For the most part, change happens in very small amounts in life, but there are times at which one single event can lead to great personal development or downfall. In the novels Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, change of physical and social interactions and environments leads to change in personal beliefs. However, while Purple Hibiscus portrays change as a beneficial transformation, Things Fall Apart argues that change is undesirable. In Purple Hibiscus,

The author agrees with the idea of women as victims through the characterisation of women in the short story. The women are portrayed as helpless to the torment inflicted upon them by the boy in the story. This positions readers to feel sympathy for the women but also think of the world outside the text in which women are also seen as inferior to men. “Each season provided him new ways of frightening the little girls who sat in front of him or behind him”. This statement shows that the boy’s primary target were the girls who sat next to him. This supports the tradition idea of women as the victims and compels readers to see that the women in the text are treated more or less the same as the women in the outside world. Characterisation has been used by the author to reinforce the traditional idea of women as the helpless victims.

Many of the characters experience violence, some due to civil war and conflict between religious groups, and others due to corruption. In the story ‘Cell One’ Nnamabia both witnesses and experiences violence in the Nigerian jail. When Nnamabia has been caught and put in jail, his family bribed police and guard to see Nnamabia. Also Nnamabia paid police to treat him better.

In 1949, many African nations began their surge for independence, and the native people did not accept the social modifications forced upon them. The revelation of the setting comes through the name “Ndume Central School” which is a school located within the African nation of Nigeria (595). Later, the setting reveals the deep divisions that take place in Africa at the time and allows the reader to understand why the villagers resists change. The separation between the school and village symbolizes the division, and this separation captures a modern school fighting a traditional village. Obi enforces the separation with the moving of the path and states that this new path should “[skirt] our premises” (597). The setting enhances the conflict between the villagers and Obi because the Africans at the time resisted the change that Obi enforced within the school. The setting of the school and village enhances the conflict because the school represents the transformation of society, while the village captures the stubborn, old way of living.

Firstly, oppression is evident through various types of abuse through the main characters, Aminata and Celie. Both have faced several forms of abuse such as physical, emotional, mental and sexual abuse that have stripped away their identity and dignity. For instance, Aminata fights for her freedom throughout her entire life, only to suffer from physical abuse almost everyday on the slave ship and to suffer from sexual abuse on the plantations. Moreover, Aminata

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.

The narrator is totally crushed by the gender discrimination. She longed to be seen by her mother and her grandma. The narrator is heartbroken that her mother loved her brother more than her and failed to notice her. “When she went into Nonso’s room to say good night, she always came out laughing that laugh. Most times, you pressed your palms to your ears to keep the sound out, and kept your palms pressed to your ears, even when she came into your room to say Good night, darling, sleep well. She never left your room with that laugh” (190). Her agony can be easily seen by the way of her narrating. She does not get the affection that she deserves. She really needs the affection from her own mother, but she is not getting it. She compares the love which her mother shows to his brother and herself. This is gender discrimination can be seen with her grandmother too. She hated her grandma as she would always support her brother and find fault with her. Even though what the brother did, no matter what crime. Her mother and grandmother always supported her brother and never supported or showed interest towards

       As the tale begins we immediately can sympathize with the repressive plight of the protagonist.  Her romantic imagination is obvious as she describes the "hereditary estate" (Gilman, Wallpaper 170) or the "haunted house" (170) as she would like it to be.  She tells us of her husband, John, who "scoffs" (170) at her romantic sentiments and is "practical to the extreme" (170).  However, in a time

The novel was published in the year 1937. It is a depiction of a woman, whose life itself is an endeavour to oppose patriarchy. The protagonist show case great characteristic traits of representing the spirit of change. She breaks the norms that are posed by the male chauvinistic people around her. As the novel begins it is evident that Janie is suppressed by her own grandmother. This is the first level of suppression she undergoes. Here, a woman is suppressed by another woman of her own family, who has a mind that is glutted with the notions of patriarchy. The grandmother in Their Eyes Were Watching God though understands the sufferings of Janie, believes that it is her duty to get Janie married to the much older rich man. She believes that only a male support can make her life secured and happy. Here the grandmother represents the familial violence that is meted out to young women by people with patriarchal ideologies. According to her, a man is superior to a woman. She believes that only a man can give life and protection to a woman. The grandmother sticks to the old beliefs about marriage. This is one of the notorious notions that the patriarchal society hold on to. She fails to understand that women can live a secured life without even getting married. However, Janie is suppressed here. Janie is unable to protest against her much beloved grandmother. She becomes Logan’s

Blinded by love, a phrase commonly used to describe a clueless man or woman pursuing a relationship that may not be the best decision. In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel, Purple Hibiscus, Beatrice Achike is a prime example of someone blinded by love, affected emotionally and physically by the hand of her husband. Adichie retells incidents that cloud Beatrice’s mind with the use of visual imagery and takes readers along the journey as Beatrice crumbles and allows her family to tumble down with her. Throughout Purple Hibiscus, Adichie portrays Mama Beatrice as blinded by her husband’s actions, allowing readers to view her as an enabler who permits Papa Eugene to unleash his anger and abuse upon the family, as seen through visual imagery and

In American culture there are an abundance of actors, artists, and musicians that are popular even though they do not carry out acceptable decisions. This relates to the book Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, were one of the themes is how fame does not dictate personal worth. The book shows this through the conflict of Papa and his family, who he abuses constantly, the character Papa Nnukwu, and the Missal symbol.

I am now going to discuss some relevant information about Nigeria that is crucial for my essay. The country Nigeria is located in Africa and is labeled as a developing country. Thus, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, a developing country means a country that is trying to increase its economic levels, it’s industrial sector also improve their social conditions. Furthermore, there is a terrorist group, currently located in Nigeria called Boko Haram, as noted in CNN. Moreover, this terrorist group is similar to the Taliban, who invaded Pakistan, not that long ago and both these groups are

The first technique is ‘enclosure’. In this close view focuses different kinds of people at one place. It is the place of project to disciplinary in monotonies way. In Purple Hibiscus, Adichi shows Eugene’s separate cell to Kambili and Jaja in open doors to control them to make discipline. In Journeying Out of Silenced Familial Spaces in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus, Ouma argues that the silence in the house is psychological as well as physical. After returning from Nsukka, Kambili and Jaja observe oppressing silence by Eugene.