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Themes In Purple Hibiscus

Decent Essays

The human experience is shaped around two profound factors: sticking to tradition or deviating away from it. Preserving previous beliefs is pivotal in securing the integrity of ancestral roots. Completely alienating past beliefs inevitably leads to the decay of one’s individuality. Choosing another culture over his own, Papa Eugene’s authoritative methods of imposing his ideals onto his family ultimately leads to his demise. Throughout Purple Hibiscus, zPapa Eugene and Aunt Ifeoma contribute as critical roles in shaping other characters’ development and growth. Descending from Igbo parents and being raise by the after effects of Nigeria’s Civil War, Adichie is forever tainted by the reality of a corrupt government. Her history reflects themes of predisposition towards Igbo rituals addressed throughout the novel. Adichie juxtaposes the beliefs of Papa Eugene and Aunt Ifeoma to emphasize the loyalty of African culture over the adaptation of Western Ideology.
Papa Eugene’s disdain for the Igbo culture epitomizes irony. His children grow up to believe how to do “things the right way, [which is] the way [of] White people” (68). This strong rejection of his ancestry influences his family to stray away from nationalism and to develop an inferiority complex over Western practices: in order “to sound [civil] in public’’ is “to speak English” (13). Papa Eugene’s utter rejection of his own culture causes Kambili to believe the way she is born does not qualify excellence by his

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