Purple Hibiscus

Conflict in Purple Hibiscus * In the novel, Purple Hibiscus, Adichie clearly portrays the conflicting oppression of Kambili’s patriarchal household - where she is ordered to follow a strict ‘schedule’ - to the realization of an almost ‘holiday’ like freedom she is exposed to when visiting Aunty Ifeoma and her family. * The author also intentionally expressed the Catholic upbringing of the protagonist in the novel and her brother, Jaja, as a stark contrast to their Auntie’s strong Igbo traditional customs. * Adichie illustrates the conflicting theme of restrictions and regime to freedom with the Auntie’s reaction to ‘Papa’s schedule’ when Jaja ‘shifted on his chair before pulling his schedule out of his pocket’. In response to this, the aunty ‘started to laugh so hard that she staggered’, which depicts a sense of shock and unfamiliarity when encountering their dictatorial childhood. * Not only does Adichie use Aunty Ifeoma’s character to show the clear antithesis of oppression with freedom, but it is also portrayed through Kambili’s cousins, Amaka and Obiora. * When Jaja informs them on the schedule they follow every day, Amisaka scornfully remarks: ‘Interesting. So now rich people can’t decide what to do day by day, they need a schedule to tell them.’ * This is expressed in a mocking tone to suggest the cousin’s contempt and detachment to Kambili and Jaja, indicating she can’t relate to their ‘rich’ lifestyle whilst also implying she wouldn’t want to comply to it either.

Plot for Purple Hibiscus * Purple Hibiscus takes place in Enugu, a city in post-colonial Nigeria, and is narrated by the main character, Kambili Achike. Kambili lives with her older brother Jaja (Chukwuku Achike), a teenager who, like his sister, excels at school but is withdrawn and sullen. Kambili’s father, Papa (Eugene Achike) is a strict authoritarian whose strict adherence to Catholicism overshadows his paternal love. He punishes his wife, Mama (Beatrice