Purple Hibiscus Sparknotes

The novel Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is about a young Nigerian girl named Kambili and her conflicted, though wealthy family. During the book, we see elements of both emotional abuse, physical abuse and subsequent condemnation stemming completely from Eugene, the father. Characters throughout the story have issues with silence and speaking in certain situations usually dictated by Papa. Normally, during situations like the dinner table and when religion is a topic of discussion. Kambili suffers the most out of everyone to come to terms with the pressure and the anxiety of not being able to speak her mind but throughout the story we will see her grow as a character and begin to blossom into a smart young woman.
The silence within the family is a product of the fear and abuse that they have been forced to live with because of Papa. When faced with a social situation, Kambili cannot be completely honest about her situation at home. For example, A classmate asked her why she always ran off after school and didn’t walk to the gate with the other
In uncomfortable circumstances, when Kambili either says something that she wishes she wouldn’t have said, is nervous, or possibly has something to say she clears her throat or coughs. Jaja and Kambili also communicate a lot with their eyes when words cannot be spoken. Possibly, the siblings wish to speak about the the pain and fear they are facing but cannot. Mama, like her children also cannot speak freely in her own home and can only speak authentically around Aunty Ifeoma and when Papa is not present. Mama may also speak but she is not saying what she truly believes or wants. An example of this is when Aunty Ifeoma says that they should “take the children to Agabana for the Aro festival”. Mama then follows with the fact that Papa would not be okay with “the children go[ing] to a heathen festival” (Adichie