Purple Hibiscus

• CH1, Line 1 - "Things started to fall apart"

  • allusion to famous novel about missionaries and colonialism in a village in Nigeria - a theme in Adichie's novel
• In Chapter 1, we see that the characters are very religious. We see this intense devotion to religion showing up in their day to day lives, as if it was customary for many.

  • Papa throwing his missal & breaking the ceramic figurines
  • Papa's 20 minute prayer
• In Chapter 1, we learn of the deep impacts British colonialism had on Nigeria where we see that Western superiority still exists in daily life such as Kambili's church. Papa himself has this colonial mindset as he believes in the superiority of the West and he needed to cut off his roots to be a true Catholic man.

  • praying in Igbo is considered inferior
  • papa calls igbo "uncivilised"
• In Chapter 1, we see the duality of Papa's character. In church, he is praised for his virtue and humbleness. However, at home, he is violent and angry (involving the idea of virtue and punishment for sins)
• In Chapter 1, we get introduced to language between Mama, Jaja and Kambili where they communicate through their eyes and spirits. This shows their oppression and silence in the house, unable to speak freely

  • "I stared at Jaja"
  • "He knew I was looking at him"
  • "My shocked eyes begged him to seal his mouth"
  • "spot more with our spirits"
• In Chapter 1, we get a strong metaphor for Papa's relationship with his children through the 'love sip'. The tea burning their tongues is the same as Papa's violence getting presented as love and care but it actually hurts his children. Kambili's narration even shows she has been taught that the 'love sip' was a sign of his love similar to how he justifies his abuse as beneficial and his way of caring

  • "The tea was always too hot, always burned my tongue,"
  • "I knew that when the tea burned my tongue, it burned Papa’s love into me."
• In Chapter 1, we see the family's defiance against Papa. Mama no longer fixing her figurines and Jaja speaking out against him and even using his own ideology of silence against him. This defiance shows through Papa's spreading illness which we learn he developed because Mama was poisoning him.

  • "The wafers gave me bad breath"
  • "I will not replace them"
  • "Mba, there are no words in my mouth"
  • "Fear. It had left Jaja's eyes and entered Papa's"
  • "rashes that spread across every inch of it, so many, so evenly spread that they made his skin look bloated"
• In Chapter 1, the purple hibiscus is introduced as a symbol of freedom. They saw this freedom when they stayed with their Aunt which was the start of their defiance and realisation that their lives weren't normal. Before they had went to their Aunt's house, the hibiscus was red around their house and not purple because they were constrained in the violence of Papa

  • "Jaja's defiance seemed to me now like Aunty Ifeoma's experimental purple hibiscus"
  • "rare, fragrant with the undertones of freedom"
  • "They started before, when all the hibiscuses in our front yard were a startling red"
• Colonialism & Nigerian politics 1 (Theme) - although the story is mainly focused on the family's lives, we see Nigerian politics influencing their daily lives as well. Nigeria has a long history of English colonialism and oppression which affects Papa. Papa is described as a “colonial product”. Papa believes that white people do everything better, and he wants everything in his life to be Western. However, his sister Aunty Ifeoma, doesn't believe whiteness = superiority. She believes Nigeria should embrace their individual culture and resources.
• Colonialism & Nigerian politics 2 (Theme) - politics still affect the daily lives of Adichie’s characters through workers’ strikes, police requiring bribes, and Ade Coker, who is based on the real-life journalist Dele Giwa, is assassinated with a letter bomb
• Religion & Belief 1 (Theme) - Papa’s religious belief were molded by Catholic missionaries and are incredibly strict. He believes that priests should be very traditional. Papa imposes his strict rules on his family, and when they commit what he perceives as a sin, he punishes them with violence. Kambili and Mama aren’t allowed to wear pants, prayers over meals are long-winded and formal, and non-Christians aren’t even allowed onto Papa’s land. His father is a “Godless heathen” in Papa’s eyes, as he practices traditional Igbo rituals.
• Religion & Belief 2 (Theme) - Kambili and Jaja get introduced to new religions at her Aunt's place. They see a mixture of Catholicism and traditional igbo ideology. There are positive changes to Jaja and Kambili as they are exposed to beliefs other than Papa's because they've grown up seeing their father as a godlike figure so changing their faith also means losing their faith in Papa. Kambili reaffirms her faith, while Jaja loses his faith altogether. Though they choose different paths, they have the freedom to choose without risking punishment at Aunty Ifeoma's place (contrast with her dad)
• Family 1 (Theme) - Kambili’s family lives in silence and fear, following Papa’s strict rules and schedules. Order is based around the terror of Papa’s violence for anything he sees as sinful or disobedient. Kambili and Jaja are very close, though they rarely speak. They have little contact with their grandfather, aunt, or cousins, and live secluded with their immediate family. In contrast, Aunty Ifeoma and her children all speak their minds and are also close with Papa-Nnukwu, as they don’t see him as a “heathen” like Papa does
• Family 2 (Theme) - These two families overlap when Kambili and Jaja go to stay with Aunty Ifeoma. They see how different they are from Aunt's family, and realize how unhealthy and rigid their own family dynamic is. Jaja and Kambili discover freedom and joy there, and they don’t want to leave. Through Aunty Ifeoma and her children, Adichie represents her idea of a healthy family—one that creates community and love, but also accepts differences and supports individuals as they grow and change.
• Freedom vs Tyranny 1 (Theme) - Related to the strictness of Papa’s beliefs and the corruption of the Nigerian government. Politically, Papa and Ade Coker represent freedom of the press that protests against the censorship of the Head of State. Aunty Ifeoma also criticises those in power. The government responds to this assertion of freedom with brutal action. Coker is assassinated, the Standard and Papa’s factories are shut down, and Ifeoma is fired from the university. Hope for political freedom only comes in the novel’s last section, when the Head of State dies and democracy is restored.
• Freedom vs Tyranny 2 (Theme) - Freedom and tyranny exists among the individual characters as well. Though Papa stands up for political freedom, he acts like a tyrant in his family. He allows no freedom or independence for and schedules his children’s every minute, even choosing the colour of the drapes. If anyone acts out, he responds with violence. They get their first taste of freedom at Ifeoma’s house and begin feeling more rebellious and independent.
• Freedom vs Tyranny 3 (Theme) - Kambili rebels by keeping the painting of Papa-Nnukwu, while Jaja refuses to speak to his father or go to church on Palm Sunday. Jaja’s actions signal a turning point for the family. Mama turns to her own kind of tyranny (murder) to assert her freedom from Papa. This leads to prison for Jaja, which ends up as just another version of the cycle of freedom and oppression. There is finally some hope with Jaja’s impending release, which also coincides with the Head of State’s death, as both Nigeria and Kambili’s family hope to find true freedom at last
• Silence and speech 1 (Theme) - Important motifs throughout the novel. Contrast between the two becomes a recurring theme. Silence is linked with the fear of Papa. Kambili rarely speak because she is afraid to stutter or anger her father. She and Jaja have a “language of the eyes” as they never mention Papa’s abuse out loud. Her silence becomes obvious when with Ifeoma’s family and Father Amadi. Kambili starts to speak more when at Ifeoma's house. Jaja is also more comfortable speaking, and then turns his silence (no longer a fearful one) into a weapon against Papa by refusing to speak to him.
• Silence and speech 2 (Theme) - On a political level, Papa and Ade Coker represent the power of free speech as their newspaper is the only one to speak out against the corruption. Aunty Ifeoma also criticises the corruption, unlike the other professors. Ade Coker is silenced by a package bomb, and Aunty Ifeoma is silenced by losing her job but hey are powerful examples of the importance of free speech. Ultimately Adichie always portrays the freedom of speech and music as a positive change over frightened silence and censorship.
• Violence (Theme) - The first violence was the oppression of British colonialism, leading to violence in the governments. The Head of State’s regime uses violence for censorship, killing Ade Coker and Nwanketi Ogechi, and ransacking Aunty Ifeoma’s apartment. Papa uses violence to enforce his own oppression on his family. This violence then leads to more violence. Just as colonialism resulted in a corrupt government, Papa’s violence compels Mama to murder him. Adichie shows that violence always begets more violence, as a method of oppression but also as a struggle for freedom
• Kambili Achike - A fifteen-year-old girl who is quiet and withdrawn, but an excellent student. She idolises Papa even though she fears his violent punishments, and her worldview is based on his strict Catholic rules. After visiting Nsukka, she slowly starts to talk and open up more. She ultimately retains her Catholic faith, though a more liberal one based on that of Father Amadi and her Aunty Ifeoma.
• Jaja (Chukwuka Achike) - Kambili’s older brother, a seventeen-year-old who is quiet but an excellent student. Jaja feels guilty about being unable to protect Kambili and Mama from Papa. In Nsukka, he discovers a passion for gardening and feels more at home with Aunty Ifeoma. Jaja then acts more openly rebellious than Kambili, challenging Papa and abandoning his Catholic faith. At the same time he grows more distant from Kambili. He later takes responsibility for Mama’s crime and is imprisoned for three years.
• Papa (Eugene Achike) - Kambili’s father, a wealthy factory owner and devout Catholic. He publishes the only paper willing to criticize the corrupt government. At home, Papa is a strict authoritarian. He has rigid rules and impossible standards for his wife and children. He hurts them whenever he perceives that they have sinned or failed. Papa breaks ties with his father, Papa-Nnukwu, because he refuses to become a Catholic. Papa is a “colonial product” who believes that Western culture is superior to Nigerian culture.
• Mama (Beatrice Achike) - Kambili’s mother, a quiet woman who takes care of her children but does not speak out against Papa’s violence. After Kambili’s birth, she suffers several miscarriages because of Papa’s beatings. Mama is friends with Aunty Ifeoma, but does not act on Ifeoma’s talk of liberation and equality. She feels she cannot leave such a wealthy and socially important man but as his abuse worsens, she slowly poisons Papa. After Papa’s death and Jaja’s arrest, Mama rarely speaks and seems constantly distracted.
• Aunty Ifeoma - Papa’s sister, an outspoken woman who is a professor at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka. Ifeoma is not afraid to criticize her brother, the university, or the government. She is a Catholic, but an open-minded one who accepts Papa-Nnukwu’s traditionalist beliefs. She treats her children with respect and encourages them to speak their minds. Since her husband’s death, she struggled for money, but she refuses to borrow Papa’s money. Ifeoma helps both Jaja and Kambili find their voices and independence. She moves to America when the university fires her for speaking out.
• Papa-Nkuwu - The father of Papa and Aunty Ifeoma. He still lives in Abba and remains a traditionalist, following the beliefs of his ancestors. Papa-Nnukwu is close with Ifeoma and her children, but Papa cuts ties with him when he refuses to convert to Christianity. At first Kambili fears him as a “heathen,” but she comes to love him as she spends time with him and sees that his rituals are just as valid as Catholic ones.
• Father Amadi - A young, handsome Nigerian priest who is friends with Aunty Ifeoma and her children. He is a Catholic who also respects his Nigerian roots, incorporating Igbo songs into his prayers and blending the old ways with the new. He acts decidedly “unpriestly" but Kambili comes to fall in love with him. He leaves to do missionary work in Germany, but remains close with Kambili.
• Purple Hibiscus (symbol) - The purple hibiscus is a flower growing in Aunty Ifeoma’s garden. Jaja discovers his love of gardening through the purple hibiscus which becomes a crucial part of him finding his independence. He then plants them back home. The purple hibiscus comes to represent freedom and individuality—things they lack under Papa, but find with Aunty Ifeoma. At the end, Kambili hopes that Jaja will plant purple hibiscus when he gets out of prison, showing her hope that freedom will blossom even after so much tragedy.
• Mama's figurines (symbol) - Mama, Kambili, and Jaja never speak of Papa’s violence, but polishing the figurines become a euphemism for his abuse. On Palm Sunday, the turning point for the family, Papa gets angry at Jaja’s disobedience and breaks the figurines. Mama tells Kambili that she won’t need to replace them. This shows the family dynamic has changed, and Mama won’t stand for violence anymore, similar to Jaja disobeying Papa. The figurines symbolize the silence the family lives with, and when the figurines are broken it means the beginning of freedom
• The Juxtaposition Between Pain and Affection (theme) - Interactions in their home shows the juxtaposition between pain and affection that abusers inflict on their family members. When Papa hurts his children and wife, he often weeps, as if expressing his own pain at having to hurt his family is a form of affection for them. Papa cultivates an abusive dynamic in which he presents pain as both a path to love and also a necessary product of it.
• In Chapter 1, we get a symbol of violence through the figurines Mama polished. The figurines could also represent her family and the fragility of the family dynamic under the oppressive atmosphere Papa creates, a family held together by fear and control. She tries to "clean" the violence everytime she was hurt, trying to deny its existence. However, the breaking of these figurine dolls means that it's the breaking of the cycle of abuse, when things began falling apart and she is standing up to the violence

  • "I will not replace them"
  • "There were never tears on her face"
• Narrative Perspective - Kambili's narrative perspective allows readers to see her thoughts, enabling readers to empathize with her. It shows the family dynamic and the oppressive atmosphere through her eyes. Her narrative perspective is crucial in showing her gradual transformation to become more assertive. First-person narrative shows readers the issues that come from the complexities of faith and religious extremism. Her narration also emphasises what is left unsaid or unspoken within the family. Kambili's perspective shows first hadn't experience of issues of cultural identity and feminism
• CH2 is titled "speaking with our spirits" which relates the the theme of silence and tyranny, their language of eyes that they shared because of Papa's abuse
• In Ch2, we jump back in time and Adichie chooses to structure it this way so we can see the exact turning point for the family and the juxtaposition of life before it and life after.
• In CH2, we see how Papa controls every aspect of his children’s’ lives, even scheduling their time for washing clothes. Papa’s tyranny over his family isn’t only violence—it also means that he controls every aspect of their lives, scheduling every activity every hour of Jaja and Kambili’s day. Even naps are scheduled.
• In CH2, Kambili already has a hint of bitterness at her mother for submitting to violence so docilely

  • "there was so much that she did not mind."
• In CH2, Papa is praised by mama as he stayed with his one wife even though she was having miscarriages which supports patriarchal ideology. It also shows that Papa is virtuous in the public as he is praised for rejecting the suggestions from villagers to him having multiple wives.
• In Ch2, Mama compares Papa to another man and she resents him even being compared to another man because she thinks he is so much better than other men. Papa is almost a godlike figure for her, and right now her belief in God is tied up in her belief in Papa. Mama is also worshipping Papa for not leaving her.
• In Ch2, we see the importance of public image to the the Achikes. Mama is obligated to entertain her guests well even though the prayer group practices Catholicism in a way that Papa would not approve of but he needs to keep his virtuous image and allowing them into his house would be considered very gracious. Their family also never uses plastic cutlery and serves fried chicken, showing off their wealth and kindness.
• In CH2, we see the special kind of silence in the house, a silence associated with fear and repression. Jaja and Kambili have a special language of glances, and they never speak directly of Papa’s violence. This is what Adichie means by “speaking with our spirits,” this section’s title.