Purple Hibiscus is a novel published in 2003 by the Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It focuses on the emotional transition characteristic to adolescence, on family bonds, and the taste and promise of freedom. Essays on Purple Hibiscus explore the symbolism of nature, various characters and themes (freedom, silence, repression, the relationship between parents and children, the generation gap). It is thus, both an engaging read an and interesting starting point for writing an essay – many students would likely identify with some of these important themes or topics. Note that, regardless of the topic, an essay has to be properly structured, with an introduction, main body, conclusion, and properly structured paragraphs, which connect with the thesis.
Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus explores the life of a wealthy Nigerian family with the protagonist Kambili, a young girl who tries to find her own voice in an oppressive society and home. Throughout the novel, the author uses a number of symbols to convey her ideas....
“Uncle Eugene is not a bad man, really. . . . People have problems, people make mistakes” (251). These words are spoken by Kambili, who is trying to explain that the violent Papa is not a “bad man,” but instead a person who has good...
The novel Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie, set in post-colonial Nigeria during the Civil War in the late 1960s, is a bildungsroman that focuses greatly on family relationships as well as religious and cultural ideals. The passage describing Kambili and Jaja’s first meal at their...
Focal points are important components of life. Just as the earth revolves on an axis around the sun, so too does the Church calendar revolve around significant events, of which Palm Sunday is one. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie draws on this focus in her novel, Purple...
Paper II: Purple Hibiscus To what extent do male and female literary characters accurately reflect the role of men and women in society? Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie uses dominance, control and power to accurately reflect the role of male literary characters and silence and oppression to...
Explore How Kambili Shows a Search for Herself, Linking the Extract to Purple Hibiscus as a Whole A search for self in my opinion is the idea of an individual discovering what he/she truly wants and discovering your true identity of what makes you individual,...
Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart both emphasize the complexities of father-son relationships. The major theme of parental conflict is developed throughout the course of both texts and serves to illustrate the impact of Western imperialism on Igbo culture. While Adichie...
The novel Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie describes the life of a teenage girl, Kambili, who is raised in Nigeria. In the novel, Adichie uses two main settings to effectively describe the themes of freedom, silence, and repression. The two settings that are used...
Kambili and Jaja live in a strict, quiet household where everything revolves around their father, Eugene Achike’s, intense religious beliefs and the family’s need to constantly impress him. However, when they visit their Aunty Ifeoma’s house and get to know their cousins Amaka, Obiora and...
The monster under our bed, the boogey man in our closet, or the tough bully at school that everyone runs away from out of fear; psychological terrors experienced at a young age, whether we realize the fact early on or not, shape and define our...
Throughout many works of literature one can find overlying themes that carry throughout multiple texts. Along with this an expanse of literary techniques are used commonly among credible works of literature. While novels, novellas, or short stories may have a different overall message or storyline...
Originating from the Latin word “rule”, a canon is a standard of judgement for ecclusiastical laws based on an accepted set of religious texts. Purple Hibiscus, a novel written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is a perfect example of a literary canon considering that Adichie analyzes...
The novel, Purple Hibiscus uses many types of symbolism to express Papa’s abusive behavior towards his wife and children. Within the novel, there are many symbols being used to help develop the novel, in the text; the four major ones being Love Sip Tea, Figurines,...
In the acclaimed novel “Purple Hibiscus” composed by Nigerian feminist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the narrative is dominated by the themes of systematic silence and abuse. The Achike family unit involved father Eugene, mother Beatrice, girl Kambili and child Jaja, is constantly brimming with calm pressure....
When raised in a country hindered by the hardships of domestic violence, voicing one’s true thoughts can often carry savage consequences, Purple Hibiscus is no exception. When the voice of the Achike family is confined in an oppressive society and home under Eugene, an authoritarian...
Abstract Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus is discussed here as a dialogic novel, with a focus on multiple consciousness and the multi-voiced perspective of the characters, and the interpretation of the characters and the novel based on the ensuing consciousnesses. Bakhtin’s idea of dialogism and...
