Purple Hibiscus Study Notes

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Biography

  • Born in Nsukka, Nigeria, the fifth of six children.
  • Father was a professor, and mother was the university’s first female registrar.
  • Studied medicine before moving to the United States at 19.
  • Master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins and Yale.
  • Received the MacArthur Fellowship “Genius Grant” in 2008.
  • Published poems, short stories, a play, and three novels, including Purple Hibiscus.
  • Divides time between Nigeria and the United States.

Historical Context

  • Nigeria gained independence from British colonialism in 1960.
  • Faced a civil war seven years later.
  • Purple Hibiscus takes place in the 1980s.
  • The military leader is based on Ibrahim Babangida, who took power in 1985.
  • Babangida's regime was known for corruption and human rights abuses.
  • Ade Coker's character is based on Dele Giwa, a journalist killed in 1986.

Related Literary Works

  • Inspired by Chinua Achebe, author of Things Fall Apart.
  • Inspired by Camara Laye, author of Dark Child.
  • Achebe and Laye provided a “shock of recognition”.
  • Influence from Binyavanga Wainaina, a contemporary Kenyan writer.

Key Facts

  • Full Title: Purple Hibiscus
  • Written: 2001-2003
  • Where Written: Eastern Connecticut State University and Johns Hopkins University
  • Published: 2003
  • Literary Period: Contemporary Nigerian Literature
  • Genre: Fiction
  • Setting: Nigeria
  • Climax: Papa’s death
  • Point of View: First-person limited, from Kambili’s perspective

Extra Credit

  • Chinua Achebe: Influential Nigerian writer; Adichie’s family lived in his former house; Things Fall Apart referenced in Purple Hibiscus.
  • Flawless Feminism: Adichie’s TED talk “We Should All Be Feminists” was sampled in Beyonce’s song “Flawless”.

Plot Summary

  • Kambili Achike, the narrator, is a fifteen-year-old girl living in Enugu, Nigeria.
  • Family includes father Eugene (Papa), mother Beatrice (Mama), and older brother Chukwuka (Jaja).
  • The novel begins on Palm Sunday.
  • Jaja refuses communion; Papa throws his missal, breaking Mama’s figurines.
  • Papa is a wealthy factory owner, philanthropist, and devout Catholic.
  • At home, he is strict and violent.
  • He publishes the Standard, a newspaper critical of the Head of State.
  • Mama gets pregnant but miscarries after Papa beats her.
  • Kambili comes second in her class, disappointing Papa.
  • At Christmas, the family visits Abba.
  • Papa’s father, Papa-Nnukwu, is not Catholic, so Papa doesn’t speak to him.
  • Kambili and Jaja visit Papa-Nnukwu; Aunty Ifeoma arrives.
  • Ifeoma is a fearless university professor critical of Papa and the government.
  • Her children—Amaka, Obiora, and Chima—are outspoken.
  • Ifeoma takes Jaja and Kambili to an Igbo festival.
  • Papa feeds the whole village on Christmas.
  • Papa beats Kambili, Jaja, and Mama for breaking the “Eucharist fast”.
  • Ifeoma convinces Papa to let Jaja and Kambili visit her in Nsukka.
  • Kambili and Jaja are surprised by poverty but also the laughter in Ifeoma’s house.
  • Jaja likes purple hibiscuses.
  • Father Amadi, a young Nigerian priest, comes to dinner.
  • Jaja opens up, but Kambili remains silent.
  • Ifeoma hears Papa-Nnukwu is sick, fetches him.
  • Amaka starts painting Papa-Nnukwu.
  • Father Amadi visits often; Kambili is attracted to him.
  • Kambili observes Papa-Nnukwu’s morning ritual.
  • Father Amadi takes Kambili to the stadium, tries to get her to talk; Kambili is confused.
  • Papa finds out Papa-Nnukwu is staying there.
  • Papa-Nnukwu dies in his sleep.
  • Papa takes Jaja and Kambili back to Enugu; Amaka gives Kambili her painting.
  • Papa pours boiling water on Jaja and Kambili’s feet for not telling him they stayed with their pagan grandfather.
  • Papa and Ade Coker decide to run a controversial story.
  • Ade Coker is assassinated with a package bomb.
  • Papa beats Kambili severely for looking at the painting of Papa-Nnukwu; she ends up in the hospital.
  • Papa agrees to let Jaja and Kambili return to Nsukka.
  • Ifeoma worries about losing her job.
  • The university closes after a student riot.
  • Men ransack Ifeoma’s flat.
  • Kambili falls more deeply in love with Father Amadi.
  • Mama is beaten into another miscarriage.
  • Papa takes his family home.
  • Jaja stands up to Papa on Palm Sunday.
  • After Palm Sunday, there is less fear in the house.
  • Ifeoma fired, moving to America.
  • Jaja and Kambili return to Nsukka.
  • Ifeoma takes them on a pilgrimage to Aokpe; Kambili sees visions of the Virgin Mary.
  • Father Amadi leaves to do missionary work; Kambili confesses her love.
  • Ifeoma gets a visa and prepares to leave Nigeria.
  • Papa is found dead at his desk.
  • Mama says she poisoned him.
  • Jaja takes responsibility for the crime.
  • Three years later, Kambili and Mama visit Jaja in prison.
  • Mama is withdrawn.
  • Kambili feels hopeful about the future.

Major Characters

  • Kambili Achike: Narrator, a quiet, withdrawn fifteen-year-old girl. She idolizes her father, Papa, and slowly starts to open up after visiting Nsukka and falls in love with Father Amadi
  • Jaja (Chukwuka Achike): Kambili’s older brother. He acts more openly rebellious than Kambili, challenging Papa and abandoning his Catholic faith
  • Papa (Eugene Achike): Kambili’s father; a wealthy factory owner and devout Catholic. He is a strict authoritarian who believes that Western culture is superior to Nigerian culture
  • Mama (Beatrice Achike): Kambili’s mother. She is friends with Aunty Ifeoma, and poisons Papa as his abuse worsens.

Characters

  • Aunty Ifeoma – Papa’s sister. She moves to America when the university fires her for speaking out against the “sole administrator.”
  • Papa-Nnukwu – The father of Papa and Aunty Ifeoma. He is a traditionalist, and Papa cuts ties with him when he refuses to convert to Christianity.
  • Father Amadi – He leaves to do missionary work in Germany, but remains close with Kambili.

Minor Characters

  • Amaka – Aunty Ifeoma’s oldest child - an artist
  • Obiora – Aunty Ifeoma’s second child - Obiora questions everything
  • Chima – Aunty Ifeoma’s youngest child.
  • Ade Coker – Papa’s friend – assassinated.
  • Father Benedict – The white, British, conservative Catholic priest at St. Agnes.
  • Yewande Coker – Ade Coker’s wife
  • Sisi – The quiet servant in Papa’s house. She provides the poison Mama uses to kill Papa.

Themes

  • Colonialism and Nigerian Politics: Explores the legacy of British colonialism in Nigeria, where Papa is described as a “colonial product”.
  • Religion and Belief: Explores religious belief in contrasts between Papa, Papa-Nnukwu, and Aunty Ifeoma/Father Amadi.
  • Family Deals with the relations between Papa, Mama, Jaja, and Kambili, and then their relations with Papa-Nnukwu, Aunty Ifeoma, and her children.
  • Freedom vs. Tyranny: Deals with the strictness of Papa’s beliefs and the corruption of the Nigerian government.
  • Silence and Speech: The contrast between the two becomes a recurring theme on both the personal and political level.
  • Violence: Colonialism resulted in a corrupt independent government, so Papa’s violence compels Mama to poison and murder him.

Symbols

  • The Purple Hibiscus: represents freedom and individuality.
  • Mama’s Figurines: symbolize the submissiveness and silence the family lives with under the fear of Papa’s violence.