Purple Hibiscus by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie

The novel Purple Hibiscus, by the Nigerian author Chimanda Ngozi Adichie, explores the issue of patriarchy on a private and a public scale. The author reveals the brutality of patriarchal power and provides alternatives to masculine dominance and feminine subordination. Adichie focuses attention on the shocking effects of patriarchal control and inequality within the family, the church, education as well as the community.

Patriarchy is the term that is used to describe a social system in which the men are dominant and hold primary power, while the women are systematically disadvantaged, oppressed and excluded. The fathers or the father-figures hold authority over the women and children, as evident in the novel. Male violence against women is also a key feature of patriarchy as well as in the novel.

Purple Hibiscus is the coming-of-age story of Kambili Achike, a fifteen-year-old girl whose abusive father, Eugene or ‘Papa’, is recognized as the patriarch in his family, a respected patron in the Roman Catholic Church, and somewhat of a ‘local God’ in his community. He runs a number of successful factories and has published an English-language newspaper, which is well known for criticizing Nigeria’s corrupt government.

Kambili lived in fear of her very own father who valued education and pushed his children as he expected the very best of them. However, Eugene negatively reinforced what he wanted with severe punishments for what he saw as a failure to meet up to the standards that he expected. For example, he breaks Jaja’s finger for missing two questions on a test and because he was not the top achiever in his class (145). Papa said to to his children, “Because God has given you much, he expects much from you. He expects perfection” (47). For another example, when Kambili finished first in her class, Eugene told her she has fulfilled God’s purpose for her (53). In this context, God’s purpose is about being better than others.

In contrast to Papa was Aunt Ifeoma. She encouraged her children in a positive manner and allowed them to flourish and express themselves. She believed that men and women should be considered as equals.

Papa, being a devout Catholic, has strong beliefs about religion and traditional society. He believes that what he knows is correct and he does not acknowledge any opposing views. He is the patriarch of his family and the entire town. He takes care of everyone, but he expects his help to come with the price of unquestioning obedience, a form of patriarchy that is similar to that of colonialism. Eugene does not realize that he is oppressing all of these people. In fact, he believes that he is helping them and without his help, they would be condemned to hell.

Due to the fact that Kambili finds it difficult to please her father, she begins to develop a blind allegiance towards him. Whenever someone says something that pleases her father, she wishes that it were her who had said it first (43). Kambili’s blind allegiance to her patriarchal father even extends beyond him and to his god: “‘God will deliver us,’ I said, knowing Papa would like my saying that” (26). She does not say these things because she believes in them, but instead, she says these things because that is what Eugene expects of her.