Defiance In Purple Hibiscus
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie takes place in Enugu, Nigeria and is narrated by fifteen year old Kambili Achike. According to google.com, defiance is defined as “open resistance; bold disobedience.” Throughout Purple Hibiscus, defiance is reoccurring. Defiance is never simple. Sometimes it is hard to tell whether defiance is a positive or negative force. After reading Purple Hibiscus, it is apparent that Adichie believes that though defiance can lead to violence and destruction, in the end, defiance brings hope.
The Achike family is a wealthy one. Sending the children to private school, being bilingual, having televisions in the home, it is apparent they are far more privileged than most. Papa Eugene is openly defiant of the government in his newspaper articles. By publishing numerous articles that question the regime and demand democratic rehabilitation, he risks his business, and more importantly, his life. After refusing to abolish a story on the disappearance of a notorious advocate of democracy, the editor of Papa’s paper, Ade Coker, is assassinated in chapter …show more content…
Though chronologically happening in the middle of the plot, the opening line of Purple Hibiscus is “Things started to fall apart at home when my brother, Jaja, did not go to communion…” From this point on, Jaja takes a stand against his father’s power over him. In chapter nine, Jaja’s cousin, Obiora asks where his name comes from. Jaja reveals his real name is Chukwuka. Aunty Ifeoma tells the story of Jaja of Opobo, a king who refuses to sell his soul when the British take over Nigeria. Obiora claims the defiance was pointless and the British took over anyway. Jaja answers back “the British may have won the war, but they have lost many
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie takes place in Enugu, Nigeria and is narrated by fifteen year old Kambili Achike. According to google.com, defiance is defined as “open resistance; bold disobedience.” Throughout Purple Hibiscus, defiance is reoccurring. Defiance is never simple. Sometimes it is hard to tell whether defiance is a positive or negative force. After reading Purple Hibiscus, it is apparent that Adichie believes that though defiance can lead to violence and destruction, in the end, defiance brings hope.
The Achike family is a wealthy one. Sending the children to private school, being bilingual, having televisions in the home, it is apparent they are far more privileged than most. Papa Eugene is openly defiant of the government in his newspaper articles. By publishing numerous articles that question the regime and demand democratic rehabilitation, he risks his business, and more importantly, his life. After refusing to abolish a story on the disappearance of a notorious advocate of democracy, the editor of Papa’s paper, Ade Coker, is assassinated in chapter …show more content…
Though chronologically happening in the middle of the plot, the opening line of Purple Hibiscus is “Things started to fall apart at home when my brother, Jaja, did not go to communion…” From this point on, Jaja takes a stand against his father’s power over him. In chapter nine, Jaja’s cousin, Obiora asks where his name comes from. Jaja reveals his real name is Chukwuka. Aunty Ifeoma tells the story of Jaja of Opobo, a king who refuses to sell his soul when the British take over Nigeria. Obiora claims the defiance was pointless and the British took over anyway. Jaja answers back “the British may have won the war, but they have lost many