Purple Hibiscus takes place in post-colonial Enugu, Nigeria and it revolves around the seemingly perfect Achike family, with the main character and narrator being Kambili aged 15 an introvert and her older brother Jaja, who also is an introvert and excels at school. Mama (Beatrice), seems to be the tape holding this fragile family together and then there Papa Eugene; a stauch catholic, successful businessman, newspaper publisher, philantrophist among other attributes who still with all this, still finds the time to violently beat his wife and children. The novel of non-chronological order begins on Palm Sunday when Jaja refuses to go to church and Papa hurls the missal at him hitting Mama's prized glass figurines instead and breaking them. This violent act begins the slow disintigration of Papa's oppressive hold on his family and the continuing chapters give rise to the events leading up to this
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Papa has beaten her again, causing another miscarriage. Though both Kambili and Jaja have seen this happen before, this time it is different. Aunty Ifeoma begs her not to return to Enugu. But she takes her children back with her. In the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, Jaja grows evermore rebelious. He finally demands that he and Kambili spend Easter with their cousins. Papa begrudginly allows them to go to Nsukka. A few days later, Mama calls. Papa has died. When Mama left Nsukka, she began poisoning her husband’s tea. Jaja takes the blame for the crime and goes to prison. The final chapter of the book takes place nearly three years later. Kambili and Mama visit a hardened Jaja in prison. With the leadership in Nigeria now changing again, their lawyers are confident that Jaja will be released. Kambili is ecstatic.
Sources
"Purple Hibiscus Summary." Study Guides & Essay Editing. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.
Adiche, Chimamanda Ngozi. Purpe Hibiscus. New York: Anchor, 2003.
Papa has beaten her again, causing another miscarriage. Though both Kambili and Jaja have seen this happen before, this time it is different. Aunty Ifeoma begs her not to return to Enugu. But she takes her children back with her. In the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, Jaja grows evermore rebelious. He finally demands that he and Kambili spend Easter with their cousins. Papa begrudginly allows them to go to Nsukka. A few days later, Mama calls. Papa has died. When Mama left Nsukka, she began poisoning her husband’s tea. Jaja takes the blame for the crime and goes to prison. The final chapter of the book takes place nearly three years later. Kambili and Mama visit a hardened Jaja in prison. With the leadership in Nigeria now changing again, their lawyers are confident that Jaja will be released. Kambili is ecstatic.
Sources
"Purple Hibiscus Summary." Study Guides & Essay Editing. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.
Adiche, Chimamanda Ngozi. Purpe Hibiscus. New York: Anchor, 2003.