Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Purple Hibiscus ~ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Purple Hibiscus ~ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 2003, fiction (Nigeria)
Fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a very privileged life.  They live in a beautiful house in Enugu, Nigeria and attend an exclusive missionary school, but their home life is not harmonious:  although their father is a respected businessman, he is fanatically religious and tyrannical at home.  When their loving and outspoken aunt persuades her brother that the children should visit her, Kambili and Jaja take their first trip away from home.  Once inside their Aunty Ifeoma's flat in the smaller city of Nsukka, they discover a whole new world.  And when they return home, changed by their newfound freedom, nothing can be the same as before.  Tension within the family esalates, and Kambili must find the strength to keep her loved ones together — even after her mother commits a desperate act.
Click to enlarge the map
Where's Nigeria?

Here's a map, showing Nigeria on the west coast of Africa.  Can you find Enugu near the bottom of the country?  Nsukka is shown just north of Enugu.   Here are some quick facts about the country.  To learn more about Nigeria, read this Wikipedia article.

Instructions from Bonnie

Comment ANY time you like, even before we start reading the book.  Start by leaving a comment now to let us know you'll join us in the discussion.

As you read, you may want to comment about a particular scene or something that puzzles or intrigues you.  Ask questions.  Consider the first question below as you read, then comment if you like.  DO NOT read more than the first two or three questions before you have read the book, because there are spoilers in some of the questions.

If you are confused by my directions, tell me so I can make changes or clarify for you and everyone else.  We are not in any hurry to finish the book, and this post will always be here for you to come back to, even after our discussion ends.  At least, it will remain as long as "Blogger" doesn't delete the whole thing.  You can see on the sidebar (if you're on a computer) that we've discussed more than thirty books since 2007.

Discussion Questions

There are 15 discussion questions in the back of the book (the edition shown above), courtesy of ReadingGroupGuides.com.
  1. What is the emotional atmosphere in Kambili's home?  What effect does this have on Kambili and Jaja?  Why is their father so strict?
  2. When Kambili visits Aunty Ifeoma, she is immediately struck by how much laughter fills the house.  Why is it so surprising to her to hear people speak, laugh, and argue so freely?  How does she manage to regain her own ability to speak and, most importantly, to laugh?
  3. When Kambili hears Amaka weeping after her grandfather's death, Kambili thinks:  "She had not learned the art of silent crying.  She had not needed to" (p. 185).  What does this passage suggest about the differences between Amaka and Kambili?  In what other ways are Aunty Ifeoma's children — Amaka, Obiora, and Chima — different from Kambili and Jaja?
  4. Amaka says, "Uncle Eugene is not a bad man, really. . . . People have problems, people make mistakes" (p. 251).  Is he in fact a "bad man"?  Why does he violently abuse his wife and children?  What good deeds does he perform?  How can his generosity and political integrity coexist with his religious intolerance?
  5. In what ways are Aunty Ifeoma and Eugene differrent from one another?  How does each character approach life?  How do they differ in their religious views?  Why is Ifeoma so much happier even though she is poor and her brother is rich?
  6. Eugene boasts that his Kambili and Jaja are "not like those loud children people are raising these days, with no home training and no fear of God"; to which Ade Coker replies:  "Imagine what the Standard would be if we were all quiet" (p. 58).  Why is quiet obedience a questionable virtue in a country where the truth needs to be spoken?  In what ways is the refusal to be quiet dangerous?
  7. What kind of man is Papa-Nnukwu?  What are his most appealing qualities?  What do the things he prays for say about his character?  Why has his son disowned him so completely?
  8. What are the ironies involved in Eugene loving God the Father and Jesus the Son, but despising his own father and abusing his own son?
  9. Why does Kambili's mother keep returning to her husband, even after he beats her so badly that he causes a miscarriage, and even after he nearly kills Kambili?  How does she justify her husband's behavior?  How should she be judged for poisoning her husband?
  10. How does Father Amadt bring Kambili to life?  Why is her relationship with him so important to her sense of herself?
  11. Jaja questions why Jesus had to be sacrificed:  "Why did He have to murder his own son so we would be saved?  Why didn't He just go ahead and save us?" (p. 289).  And yet, Jaja sacrifices himself to save his mother from prison.  Why does he do this?  Should this be understood as a Christian sacrifice or a simple act of compassion and bravery?
  12. After Aunty Ifeoma moves her family to the United States, Amaka writes, "There has never been a power outage and hot water runs from a tap, but we don't laugh aymore. . . . because we no longer have the time to laugh, because we don't even see one another" (p. 301).  What does this passage suggest about the essential difference between American culture and African culture?
  13. What does the novel as a whole say about the nature of religion?  About the relationship between belief and behavior?
  14. What does Purple Hibiscus reveal about life in Nigeria?  How are Nigerians similar to Americans?  In what significant ways are they different?  How do Americans regard Nigerians in the novel?
  15. Why does Chimananda Ngozi Adichie end the novel with an image of rain clouds?  What are the implications of Kambili feeling that the clouds hung so low she "could reach out and squeeze the moisture from them"?  What is the meaning of the novel's very simple final sentence:  "The new rains will come down soon"?

23 comments:

Bonnie Jacobs said...

I'm Bonnie Jacobs, and an old photo of me is on the sidebar. It's different from the profile picture beside my name, here, which is recent. I first read "Purple Hibiscus" in 2013, but it was good enough that I am quite willing to read it again. I hope you'll join me in this discussion.

AuntyDon said...

I will start reading the book sometime today, May 8. I will try to write something after each chapter I've read, and try to help get a good discussion going.

AuntyDon said...

I have read through page 26. We really don't know what other people's lives are, do we? People hide so much of the power in the family that causes harm mostly to the women and children.

AuntyDon said...

I have read through page 70 where the family has gone on Christmas holiday. I am frustrated with Papa and his misconstruing of faith. His faith has taken any compassion, empathy, or love from his life,and, to me, that is so very sad.

I am liking Jaja more and more. His is so sensitive to others. He almost naturally understands where people are. It is sad that he is sticking so closely to Papa's dictates. I am anxious to seeing what changes to cause his rebellion from the opening chapter.

Unknown said...

OK, I read the WHOLE book. The second time, which I had forgotten. Beautiful writing, heartbreakingly real.

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Dear "Unknown,"
I think you are probably one of my friends at the Crown Center, but please add your name to your comments from now on so we'll all know who is saying what. I moderate this blog, which means if it looks like SPAM to me, I will throw it away. This doesn't look like SPAM, but please tell us who you are. I'll be back in a bit to comment on the book, too.
~~~ Bonnie

BettyB said...

I finished the book today. Saving my comments until all are finished.

AuntyDon said...

I have 45 pages to go. I should finish today or tomorrow and will be able to discussion after that whenever others are ready.

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Betty and Donna and I have finished reading (or re-reading) the book. So has "Unknown," but we don't know who s/he is. We can start discussing the book now. Does someone want to answer one of the discussion questions or tell us what you got out of the book? Go for it.

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Question #2: When Kambili visits Aunty Ifeoma, she is immediately struck by how much laughter fills the house. Why is it so surprising to her to hear people speak, laugh, and argue so freely? How does she manage to regain her own ability to speak and, most importantly, to laugh?

Kambili says, "I laughed. It sounded strange, as if I were listening to the recorded laughter of a stranger being played back. I was not sure I had ever heard myself laugh" (p. 179). That is so sad, being unable to imagine yourself laughing. In my opinion, her father isn't a "good man," but is abusing his wife and children emotionally. He loves to be praised for how good he is, but he makes his family miserable. Eugene must be very insecure to feel the need to be so controlling. Then he escalates the physical abuse on his wife and his daughter.

Question #5: Why is Ifeoma so much happier even though she is poor and her brother is rich?

I would ask, why do so many of us equate happiness with being rich? Money doesn't bring happiness, and Eugene was not a happy person.

BettyB said...

Anaka says that Uncle Eugene is not a bad man. I agree. I think he’s a tortured man and abusing others is the only way he can get relief from the torturing that he’s endured and continues to endure. The real evil imho is colonialism and the forced structure it imposed. The book reminded me of Poisonwood Bible - the evil use of Christianity. Any thought system can be used for evil and white supremacy is right up there with the best of them.

BettyB said...

Furthermore, I think his generosity was a form of atonement. It didn’t come from an open heart but one trying to remain closed.

Bonnie Jacobs said...

I think you are right, Betty, about colonialism being evil. The priests are white and Eugene seems to see everything English and white as "good" and appropriate for his family, as opposed to Papa-Nnukwu's supposed "heathen" following of his ancestors. It's been a really long time since I read The Poisonwood Bible, but I see how you connected the two novels.

AuntyDon said...

I don't necessarily think of Eugene as "bad" because I am not sure what the criteria is for judging bad vs. good. I do believe him to be cruel. For me, his good deeds do not void his cruel deeds. He has bought into what colonialism requires in that he takes care of those who the leadership tells him to take care of so they don't have to. He publishes the newspaper to feel like he is doing the "right thing" without regard to why it is the right thing. That does no good if you are not doing it for people but for ideals. He does extreme harm to Ade, Ade's family, Beatrice, Jaja, Kambili, Aunt Ifeoma, Papa-Nnukwu, etc.

Adichie has done a fine job of illustrating the strengths and weaknesses of three very important religious perspectives. Papa-Nnukwu reflects the traditionalist sect that reveres the past, but neglects how to bring it into contemporary times. It does display the necessity of caring for people as they are, without judgment. Eugene represents the fundamentalism of religion that is too rigid and judgmental to effectively bring the message of God in relationship with humanity. The strength is the fact that some people in need are taken care of. Father Amadi illustrates the coming together of the ancient and the contemporary in that he deals with individuals over "law." His faith "controls" him in a good way. He does have feelings for Kambili, but he follows what he knows to be "right" by not acting on those feelings, knowing it is not in Kambili's best interest. She is young latching onto something that allows her to survive. She cannot yet face the cruelty of a person who is supposed to love her, so she keeps hanging on to someone who makes her feel "free." Just my humble thoughts.

BettyB said...

👏great analysis. Father Amadi bothered me because he knew that Kambili was falling in love with him. Of course he was her lifeline and the main reason she woke up out of her trance. And he was young and susceptible to that kind of adoration. It was good he was sent to Germany, avoided more issues. (I’ve interviewed enough priests to know this is a big issue in seminary.)

Eugene denied his Nigerian-ness and I found that Sickening & pathetic, but also understandable - so much did he want to be like the white master. British English only. I know Adichie is interested in the hold culture has on us - it really seems overwhelming, a prison really. The dominate culture - by power, not numbers - may “tolerate” others, but doesn’t really want to blend, as Ifeoma’s family would find out.

On the other hand, the seeming free expression of life that “native” cultures enjoy can’t count on electricity or clean water. I had to put native in quotes because I don’t know how to divide up people.

Mama was the real hero imho. Papa had to go - he couldn’t possibly change.

M

AuntyDon said...

Betty,
I have trouble seeing Mama as a hero since she waited for so long to act and ignore the abuse of her children. I do understand the hopelessness she felt at not knowing how to act to make it right. If I had to name a hero, it would be Jaja because he was the first to act to correct the misinformation about what is "truth" in faith. He was the first to stand up to his father. After spending time with his aunt and her family, he was able to move to correct the situation. He also stepped up to protect his mother, whom he recognized had acted to right the evil that was his father.

BettyB said...

🤔 hmmm. Jaja reacted like a mensch, true. I don’t see his sacrifices as heroic though. Necessary and inevitable. He couldn’t live with himself otherwise. Mama had so much more to wade through to act. At that time & place, it wasn’t so much child abuse as righteous punishment for disobedience. Papa was the head of the house and as such got to make the rules and the punishment. He himself had been punished. Overhanging everything was a demanding and vengeful God. That’s the dragon Mama had to fight. She tried to take credit for her act but was discounted. She knew she was destroying her own life. Jaja still had a possible future. She didn’t.

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Righteous punishment? Beating his daughter until she almost died is more than "righteous punishment" to me. He was out of control, and what he did was evil. I don't like the god he emulates.

Bonnie Jacobs said...

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BettyB said...

True, he was out of control and knew it because then he would flip to loving. The “righteousness” was in his mind until he lost control. I believe he thought he was disciplining his children & wife for their own good. We don’t know, do we? why he became so enraged at his wife. She seemed to me totally obedient. Seems to me only someone who hates himself very much would devise those tortures, such as the scalding water. Btw, Kambili had a hard emotional road ahead of her. The person she loved almost killed her. And her mother. He was so painfully rigid in his Catholicism - the whole story was very painful. I’m not glad I read it. Without Ifeoma it would have been unbearable.


BettyB said...

Did you read Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad? To me, this was the same kind of evil that goes beyond personal badness. Of course unfortunately Conrad used blackness & Africa as the source of evil. I’m trying to think of another but can’t right now.

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Yes, I read Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness many years ago. Here's a Wikipedia article about the book and author, for those who are not familiar with it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_of_Darkness

Bonnie Jacobs said...

A couple of days ago, Betty mentioned The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. Here's a Wikipedia article about that book, for anyone who may be interested in knowing more about it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Poisonwood_Bible