Title: Purple Hibiscus
Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Pages: 310
Date of Publication: 2006
Publisher: Farafina
Reviewer: Olutayo Irantiola
The novel is quite an interesting
long piece that is predominantly about a family and their relatives. As it is
known, Africans are predominantly communal in nature. The narration technique
was in the first person; this was done by Kambili; a teenager who was visible
throughout the story. She relays the story of all that happened in her family to
us.
There are certain things that
strike one in the novel. Readers would encounter the world of the Catholic adherents
in the novel. Specific mentions of the Mass and other related items of worship
include- Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday Mass, Holy Water, Novenas, Credo and Kyrie,
Offertory songs, Catholic hymnals, Christmas Day Mass, The Catholic version of
the Bible with Deuterocanonical books, Our Father, Hail Mary, the Glory be, the
Apostles’ Creed. Others are Apparitions, Eucharist fast, feast of Epiphany, Celebration
of the Passion of Christ, Stations of the Cross, 15 decades of the rosary and
confirmation. All these attest to the deep understanding of Catholicism by the narrator.
There are also some contrasts in
the life of an African man and his adoption of religion. There is a different
between the life of Papa Eugene Achike and Aunty Ifeoma. Aunty Ifeoma did not
leave her father despite his belief in the African tradition and not
Catholicism. It was very painful for the old man who never enjoyed his son
because of this contrast. Eugene believed that starving his father would make
him change his ways but his thoughts were contrary. One would also understand
that Ifeoma is a lecturer in the Institute of African Studies and that is why
she can relate with her father who happens to be a traditionalist and he is
tagged Pagan by Eugene. The most challenging part of the text was when Papa
Nnukwu told Father Amadi that, “But you
must never lie to them. Never teach them to disregard their fathers”. This
statement reflects his agony.
Eugene is an image of a religious
bigot. He is donates generously to the church; he relates well to people of the
ummunna but the challenge is the way
in which he relates with family and his staff at the Standard newspaper. He is
quite hostile to his wife and children most especially in his desire to make
them adhere to the tenets of Catholism. He poured hot water on his daughter’s
legs, kicked her till she ran into coma when he saw the painting of his father,
Papa Nnukwu, with her. He broke the figurine on the first page of the novel;
threw table on his wife’s belly. This nature also made him stay out of his
father’s burial ceremony except if he would be buried as a Catholic.
The greatest way a Nigerian
usually relates to books authored by a citizen is the infiltration of our local
languages. Igbo language and culture is abundant in the text. Some of the words
encountered in the book were translated in subsequent sentences or line while
some were left without interpretation. Some of these words are Omelora (Eugene’s title meaning one who
does the community good); ke kwanu, nne,
gbo, o zugo, ngwo-ngwo, azu, ummunna, ogwu, anara, azu ochira, biko, bunie ya
enu, nno, umu m, ome mma, Chineke, o diegwu, nno nu, isi owu, shuku, okporoko,
kedu. Others are mmuo, ifukwa,
imakwa, nna anyi, nwunye m, tufia, kpa, icheke, ima mmuo, o joka, kunie, anam
asi, oga, o maka ezi okwu, ekwuzina, iga sikwa, nza, nno nu, Agbogho, ifukwa gi and many more.
Also Igbo foods mentioned in the
book include Ofe nsala, fufu and onugbu soup; yam, Orah leaves for soup; ofada
rice, ugu soup, okpa and a local wine: palm wine. There are some other cultural
festivals and elements which include Ani-the god of the land and the Aro festival.
Some of the locations mentioned
in the book include Enugu (with mentions of two places: Genesis and Nike Lake),
Nsukka, Abba(this is the town where Eugene got his traditional title), Ukpo (the town where Aunty Ifeoma’s husband
hails from), Abagana (where Aro festival takes place); Ugwu-Oba, Minna (where Nwankiti
Ogechi was killed), Ogige market; Odim Hall, Aokpe (place of apparition);
Isienu and Ugwu Agidi, Port Harcourt. Also, there a lot of societal happenings
that one can relate with, in the novel such as polygamy, coup ‘detat,
mismanagement of public funds, strike in the university, financial impropriety in
the university, brain drain. Others are adulteration of kerosene, gully
erosion, rising cost of food, the story of Nwankiti Ogechi as related to the
Ken Saro-Wiwa saga and Ade Coker’s murder to that of Dele Giwa.
Another element in the book is
the musical part of it that features prominent Nigerian acts such as Fela
Anikulapo-Kuti; Onyeka Onwenu and Osita Osadebe who are said to be culturally
conscious and indigenous musicians. Other mentioned songs include the ones
introduced by Father Amadi during Mass e.g ka m bunie afa gi enu, Ina-asi m
esona ya!
Evident contrasts that can be
drawn from the book include- Pentecostal beliefs versus Orthodox beliefs; Shrine
versus Grotto; Parents versus In-laws; Pagan versus Traditionalist; Health
Challenge versus Eucharist fast; Lifestyle at home versus lifestyle when on
holidays; Religion versus Oppression; Pagan Funeral versus Catholic Funeral; Comparison
of two parishes; Activists versus Complacents; Confirmation names: Igbo versus
English; Encouraging Nollywood and influx of Mexican shows.
The novel became grim from the
time when Eugene passed on and Jaja’s confession of poisoning him; Mama also
became depressed and Jaja’s stay in the prison being on the awaiting trial list
for about 3 years. Kambili had a new lease of hope that Jaja would soon be
released from detention.
The book has potentials of being
longer between the death of Eugene and the incarceration of Jaja. This,
notwithstanding, can also be akin to the deliberate need to escape the memories
of doom after Eugene’s uneventful death. It is a good read for any lover of
literature; it is a good book to test students of literature because has great vivid
visual description that brings the reader into the story and suspense is
retained throughout the novel.
