Purple Hibiscus explores post-colonial Nigeria during a military
coup d'état and examines the cultural conflicts between Christianity and
Igbo traditions within the dynamics and generations of a family, touching on themes of class, gender, race, and violence. Robert Anderson defined theme as the central idea of a literary work and asserts that a theme does not have the same meaning as the subject of a work. Luke Okolo argues that the subject of
Purple Hibiscus is the effect of colonialism in Nigeria. He summarises the themes of the novel as family life, social interactions, interpersonal relationships, influences, leadership, betrayal and cruelty, and
feminism as was seen through the character Aunty Ifeoma. Aunty Ifeoma was depicted as beautiful and natural woman, yet, she struggles with the generalized "woe of women". In a conversation between her and Papa Nnukwu, who was regretting permitting Eugene to join the Christian missionaries, she asserts that the missionaries are not the reason of Eugene's hostile attitude towards him. While she argues of her also joining the missionaries, Papa Nnukwu countered her asserting that "she is a woman" and "doesn't count". Okolo disagreed with the view following the reasons that Aunty Ifeoma took care of Papa Nnukwu until his death; comforts Kambili and Jaja to freedom and also their mother, Sister Beatrice." Adichie juxtaposes Papa's family with her sister, Aunty Ifoma's. For instance, there is a garden of
hibiscus in Papa's house, which has turned red due to daily cut, but also, Aunty Ifoma maintains a garden of same flower, which has constantly retained its purple colour. Jaja took flower at Aunty Ifeoma's place and planted it at home, but despite daily watering, it eventually dies. Okolo wrote that the experience means Jaja's quest for freedom in the Achike household failed following the hostility of the environment; Kambili and Jaja took their household living as the normal way of life until they experienced a better one when they visited Aunty Ifeoma's family in Nsukka for holiday. The theme of religion especially the portrayal of Papa's
religious fanaticism is one of the central themes of the novel. Fanaticism is a deep religious view and belief often through violence. Papa grew up when the Christian missionaries arrived in
British Nigeria. He is dogmatic in that he hates other religions. For instance, he refers to
Pentecostal denomination as "mushroom churches" (a reference to the large number 'sprouting'); he stopped his father, Papa Nnukwu, from visiting him and his family since he is a non-Christian. Papa Nnukwu, who follows
Odinani, also hates Christianity, especially Catholicism, because he believed that the Christian doctrine of the
Trinity caused his son's unruly behavior towards him. Adichie has been considered as the literary daughter of
Chinua Achebe. As Achebe portrayed the white men, Adichie recaptures the same political unrest as a result of colonialism and the Nigerian government; it involves the removal and subsequent replacement of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria in Nsukka; the killing of government opposers and political activists especially Ade Coker, an editor of
Standard newspaper, who was assassinated for writing and publishing a story about Nwankiti Ogechi, a girl who was kept mute by the government. The opening chapter of
Purple Hibiscus shows an instance of the narrative's "persistent corporeal" emphasis to the function of the body and its figuring; the importance of the body narrative is underscored by graphic descriptions of intimate physical violence by Eugene, and by the focus of Kambili's narration, which Sandwith described as "a focalizing perspective that gives insistent, uneasy, and concentrated attention to the attitudes and attributes of the human form". Sandwith argues that the analysis of body in the novel is in relation to an established corpus of work on the body as a powerful political and cultural signifier, hence
Purple Hibiscus is analysed for its representation of postcolonial Nigeria and political critique. For instance, the novel is set in post-independence Nigeria but the action is centred in the household of Eugene, however, the political views and events that took place beyond the family scene are narrated through the limited perspective of the narrator hence resulting in a shadowy, unspecified sense of social upheaval in which political events are heard secondhand, either as news broadcasts or refracted through the lens of Papa's pious Christian democratic viewpoint.
Hypocrisy, colonialism and politics Purple Hibiscus portrays many themes.
Hypocrisy is one of the themes as shown through Eugene, who generously serves the society as a philanthropist, but also abuses his family. For example, he donates bags of rice to the church, schools and to widows, but could not provide a cup of rice to his father who he condemns as a
pagan.
Political instability is displayed throughout the novel while citing its historical significance. The themes of culture and tradition are explained in the local setting of the novel, and Adichie's use of
folklores in the novel. It also touches cultural clash, especially when Eugene tries not to indoctrinate his extended family into the Catholic religion. The theme of
perfectionism is captured through Eugene's high expectations of his children to excel academically in school by taking first position after their exams. Tragedy is dominated with the themes of death and destruction. For example, the death and funeral ceremony of Papa Nnukwu; the poisoning and death of Eugene, and the disintegration of his family.
Feminism Githire Njeri wrote that a common view between Adichie and her female predecessors is
feminism. She argues that Adichie embraces feminism as a political stance, and her body of works offers a paradigmatic illustration of the concerns that have always informed other feminist writers. ==Background==