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Purple Hibiscus

 Purple Hibiscus
type
TVTItem
 Purple Hibiscus
label
Purple Hibiscus
 Purple Hibiscus
page
PurpleHibiscus
 Purple Hibiscus
comment
Purple Hibiscus is a 2004 novel by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It is a Coming of Age Story in which a teenage girl watches her brother question her father's beliefs, discovers her own heritage and finally blooms into a competent, confident young woman.The book explores many themes like loss, suffering and particularly change, which is represented by the titular purple hibiscus.It is now studied as part of a popular GCSE English Literature course in England.
 Purple Hibiscus
fetched
2023-09-19T21:52:45Z
 Purple Hibiscus
parsed
2023-09-19T21:52:46Z
 Purple Hibiscus
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Purple Hibiscus / int_17501df2
type
Cool Old Guy
 Purple Hibiscus / int_17501df2
comment
Cool Old Guy: An unconventional example in Nnukwu; he might not be powerful or full of magic but he obviously cares for the family very much, telling his grandchildren stories, remaining strong in the face of his son cutting himself off completely and yet still praying to their ancestors for the errant son as much as he prays for his daughter.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_17501df2
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Purple Hibiscus / int_17501df2
 Purple Hibiscus / int_20989d05
type
Parents as People
 Purple Hibiscus / int_20989d05
comment
Parents as People: Eugene is an extremely twisted example.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_20989d05
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Purple Hibiscus / int_20989d05
 Purple Hibiscus / int_211c82f5
type
Don't Make Me Take My Belt Off!
 Purple Hibiscus / int_211c82f5
comment
Don't Make Me Take My Belt Off!: Eugene beats Kambili with his belt. She's knocked unconcious and wakes up in hospital
 Purple Hibiscus / int_211c82f5
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Purple Hibiscus / int_211c82f5
 Purple Hibiscus / int_2534ee67
type
In Medias Res
 Purple Hibiscus / int_2534ee67
comment
In Medias Res: The first chapter details what happens just after Kambili and Jaja's second visit to Aunty Ifeoma's before going to the actual start of the story.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_2534ee67
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Purple Hibiscus / int_2534ee67
 Purple Hibiscus / int_3d2c6d30
type
Skewed Priorities
 Purple Hibiscus / int_3d2c6d30
comment
Skewed Priorities: A tragic example: Eugene is more concerned with his children practicing the "right kind" of faith and being academically perfect than in their general well-being. This is demonstrated in a flashback where Eugene brutally hurts Jaja's hand for doing slightly bad on a test, but only his left hand since his right hand is the one he writes with.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_3d2c6d30
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Purple Hibiscus / int_3d2c6d30
 Purple Hibiscus / int_40cad744
type
Flower Motifs
 Purple Hibiscus / int_40cad744
comment
Flower Motifs: The experimental purple strain of the hibiscus plant, which stands for change and freedom - everything Kambili needs, but lacks.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_40cad744
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1.0
 Purple Hibiscus / int_40cad744
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Purple Hibiscus / int_40cad744
 Purple Hibiscus / int_40cc0c7e
type
Bittersweet Ending
 Purple Hibiscus / int_40cc0c7e
comment
Bittersweet Ending: Kambili is a free young woman, but her love is a long way away, her father is dead and her brother's in prison. The novel ends with a note of hope, though - she can see that things are about to change, hopefully for the better.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_40cc0c7e
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Purple Hibiscus / int_40cc0c7e
 Purple Hibiscus / int_4a8fd6a0
type
Honor-Related Abuse
 Purple Hibiscus / int_4a8fd6a0
comment
Honor-Related Abuse: Eugene is a classic example, only abusing his children because they don't live up to his unfairly high standards for what good Christians should act like.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_4a8fd6a0
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Purple Hibiscus / int_4a8fd6a0
 Purple Hibiscus / int_4c6f26c
type
Socially Awkward Hero
 Purple Hibiscus / int_4c6f26c
comment
Socially Awkward Hero: Amaka becomes increasingly more annoyed with Kambili's status as this.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_4c6f26c
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Purple Hibiscus / int_4c6f26c
 Purple Hibiscus / int_572249f0
type
Straight Edge Evil
 Purple Hibiscus / int_572249f0
comment
Straight Edge Evil: Eugene, being a religious fanatic, although the "evil" is ambiguous.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_572249f0
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Purple Hibiscus / int_572249f0
 Purple Hibiscus / int_590eb583
type
Domestic Abuse
 Purple Hibiscus / int_590eb583
comment
Domestic Abuse: Eugene towards his wife, Beatrice. She is implied to be beaten often and loses at least two children because of this. He is also abusive to both his children.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_590eb583
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Purple Hibiscus / int_590eb583
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5ae357c1
type
Knight Templar Parent
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5ae357c1
comment
Knight Templar Parent: Eugene genuinely believes he is doing the right thing by giving his children extreme punishments, which is one of the main reasons the reader isn't meant to see him as a one-dimensional monster.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5ae357c1
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Purple Hibiscus / int_5ae357c1
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5b565147
type
Meaningful Background Event
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5b565147
comment
Meaningful Background Event: The coup, which Kambili does notice, but hardly ever mentions and Eugene's crusade against government censorship.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5b565147
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Purple Hibiscus / int_5b565147
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5b9cf82b
type
Education Mama
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5b9cf82b
comment
Education Mama: Eugene, to the point where it becomes abusive.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5b9cf82b
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Purple Hibiscus / int_5b9cf82b
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5c81a18b
type
I Am Not My Father
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5c81a18b
comment
I Am Not My Father: Eugene holds this attitude towards Nnukwu, and Jaja holds it towards Eugene.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_5c81a18b
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Purple Hibiscus / int_5c81a18b
 Purple Hibiscus / int_7d914cb9
type
WellDoneDaughterGirl
 Purple Hibiscus / int_7d914cb9
comment
"Well Done, Daughter!" Girl: Played very depressingly, since Eugene is abusive.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_7d914cb9
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1.0
 Purple Hibiscus / int_7d914cb9
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Purple Hibiscus / int_7d914cb9
 Purple Hibiscus / int_7efd2e30
type
Expository Hairstyle Change
 Purple Hibiscus / int_7efd2e30
comment
Expository Hairstyle Change: Father Amadi takes Kambili to have her hair done by the same woman who styles Ifeoma's. On the way back she joins in with an Igbo song, which she would never have done before.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_7efd2e30
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1.0
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Purple Hibiscus / int_7efd2e30
 Purple Hibiscus / int_819b6384
type
Sympathetic Murderer
 Purple Hibiscus / int_819b6384
comment
Sympathetic Murderer: Beatrice becomes one when she kills Eugene.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_819b6384
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Purple Hibiscus / int_819b6384
 Purple Hibiscus / int_82a60dce
type
Signature Laugh
 Purple Hibiscus / int_82a60dce
comment
Signature Laugh: Although Ifeoma and her daughter Amaka have the same laugh, Kambili only ever sees it as Ifeoma's.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_82a60dce
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Purple Hibiscus / int_82a60dce
 Purple Hibiscus / int_8560c16f
type
Fatal Family Photo
 Purple Hibiscus / int_8560c16f
comment
Fatal Family Photo: Obscurely. The portrait of her grandfather Nnukwu almost gets Kambili killed.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_8560c16f
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Purple Hibiscus / int_8560c16f
 Purple Hibiscus / int_87bb6874
type
Villain with Good Publicity
 Purple Hibiscus / int_87bb6874
comment
Villain with Good Publicity: Eugene, despite having powerful enemies in the government, is highly respected within his local community as the editor of The Standard. Nobody who knew him would probably even dream of what he did to his children.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_87bb6874
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Purple Hibiscus / int_87bb6874
 Purple Hibiscus / int_90f6d157
type
Confessional
 Purple Hibiscus / int_90f6d157
comment
Confessional: Kambili goes to this, often.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_90f6d157
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Purple Hibiscus / int_90f6d157
 Purple Hibiscus / int_9e776765
type
Churchgoing Villain
 Purple Hibiscus / int_9e776765
comment
Churchgoing Villain: Eugene, being a Christian fanatic.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_9e776765
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Purple Hibiscus / int_9e776765
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b11ac9f5
type
Abusive Parents
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b11ac9f5
comment
Abusive Parents: Eugene to Kambili and Jaja. He seems to genuinely love them, but the two are put under immense pressure to do well at school, forbidden to speak to their grandfather, beaten often and he scalds their feet as punishment. Eventually, Kambili ends up in hospital.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b11ac9f5
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Purple Hibiscus / int_b11ac9f5
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b1e8a3b3
type
Coming of Age Story
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b1e8a3b3
comment
Coming of Age Story: The entire point of the novel.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b1e8a3b3
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 Purple Hibiscus / int_b6927d71
type
Hot for Preacher
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b6927d71
comment
Hot for Preacher: Kambili, in a very innocent, first crush sort of way.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b6927d71
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Purple Hibiscus / int_b6927d71
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b6cc7fc0
type
Dysfunctional Family
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b6cc7fc0
comment
Dysfunctional Family: Yes.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b6cc7fc0
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Purple Hibiscus / int_b6cc7fc0
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b9db28ab
type
Emotionless Girl
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b9db28ab
comment
Emotionless Girl: Kambili comes off as this at first, and Amaka notices it. The girls in her class also notice, but mistake it for snobbery.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_b9db28ab
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Purple Hibiscus / int_b9db28ab
 Purple Hibiscus / int_bc74ef27
type
Berserk Button
 Purple Hibiscus / int_bc74ef27
comment
Berserk Button: Do not do anything which might cause Eugene to question your belief in God.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_bc74ef27
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Purple Hibiscus / int_bc74ef27
 Purple Hibiscus / int_c232dbff
type
Perfection Is Impossible
 Purple Hibiscus / int_c232dbff
comment
Perfection Is Impossible: One of Eugene's primary motivations is his desire for perfection from his children in school and in faith. His children, who are human and therefore not perfect, fall short of his standards often and are harshly punished.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_c232dbff
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Purple Hibiscus / int_c232dbff
 Purple Hibiscus / int_cff05c2c
type
Honor Thy Abuser
 Purple Hibiscus / int_cff05c2c
comment
Honor Thy Abuser: Kambili, even at the end of the book, loves her father somewhat and deeply mourns his death. Fortunately, it is implied she will understand what happened to her and mature out of her earlier toxic relationship mindset.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_cff05c2c
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Purple Hibiscus / int_cff05c2c
 Purple Hibiscus / int_d1ceb951
type
Holier Than Thou
 Purple Hibiscus / int_d1ceb951
comment
Holier Than Thou: Six guesses.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_d1ceb951
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 Purple Hibiscus / int_d1ceb951
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Purple Hibiscus / int_d1ceb951
 Purple Hibiscus / int_db015585
type
False Confession
 Purple Hibiscus / int_db015585
comment
False Confession: Jaja gives one to protect Beatrice after she kills her husband. The police believe him and he is taken to prison, where he remains for at least three years.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_db015585
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Purple Hibiscus / int_db015585
 Purple Hibiscus / int_dda99fa8
type
Despair Event Horizon
 Purple Hibiscus / int_dda99fa8
comment
Despair Event Horizon: Possibly with Beatrice after Eugene shatters her figurines in anger and almost beats Kambili to death. She becomes less mindful of certain behaviors that she used to hide, such as taking food to Jaja's room without wrapping it in a blanket, and she begins adding poison to Eugene's tea every day not long after these incidents. Her overall demeanor never changes though, so it is difficult to determine the exact catalyst event.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_dda99fa8
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Purple Hibiscus / int_dda99fa8
 Purple Hibiscus / int_de04e30c
type
Tears of Remorse
 Purple Hibiscus / int_de04e30c
comment
Tears of Remorse: Eugene, whenever he seriously punishes his children. Not that he wouldn't do it again, though.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_de04e30c
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Purple Hibiscus / int_de04e30c
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e13156e1
type
Mama Bear
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e13156e1
comment
Mama Bear: A depressing example, Beatrice kills her own husband to save her children from abuse.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e13156e1
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Purple Hibiscus / int_e13156e1
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e3a9a78d
type
Forced Miscarriage
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e3a9a78d
comment
Forced Miscarriage: Eugene kills Beatrice's unborn baby. Twice. The second time wasn't intentional, but still abuse.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e3a9a78d
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Purple Hibiscus / int_e3a9a78d
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e7ae07f5
type
Briefcase Full of Money
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e7ae07f5
comment
Briefcase Full of Money: Government officials offer Eugene a whole pickup full of money.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e7ae07f5
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Purple Hibiscus / int_e7ae07f5
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e9e28bd7
type
Sexy Priest
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e9e28bd7
comment
Sexy Priest: Father Amadi to Kambili.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_e9e28bd7
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Purple Hibiscus / int_e9e28bd7
 Purple Hibiscus / int_ec4375d
type
Parents Are Wrong
 Purple Hibiscus / int_ec4375d
comment
Parents Are Wrong: Eugene and Jaja/Kambili, although the conflict is more colonial tradition vs African tradition and not tradition vs change, and Kambili needs much more coaxing.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_ec4375d
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Purple Hibiscus / int_ec4375d
 Purple Hibiscus / int_f76842b1
type
The Fundamentalist
 Purple Hibiscus / int_f76842b1
comment
The Fundamentalist: Eugene is a perfect example - he believes that his colonial-influenced style of Christianity is the only right kind, and has no tolerance for what he believes is "paganism". He is so passionate in his beliefs that he gives his children extreme punishments when he believes they have strayed from his beliefs, and isolates himself from his own father because of his religious disagreements - indeed, when his father dies, his main concern is that he had not been converted yet.
 Purple Hibiscus / int_f76842b1
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 Purple Hibiscus / int_fd4f8299
type
Well-Intentioned Extremist
 Purple Hibiscus / int_fd4f8299
comment
Well-Intentioned Extremist: One interpretation of Eugene's character. If you consider him as genuinely believing that his children need to learn about religion the way he teaches them, the reasons behind his behaviour become a lot clearer.
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ItemName
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Purple Hibiscus

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Punchinello
seeAlso
Purple Hibiscus
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Brits Love Tea / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Coming of Age Story / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Confessional / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Don't Make Me Take My Belt Off! / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Emotionless Girl / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
False Confession / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Flower Motifs / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Hot for Preacher / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
I Am Not My Father / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Meaningful Background Event / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Nigerian Media / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Sexy Priest / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Socially Awkward Hero / int_a3148d1f
 Purple Hibiscus
hasFeature
Young Adult Literature / int_a3148d1f