Domestic Violence In Purple Hibiscus By Chimamanda Agozi Adichie

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Home is Where the Heart Stops Domestic violence is characterized as certain behaviors that occur in a relationship when one person uses control over the other. In the 2003 novel Purple Hibiscus, Chimamanda Agozi Adichie deals with this matter while documenting the struggles of a particular Nigerian family during a time of economic and political instability. Adichie was one of the very few African writers to question the morals and traditions of earlier generations. The story follows the lives of the Achike family where everything is far from perfect behind closed doors. They constantly have to portray an image of being “one big happy family” in society, although they live in an authoritative household where they have become victims of domestic There are studies to support that younger children who experience some act of domestic violence “have more social and emotional problems” (Sternberg 44). Kambili in the novel had a stutter and spoke in a very low voice as a result of the fear of communicating her true feelings and thoughts. They were all fearful of what the consequences may have been if they had a heart-to-heart conversation with Eugene. In the addition, she had an obsession of always trying to please her father, so he would have some act of acknowledgment towards her. In the novel she stated that she “wanted to make Papa proud” for doing what was asked of her (Adichie 94). While Kambili may have kept to herself bearing all of her feelings within, Jaja dealt with the situation differently forming a masculine identity. He was forced to grow up and take on the role of being his mother and sister’s protector which lead him to take the blame for his father’s murder, in order to spare his mother from prison (Adichie 291). They placed a lot of responsibility on him since he was the oldest child, and had more of the rebellious attitude. The domestic violence portrayed in the Purple Hibiscus had a damaging effect on the

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