In most pieces of literature, symbols and motifs are found. They can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel “Purple Hibiscus”, she uses this literary device of symbols and motifs to enrich the story. The symbols of religion, Mamas’ figurines and the purple hibiscus all help portray the fight between Papa’s abuse and freedom. Religion serves as the right-hand man for Papa and his control over the family.
Every year, Jaja and Kambili visit Papa Nnukwu for Christmas, and every year Papa reinforces the rules to them: “Kambili and Jaja, you will go this afternoon to your grandfather’s house and greet him. Kevin will take you. Remember, don’t touch any food, don’t drink anything. And, as usual, you will stay not longer than fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes” (Adichie 61). Papa Nnukwu’s Pagan lifestyle not only excuses Papa, in his eyes, for his abuse against the children if they violate any rules, it also justifies his actions.
Additionally, it is obvious that religion is the most important thing in Papa’s life, as he refers to his Christian driver by a name, but fails to address his own father with the name the rest of his family is accustomed too. He will continue to use religion as a tool for his power over the family. Following another beating of Mama because she supposedly sinned, Papa insists that they all recite a certain prayer 16 times on her behalf. Kambili recognizes how seriously Papa takes this as she says, “We had to get it right. I did not think, I did not even think to think, what Mama needed to be forgiven for” (36).
Kambili does not dare think about Mama, because she knows that if she messes up the prayer, the severity of her punishment will be so extreme because of how seriously Papa takes religion. Additionally, by telling the family that they are sinning, Papa demonstrates one of the harshest parts in the abuse cycle, making the victim feel as if the abuse is their fault. Mamas’ figurines represent both Papa’s abuse, and freedom. After Papa violently attacks Mama, she tries to find an escape: “Mama stood hugging herself in the center of the living room, near the glass table, until Sisi brought a plastic bowl of water and a kitchen towel [… She slowly ran the cloth over a figurine, one of its matchstick-size legs raised high in the air, before she spoke. ‘Nne, go” (35).
The figurines serve as a comfort mechanism for Mama, as they allow her to calm down and put her life back in order. On the contrary, the figurines at this moment, cannot generate enough power for Mama to break the force of Papa’s abuse, as she tells Kambili that she must go upstairs because it is her designated study time. However, the figurines eventually serve as an impetus to the end of Papa’s control over the family.
Following another horrific beating, Kambili wonders why Mama will not replace the figurines: “Maybe Mama had realized that she would not need the figurines anymore; that when Papa threw the missal at Jaja, it was not just the figurines that came tumbling down, it was everything” (15). Mama fixing the figurines has become a euphemism for Papa’s abuse, which means every time she fixes them she gives him another opportunity to beat her. Taking note of this, Mama refuses to fix her figurines, ergo not giving Papa the chance to harass them anymore.
The figurines, which once symbolized abuse, is now the beginning of the end to that same violence. The purple hibiscus in Aunty Ifeoma’s garden, represents the hope that one day the freedom from Papa’s power will come. After talking about Jaja with Amaka, Kambili looks to see if he heard, and catches him engrossed in the TV with a familiar look: “He looked as though he had been lying there watching TV his whole life. It was the same way he looked in Aunty Ifeoma’s garden the next morning, as though it were something he had been doing for a long time rather than the few days we had been there” (142).
The association between Jaja with the purple hibiscus, and his look of freedom while watching TV, is noticed by Kambili with great shock. Kambili’s astonishment makes it clear that the hibiscus is the only thing that allows Jaja to feel comfortable, and truly live. Although, the hibiscus will not only give Jaja hope of freedom, it too will give Mama and Kambili herself the same dream. Conversing with Jaja in jail, Kambili preaches a certain dream of hers: “We’ll plant new orange trees in Abba when we come back, and Jaja will plant purple hibiscus, too, and I’ll plant ixora so we can suck the juices of the flowers.
I am laughing. I reach out and place my arm around Mama’s shoulder and she leans toward me and smiles. Above, clouds like dyed cotton wool hang low, so low I feel I can reach out and squeeze the moisture from them. The new rains will come down soon” (307). Once again, the purple hibiscus brings not only Jaja, but Kambili and Mama the hope of freedom. Moreover, thinking of the purple hibiscus, not only lets Kambili laugh, but extracts a smile from the figure who is impacted the most by Papa. Mam Lastly, this hope occurs under the image of imminent rain.
This new rain represents new flowers, and new hope that one day flowers and freedom will beautify Nigeria and out power the devastating cycle of abuse. The fight between Papa’s abuse and freedom is portrayed by religion, Mamas’ figurines and the purple hibiscus. These are only a few motifs that are found in Adichie’s “Purple Hibiscus”. She, along with many other authors, use symbols to help express an idea, clarify a meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Motifs and symbols have and will continue to be an extremely common literary device throughout most genres of literature.
