Purple Hibiscus In-Class Essay Throughout the novel, Purple Hibiscus, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the narrator, fifteen-year-old Kambili, suffers from the restrictions that her devoted father has implemented on every aspect of her life . His every action revolves around the idea of religion and completing God's purpose, due to his father's piety; however, when she visits her aunt Ifeoma in Nssuka, she is liberated, as a clear change is evident in Kambili, brought about by her time spent with her aunt and cousins. As a result, Kambili begins to grow stronger, expressing herself and going against her father's restrictive ways to shape her own life. Through this, Kambili can be seen to transform into a stronger character in The Purple Hibiscus, as a result of her contact with her aunt and cousins in Nssuka which triggered her change, shaping her to become a more independent character. In the novel, Kambili is limited by her father, sticks to every order he gives, and is unable to express herself or act as she wants without suffering punishment. The obvious control that her father has over Kambili's life can be seen in the way she describes the program, in which she says: “Dad liked order. You could see it even in the schedules themselves, in the way his meticulously drawn lines, in black ink, cut up the day, separating study from siesta, siesta from family time, family time from eating, eating from prayer , prayer from sleep. -24). Through this quote, we see the amount of restraint Dad puts on Kambili, showing how she is not given time to reflect on what she would like to do or even participate in other activities. However, her desire to please her father is paired with the fear of his anger, which leads her to… middle of paper… lips sting like giant mosquito bites” (210). This shows how Kambili has changed, with the sparks of rebellion integrated into her action, showing how she has become expressive and open, making sure to fight for what she believes in, no longer fearing her father. Throughout the novel, Kambili embarks on a profound change from a girl who has always remained in fear of her father, held back by his heavy restrictions on her, to an expressive and spirited girl who fights for what she believes in. His journey to Nssuka and meeting characters like Amaka and Father Amadi started him, but it was also an independent journey, with his desire to go against his father for what he believes will finally transpire towards the end of the novel. As a result, he will continue to grow and challenge his father's restrictions, creating conflict in the rest of the novel.
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