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Purple Hibiscus

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Introduction

Before Reading

Reading Context

During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

After Reading

Discussion/Analysis Prompt

Essay Questions

Exam Questions

Exam Answer Key

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

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Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serves as examples and support.

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1. Gender roles evolve considerably from one generation to the next in this novel.

  • How are Papa and Jaja’s roles similar and dissimilar? ( topic sentence )
  • Identify and explain three examples from the text that display similarities and differences between Jaja and Papa and their roles in the family.
  • In your concluding sentences, explain what causes the differences in roles between Jaja and Papa.

2. Laughter is an essential element in Aunty Ifeoma’s world, and Kambili has embraced a life of laughter by the end of the novel.

  • Why is laughter important to Kambili and Aunty Ifeoma in the novel? ( topic sentence )
  • Explain why there is so little laughter in Kambili’s family, why laughter is essential for Aunty Ifeoma’s family, and why Kambili has decided to embrace laughter in her own life.
  • In your concluding sentences, explain why the author chose to use laughter as a catalyst to bind Kambili to Aunty Ifeoma.

3. The clash of traditional and contemporary thinking plays a significant role in the misunderstandings and family conflicts in the novel.

  • What disputes arise in the novel because of conflicts between traditional and contemporary thinking? ( topic sentence )
  • Describe the differences between Papa-Nnukwu, Aunty Ifeoma, and Papa’s beliefs regarding traditional and contemporary thinking.
  • In your concluding sentences, explain why the author chose these three perspectives to illustrate the differences in Nigerian ideology.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Empowerment for women is exemplified in various ways in each of the main female characters: Mama, Ifeoma, Kambili, and Amaka. Analyze one way in which each of these women is empowered in the story, whether through their own actions or because of outside forces that create a sense of confidence.

2. Silence is a major factor in the novel and has both positive and negative connotations. The adage, “Children should be seen and not heard” is presented as an apropos expectation in Papa’s household at the beginning of the novel. Mama is also a quiet character, and most sounds in the house relate to religion or disturbing noises behind closed doors. What does “silence” mean here, and how does it compare to the “different silence” at the end of the novel?

3. Besides the prominent purple hibiscus, more subtle natural features such as dust, rain, fruit, and trees appear at various times representing different aspects of the story. For instance, rain has both positive and negative connotations depending on the situation. Select two of these elements and explain how each enhances the story in at least two separate ways.

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Purple Hibiscus

By chimamanda ngozi adichie, purple hibiscus study guide.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ’s first novel, Purple Hibiscus , was widely acclaimed when it was published in 2003. Shortlisted for and awarded several prestigious prizes, Purple Hibiscus was praised for capturing a character and a nation on the cusp of radical change. Adichie uses her own childhood experiences to inform the lives of her characters. She was born in Kambili’s home town of Enugu, raised in Aunty Ifeoma ’s university environment in Nsukka, is of Igbo descent, and is a Catholic.

Purple Hibiscus is a story of the corruption and religious fundamentalism that grips Adichie’s native country. Told from the point of view of a child, overt political messages are held at an arm’s length, but they inform Kambili’s coming of age. The wave of bloody coups and corrupt military rule that comprises Nigerian politics are touched upon in the novel through certain characters. Though Papa can be viewed as a metaphor for the dangers of fundamentalism, he tries to put his power to good use by raising social consciousness. Adichie modeled the character Ade Coker after Dele Giwa, a journalist and outspoken critic of the Nigerian government. Giwa was killed by a mail bomb in his home in 1986. Adichie echoes real political activism and events in her novel.

Adichie was a good student in school but, unlike Kambili, she had a reputation for butting heads with her teachers; Obiora is more like Adichie. Purple Hibiscus is a coming of age story for both Kambili and Jaja. While Jaja is not allowed to participate in the Igbo ritual of initiation, both children are able to take considerable steps towards their own adult identities throughout the novel. Inspired by her outspoken aunt and cousin Amaka , Kambili in particular learns to use her voice. Adichie uses Purple Hibiscus to give a voice to African experience that is not typically presented by Western media.

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Purple Hibiscus Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Purple Hibiscus is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

feminism in purple hibiscus

feminisim in purple hibiscus

Comment on the effectiveness from when Jaja says his real name in chapter nine of the fourth edition till the end of purple hibiscus,showing how the methods and concerns evident are characteristic of the novel purple hibiscus as a whole

Although interesting, this answer will take quite a lot of detail. Thias is only a short answer space. Generally, Jaja strains under the tyranny of his father. After both his sister and mother are hospitalized from beatings, Jaja begins to rebel....

How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader?in the opening of the novel

Kambili narrates the book in the first person, but in the past tense. The book has a unique structure that begins with the events of Palm Sunday, as described in the first chapter. The next twelve chapters chronicle the events that culminate in...

Study Guide for Purple Hibiscus

The Purple Hibiscus study guide contains a biography of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

  • About Purple Hibiscus
  • Purple Hibiscus Summary
  • Purple Hibiscus Video
  • Character List

Essays for Purple Hibiscus

Purple Hibiscus essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

  • Contrasted Settings
  • The Power of Setting in "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Adichie
  • Fathers and Sons in Purple Hibiscus and Things Fall Apart
  • The Real Papa: Analyzing Purple Hibiscus
  • Misconception of the Generation Gap

Lesson Plan for Purple Hibiscus

  • About the Author
  • Study Objectives
  • Common Core Standards
  • Introduction to Purple Hibiscus
  • Relationship to Other Books
  • Bringing in Technology
  • Notes to the Teacher
  • Related Links
  • Purple Hibiscus Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Purple Hibiscus

  • Introduction

essay questions on purple hibiscus