Purple Hibiscus—Aunty Ifeoma's House

At this part of Purple Hibiscus, Kambili enters her aunt and cousins' home of "sin".  Although her cousins live a fairly average life, many of the things they do would be cause for violent punishment in  Kambili and Jaja's house.  Although Amaka often mocks Kambili for being rich, Kambili's life in many ways is much worse than Amaka's despite her family's excessive wealth.  At Aunty Ifeoma's, the children can watch TV, sing in Igbo, and laugh, whereas there is no time scheduled for leisure or fun at Kambili's father's house.  Amaka is also allowed to say what she thinks and is not abused regularly.  Although Kambili feels uncomfortable and out-of-place at her aunt's house, she is beginning to find her voice and realize that Papa's religious views are extreme.

Purple Hibiscus First Impressions

From the first few pages of Purple Hibiscus, it is clear that Eugene takes Catholicism to a whole new level of radical.  Eugene has completely discarded all aspects of African culture and requires that his family do so too and is completely intolerant of any religion or belief that differs from his own.  However, there is one concept of Catholicism that Eugene seems to have forgotten: mercy.  Even small mistakes in his family cause him to punish or shame them with belt beatings, which hardly seems Christian to me.

As for the main character, Kambili, it is hard to tell by this point in my reading whether or not she realizes the extremity of her father's beliefs and whether she shares the same beliefs. Her brother Jaja has begun to reject some Catholic practices and rebel against their father.  Kambili, overall, seems very unsure of who she is and struggles to find a place, socially, in her class and extended family.  I am interested to see what type of person she will become once she is away from her father's judgemental and controlling presence.

Purple Hibiscus and Things Fall Apart

I think that Purple Hibiscus is a really good book to read after Things Fall Apart.  The two books are written from completely different points of view which show both sides of African Colonization and Christianization in Nigeria.  I find it very interesting to read Purple Hibiscus from the perspective of Kambili, a young Catholic girl from a modern wealthy family, after reading Things Fall Apart from Okonkwo's perspective of a traditional African clansmen resisting conversion.  Kambili desperately wants her father's approval and pride while Okonkwo strove to be the total opposite of his father.  In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo hates women and often beats his wives and daughters, and Kambili shows the side of the young girl who is beaten by her father.  The pairing of Things Fall Apart and Purple Hibiscis reveals that neither religion or side is ideal in African Colonization and Christionization.

Things Fall Apart—Part Three

I found the end of Things Fall Apart and Okonkwo's suicide to be very ironic. Since suicide is considered a sin in Igbo culture, Okonkwo's body is deemed evil so his clansmen refuse to touch it and will not grant him a true burial.  Okonkwo's father, who died of a shameful illness, also did not receive a proper burial and the villagers left his body in the Evil Forest.  So, even though he did everything possible to avoid weakness and be different from his father, Okonkwo, ended up exactly like his father.  

Things Fall Apart—Part One

After reading part one of Things Fall Apart by Achebe, I find it very strange that, even though he has lost many children and family to disease, Okonkwo does not seem to value his children and wives that have survived.  In the beginning, Okonkwo beats and tries to shoot one of his wives, which shows that he clearly has no concern for her health and existence.  By beating his oldest son, Nwoye, Okonkwo causes him of feel inferior and weak which are the exact characteristics of his son that Okonkwo wishes to change. When women and children are healthy (not bruised and beaten), they are stronger and can be more helpful and productive in harvest and domestic duties. So, by beating and weakening his family, Okonkwo actually weakens his household unit and therefore his own success.