Kambili's Faith Journey In Purple Hibiscus

In the novel 'Purple Hibiscus', Kambili Achike is a fifteen-year-old girl living in Enugu, Nigeria, with her wealthy and religious family. Kambili is an excellent student, but her life is ruled by her fear of her father, Papa, who is physically abusive and controlling. However, a visit to her aunt, Aunty Ifeoma, in Nsukka, marks a turning point for Kambili. In Nsukka, she is exposed to a different way of life, where she is encouraged to express herself and enjoy freedom from her father's tyranny. This experience helps Kambili to develop her own value system and discover her own voice, which ultimately gives her the strength to stand up to her father.

Kambili's visit to Nsukka

Kambili's aunt, Aunty Ifeoma, is smart and strong-willed, and she stands up to her oppressors. She is religious but not fanatical, and she teaches her children through freedom rather than rules. Kambili's cousins are also allowed to wear lipstick and pants and listen to indigenous music.

Kambili's experiences in Nsukka allow her to develop her own value system and discover who she is and what she likes. She begins to understand the tyranny in her own home and the wider Nigerian government, as well as the differences between staunch Christian values and the simple but powerful paradigms of traditional Nigerian pantheism and ancestor worship.

Kambili's cousin, Obiora, represents what her brother Jaja's life could have been like if he had grown up in Nsukka. Her grandfather, Papa-Nnukwu, is estranged from his son because he refuses to convert to Christianity and instead follows the pantheistic religion of his ancestors. Papa-Nnukwu is close to Ifeoma's family and finds joy in the simple offerings of life.

Kambili's time in Nsukka is eye-opening and allows her to develop as an individual, make decisions for herself, and discover her own voice.

Her relationship with Father Amadi

In the novel *Purple Hibiscus*, Kambili Achike's relationship with Father Amadi is a pivotal aspect of her personal growth and renewal of faith. Father Amadi is a young, handsome Nigerian priest and a friend of Aunty Ifeoma and her children. He is a Catholic who respects his Nigerian roots, blending the old ways with the new by incorporating Igbo songs into his prayers.

Kambili, the fifteen-year-old narrator of the story, initially lives a restricted life under the oppressive and violent rule of her devoutly religious father, Papa. She is an excellent student, driven by the need to please her father and avoid his retribution. However, she is shy, anxious, and tongue-tied due to her fear of punishment for any act of rebellion.

During a visit to Nsukka, Kambili's cousin Amaka challenges her to find her voice and begin to exercise free will. This newfound freedom allows Kambili to entertain romantic feelings for Father Amadi, a relationship that is both dangerous and forbidden by her father's rules, yet safe due to Father Amadi's vow of celibacy. As she falls in love with him, she begins to discover her own desires and develop as an individual. Father Amadi represents a different kind of Catholicism, one that is more liberal and respectful of Nigerian traditions, in contrast to the strict and oppressive version of the religion practised by Papa.

Through her relationship with Father Amadi, Kambili experiences a different kind of faith and a different way to be a faithful Catholic. She learns to appreciate herself and live outside the confines set by her father. Father Amadi notices her bare legs while playing soccer with local boys, awakening her sexuality and pushing her to deviate from her father's control. He also shows kindness and acceptance to Papa-Nnukwu, Kambili's grandfather, who follows traditional Nigerian pantheism and ancestor worship. This further breaks the religious propriety that Kambili had been accustomed to, as Papa-Nnukwu's freedom and joy in his religious practices are in stark contrast to the trapped and silenced feelings that Kambili associates with her own religion.

Kambili's relationship with Father Amadi gives her a new perspective on the world and herself, and it is a crucial stepping stone in her journey towards self-discovery and defiance against her oppressive father. He introduces her to a different kind of Catholicism, one that is more liberal and respectful of Nigerian traditions, and this influences her to renew her faith in her own way.

Her cousin Amaka

Amaka is the fifteen-year-old cousin of Kambili Achike, the protagonist of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel 'Purple Hibiscus'. Amaka is the daughter of Papa-Nnukwu's other child, Aunty Ifeoma, and the cousin of Obiora and Chima. Amaka is described as thin, with quizzical eyes, and a fast walker and talker. She is outspoken and critical of wealth and religion, and she denounces the idea of European superiority. Amaka is allowed to wear lipstick and pants and listens to indigenous music.

Amaka's challenges allow Kambili to begin to find her voice and exercise free will. Their relationship allows Kambili to entertain romantic feelings for Father Amadi, which is both dangerous and exciting. As she follows her desire to know him, their relationship creates a space in which Kambili can begin to develop and discover who she is and what she likes. Amaka and Kambili's relationship allows Kambili to develop a value system that becomes so precious to her that she is compelled to stand up to her father and risk her life to protect it.

The death of Papa

The news of Papa's death comes as a shock to Kambili, who had never considered the possibility of his mortality. She had always seen him as immortal, different from the other people who had been killed under similar circumstances. This sense of disbelief and denial is evident in her reaction to the news, as she struggles to process the idea that Papa could be gone.

In the end, Papa's death brings about a sense of closure and the possibility of a hopeful future. The family begins to heal and plan for a better life, no longer under the shadow of Papa's oppressive rule.

Her mother's abuse

Beatrice Achike, or Mama, is the mother of the narrator, Kambili, and her brother, Jaja. She is described as kind and loving towards her children, but she tolerates domestic violence from her husband, Papa, to keep her family together. Beatrice is also known for being a gracious host and is generous to her family and the religious community.

Mama's abuse at the hands of Papa is a common occurrence in the household. Kambili notes that her mother's eye was once "the black-purple colour of an overripe avocado" due to the physical abuse inflicted by Papa. On another occasion, Papa beats Mama so badly that she has a miscarriage. Despite this, Mama justifies the abuse, believing that she cannot exist outside of her marriage and that the abuse is just. She is so repressed by Papa's abuse that she ultimately resorts to poisoning him to escape.

Kambili's perception of her parents' love for each other is affected by the abuse. She doesn't have many visual examples of love between them, and the concept is not regularly shown in the household.

Mama's tolerance of the abuse and her justifications for it may be due to her being stuck in a cycle of abuse and groomed to the point that she doesn't know any other way of life without Papa. She also seems to be afraid of leaving and dependent on him, despite the abuse.

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