Purple Hibiscus (Adichie)
Short Summary
Nigeria, early 1990s. Everything changed in fifteen-year-old Kambili's family after her brother Jaja refused to take communion on Palm Sunday, and their father threw his missal across the room, breaking his wife's prized figurines.
The siblings spent time with their aunt Ifeoma in Nsukka, where they experienced a different kind of family life - one filled with laughter and freedom. There, Kambili fell in love with a young priest, Father Amadi, while Jaja discovered his passion for gardening. Their father's newspaper published critical articles about the military government, leading to the murder of his editor by a letter bomb.
After returning home, tensions escalated. When Eugene discovered a painting of his father, whom he had rejected for being a 'heathen', he brutally beat Kambili. Shortly after, Eugene himself died mysteriously. When the police questioned the family, Jaja took the blame for his father's death to protect his mother.
I started putting the poison in his tea before I came to Nsukka. Sisi got it for me; her uncle is a powerful witch doctor... But Mama did not answer. Not even when I stood up and shook her until Jaja yanked me away.
Jaja spent nearly three years in prison while his mother descended into a state of mental distress. Finally, with the death of the military Head of State, Jaja was scheduled for release. Kambili and her mother prepared to rebuild their lives, hoping to find peace and a new beginning.
Detailed Summary by Parts
Breaking Gods
Everything changed in the Achike household on Palm Sunday when Jaja did not attend communion. His father Eugene flung his heavy missal across the room in anger, breaking the figurines on the étagère. The family had just returned from St. Agnes Church, where Papa's influence was evident in everything from the imported communion wine to the numerous donations he made.
Things started to fall apart at home when my brother, Jaja, did not go to communion and Papa flung his heavy missal across the room and broke the figurines on the étagère. We had just returned from church.
The fifteen-year-old narrator observed these events with a mixture of fear and confusion. Her life had always been dictated by Papa's strict schedules and religious rules.
Speaking With Our Spirits
Life in the Achike household before Palm Sunday was controlled by Eugene's religious fanaticism and violent outbursts. He enforced strict schedules for his children's studying and prayers, and punished perceived sins with brutal physical abuse. His wife Beatrice suffered in silence, experiencing multiple miscarriages due to his beatings.
Papa was like a Fulani nomad...as he swung his belt at Mama, Jaja, and me, muttering that the devil would not win. We did not move more than two steps away from the leather belt that swished through the air.
Eugene refused to have any contact with his traditionalist father, Papa-Nnukwu, whom he considered a heathen. He allowed his children only brief, supervised visits with their grandfather during Christmas. Eugene's sister Ifeoma, a university lecturer in Nsukka, maintained a different relationship with their father and raised her three children with more freedom and joy despite her financial struggles as a widow.
A significant change began when Kambili and Jaja visited their Aunt Ifeoma in Nsukka. There, they experienced a different kind of life, one filled with laughter, open discussions, and freedom of expression. They met their cousin Amaka, who challenged their quiet submission, and Father Amadi, a young priest who showed Kambili a gentler form of Catholicism and awakened romantic feelings in her.
Nsukka started it all; Aunty Ifeoma's little garden next to the verandah of her flat in Nsukka began to lift the silence. Jaja's defiance seemed to me now like Aunty Ifeoma's experimental purple hibiscus.
The Pieces of Gods
After their return from Nsukka, changes accelerated in the Achike household. Jaja became more defiant, protecting his mother and sister when he could. Meanwhile, Eugene's newspaper, the Standard, continued to criticize the military government, leading to increasing pressure and danger. His editor, Ade Coker, was killed by a letter bomb, devastating Eugene.
Papa-Nnukwu fell ill and died while staying with Ifeoma. Eugene was furious to learn that his children had lived under the same roof as a 'heathen' during their visit. When Kambili and Jaja kept a painting of Papa-Nnukwu, Eugene discovered it and beat Kambili so severely she was hospitalized.
The political situation in Nigeria continued to deteriorate. Aunt Ifeoma faced increasing pressure at the university and eventually decided to accept a position in America. Father Amadi also received news of his missionary posting to Germany. These departures marked the end of the brief period of freedom and joy that Kambili and Jaja had experienced in Nsukka.
A Different Silence
The final breaking point came when Eugene died. Beatrice had been slowly poisoning his tea, unable to endure any more abuse. When the truth came out, Jaja took the blame to protect his mother. He was imprisoned, awaiting trial for almost three years.
Being defiant can be a good thing sometimes. Defiance is like marijuana - it is not a bad thing when it is used right... She was looking at Jaja as she spoke, although her words were for Chima.
Beatrice's mental health deteriorated during Jaja's imprisonment. She spoke little and seemed disconnected from reality, consumed by guilt over her actions and her son's sacrifice. Kambili managed the family's affairs, writing checks for bribes and maintaining contact with their lawyer. She also maintained correspondence with Father Amadi, carrying his letters with her until new ones arrived.
Finally, after the death of the Head of State, there was hope for Jaja's release. The interim civilian government announced they would release prisoners of conscience. As Kambili and her mother prepared to visit Jaja in prison, they carried the news that he would soon be free. Yet the family's wounds remained deep, and some silences between them could never be broken.