In “Purple Hibiscus,” author Chinamanda Ngogi Adichio paints a tale about one nigerian family and their hardships when the Nigerian government is overthrown by the military. Although to members of the congregation and every one else outside of the family, Papa seems to be the ideal man, generous and thoughtful, but with his family he is anything but. He is extremely strict and won’t except anything short of perfection. For example, his daughter Kambili received her report card from school and was second in her class. Any parent would be proud of that fact, but he was disappointed that she couldn’t do better. This is a fifteen year old girl and he expects her to be perfect, but that is something that is impossible.
Perfection. That is what I would like to discuss. Papa got mad at Kambili one time for being a few minutes late to get to the car after school and he slapped her in the face because of it. A man who punishes his kids for not being perfect certainly is not perfect himself. If he was perfect then her wouldn’t hit them or get angry over something as silly as being a few minutes late. Because of his strict, demanding ways, his children don’t seem to be able to have a normal adolecence. They do not have time to socialize with their peers because they are so afraid to make him mad. Their schedules are so strict that they don’t have any real time to do anything for themselves. How are they supposed to grow and develop to their full potential (perfection) if they can never just experience life in a less controlled environment. I feel that Papa is just way to strict. And I know that I’m reprating myself, however I really feel that that is the case. I don’t see how Kambili and Jaja are able to tolerate him. Actually,we don’t learn much about Mama, except for the fact that she has had many miscarriges and has another one during the early aprt of the novel. But I wonder what all of that banging was right before she was carried out to go to the hospital. I wonder if Papa was beating her. I mean he does seem like he could be the type and that would make sense why he hasn’t left her despite the fact that she can’t seem to havve any more children.
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Big Fat Bully
ReplyDeleteSara,s analysis of 'Papa' is accurate. Papa was very insensitive to his family's emotional needs. He was unkind to them especially to his own father 'Papa-Nnukwu' all in the name of been a Christian. His holier than thou attitude is just annoying and of course, repelling. How could any unbeliever of the gospel be interested in what Papa believed in, when all he did was cause great distaste by been unfriendly and chasing them away. Too rightous to mingle with anyone, who was not a Christian not even his own father. What a shame! If every Christain before him was like him, not wanting to mix in any shape or form with an unbeliever the religon would not have reached or appealed to him when it did. How can a man who claimed he was so intellegent and Christ like, be so obnoxious and a bully to those around him?
There is definately a sense of the father being a "Big Fat Bully" but is he doing this because everyone is letting him get away with this or he is doing this becasue he himself is a earthly God with two personalities. In the eyes of his people he is God but when it comes down to his family he is a down right devil. He chops off his son's finger becasue he missed two questions, he beats his daughter becasue she eats cerel, he abuses his wife and I could go on. I mean it is also strange becasue after all of these brutal incidents he hugs and shows them affection as if he can not control himself and he always has to be perfect and this is how he wants the children to be. So could it be that Papa has not sense of controlling his anger?
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