Fatherhood and Fatherland in Chimamanda Adichie's "Purple Hibiscus".

<p><em>Purple Hibiscus</em>, a novel by third-generation Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie, appears at first glance to be a simple work of adolescent fiction, a <em>bildungsroman</em> in which a pair of siblings navigate the typical challenges of incipient adulthood: social ostracism, an abusive parent, emerging desire. However, the novel's setting-a revolutionary-era Nigeria-is clearly intended to evoke post-Biafra Nigeria, itself the setting of Adichie's other major work, <em>Half of a Yellow Sun</em>. This setting takes <em>Purple Hibiscus</em> beyond the scope of most modern adolescent fiction, creating a complex allegory in which the emergence of self and struggle for identity of the Achike siblings represent Nigeria's own struggle for identity. Adichie achieves this allegory by allowing the father figures of the novel to represent the different political paths Nigeria could have followed in its post-colonial period. The Achike siblings' identities develop through interactions with each of these patriarchs.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MA (Master of Arts)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - unrestricted

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Peters, Audrey D

• Adichie
• Biafra
• father figures
• adolescence
• identity
• post-colonial
• Nigeria
• Arts and Humanities
• Modern Literature

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright by the authors.

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1769

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-3124