Purple Hibiscus Themes + Quotes:
Themes:
- Coming of age/Maturity
- Violence/Oppression
- Religion/Tradition
- Political Backdrop
- Silence/Tyranny
- Defiance
What does....
Aunty Ifeoma represent?
Freedom and hope. She is more liberal and open-minded than her brother and is also living proof that you
don’t need a lot of money to have happiness.
Jaja represent? (can you mention who he is named after?)
Defiance and rebellion- against Papa Eugene and is named after a king. He develops his own sense of
purpose throughout the novel when the two of them stay at Aunty Ifeoma’s house, and the fact that he
refuses to go to communion, even after having first-hand experienced the wrath of his father shows the
extent to which he will defend his beliefs.
Ade Coker represent?
An outspoken critic of the political climate/situation that Nigeria finds itself in at the time. He is the editor
of an underground newspaper run by Papa Eugene called “The Standard”, in which he criticises the
military coup which is happening. It is ironic that Papa Eugene owns it, as his values represented in his
domestic life are very much opposite to the values of freedom of speech and expression which are being
promoted through the channel that is his newspaper.
Kambili represent?
She is the main protagonist of the novel, and she represents the changes that occur due to coming of age,
and in later sections of the novel she is depicted as one of the emancipators of change in the Achike
household, standing up against the iron grip that Eugene has over the household. Initially she is presented
as meek and obedient, always idolizing everything that her father does. However, after subsequent visits
to Aunt Ifeoma’s house she realises that her life isn’t all as glamorous as her own narrative makes out to
be, and the tyranny of Eugene and the harm that he regularly dishes out to the other members of the
household is in stark contrast to the joyous household of Aunty Ifeoma. She also changes in the sense that
she begins to have a higher sense of self esteem and self regard, as when she meets Father Amadi, whom
she adores, she starts to put lipstick on her lips in order to impress him, and she has her first bout of love,
like a sort of teenage fever.
The engraved clock represent?
,The engraved clock in Eugene’s house represents the control and influence that Eugene has on the other
members of the Achike household, as although he has all of the time in the world, everyone else must
hurry themselves up (e.g. when Kambili goes to shower she is only there for a few moments so that Papa
would not be annoyed) for his appeasement.
The purple hibiscus represent?
The purple hibiscus represents experimentalism and freedom of self expression, as Aunty Ifeoma has
experimented with other hibiscuses in order to get that flurry of colour. This is in stark contrast to the red
hibiscuses at home, which represent affluence and order.
Eugene represent? (mention his duality!)
Although Eugene is made out to solely be the arbiter of the Achike household, who is stone-hearted, we
also see another side of him, whereby he only gives out punishment to his children as a mode to care for
them. The line between pain and pleasure is forged into one, and this in itself highlights the duality of
Eugene, as although he can be violent and oppressive, he does this for the benefit of his children. This
may be due to the fact that he is a victim of intergenerational trauma, due to he himself idolising the
Christian missionaries who brainwashed him and forced him to become a “colonial product”
Silence represent?
The silence represents the iron grip that Eugene has on the Achike household, as everybody listens to
what he says and preaches, and the fact that, for example, he instructs everyone to shun Papa Nnukwu, his
own father, for being what he calls a “heathen” shows the extent to which he brainwashes the children,
particularly Kambili. Furthermore, the silence is often more powerful than the already grotesque
punishments he hands out (pouring boiling water on Kambili’s feet) as it highlights the unpredictable
nature of Eugene, but also the vulnerability of the rest of the family themselves, as they initially cower
and prevail to his demeaning presence.
The figurines represent?
The last bit of sanity that Mama has- once these are broken, she loses every bit of purpose and the last bit
of satisfaction she has ever had. This is highlighted after she poisons Eugene- even though the domestic
abuser who caused her to have 2 miscarriages is no longer in her life, she still feels lost and lacking any
real sense of happiness in her life, as Jaja being in prison still haunts her. This is highlighted by the
loosened wrapper that she wears, highlighting the lack of control she has on her own life, due to being
submissive and obeying Papa at every moment in fear that she may be abused once again.
Poetry IGCSE topic sentences:
How does Hughes make the Thought fox such a striking poem?
Hughes utilises the image of a barely formed fox to represent the elusiveness yet the challenging nature of
writing creatively. Through referencing writer’s block and the lonely process of writing, he highlights
how difficult it is to manifest a truly mesmerizing idea.
Points to make:
- Initial sense of loneliness and disconnectedness he feels from his writing and his surroundings.
(e.g. fingers moving themselves, clock feels lonely, explicit blank page)
, - The fox itself is forming (usage of present participles, repetition of now, adverbs)
- The fox/idea has formed (monosyllables to increase pace of the poem, repetition of the starless
night metaphor, sibilance to highlight how the fox and idea are one, and the shift in tone from
page being blank to being printed (also the neat prints in the snow)
- Outro tying up the points
- 3 points- no star- no direction- no hope for his idea- nothing there. Something more near-
unknown nature of the idea senses idea forming but cannot visualise it
- Delicately, warily, concentratedly, how the idea becomes stronger widening, deepening
greenness- present participles- v vivid still happening. Idea comes spontaneously
- Body of the fox appearing eyes etc.
- Symbolism- metaphor- thought fox- the elusive fleeting nature of idea like a fox. Idea is
flourishing in his head. Strength of the idea. Something repetition. Emphasis of loneliness-
writer’s block.
- Writer’s block/obscurity with difficulty of creative process; elusiveness of idea- it does not come
by chance; how vivid it is shown to be growing.
How does Hughes use words and images to powerful effect in ‘The Jaguar’?
Hughes accentuates the extent to which the Jaguar is an animal which not only transcends the boundaries
that it is currently in, but also highlights the extent to which the savagery and the bloodlust of the Jaguar
is starkly different in contrast to the indolence and lifelessness of the other animals in the enclosure.
Through achieving this, Hughes also highlights the power and the ingenuity of the human mind to
overcome and adapt to unprecedented physical circumstances.
Points to make:
- Laziness of the other animals
- The power of the jaguar in comparison, seeing the thirst for blood and instinct (use of plosives
and quickening of the pace of the poem)
- The strength/power of the mind including the human (jaguar being compared to a visionary)-
highlights that the human mind can also be primal and driven for a certain purpose/goal and
create another world without being influenced by outside things, like the jaguar thinks he is
outside the cage when he is still inside it.
How does Hughes vividly convey his thoughts and feelings about the natural world in ‘The Horses’?
Hughes vividly presents the horses to be one of the cornerstones of unwavering natural beauty
through the usage of suspended motion to highlight their dignified yet ordinary presence in contrast to
the polluted, chaotic and sprawling nature of urban life.
Points to make:
- Beauty of the horses themselves and ignoring the speaker’s presence- suspended motion. –
stability and beauty of nature and dynamism and vitality- even though the landscape changes
suddenly- eruption
- Frozen initial scene
- Contrast between the people in the urban scene and the horses (peace vs chaos: rural vs urban- no
sound vs din – Hughes yearns for nature lonely vs crowded
- Laborious nature of his hike
, How does Hughes make ‘Wind’ such a dramatic poem?
Hughes presents the sheer power and brutality of nature by portraying the wind as a vicious force of
nature inducing hell-bending levels of destruction to not only their fragile house but the surrounding
nature. Hughes presents the struggle for the house to stay upright as a symbolism of his strained
relationship, and how it too could very easily collapse in on itself.
Points:
- The destructive force of nature in the face of man-made objects but also nature (e.g. the hills had
new places, being compared to horses, hills are flimsy as tents- simile black back gull bent like an
iron bar- plosives emphasise the grotesque nature of what has happened to the gull, control of the
wind wielding its weapons. )
- Relationships/houses are susceptible to being blown apart by storms of strong emotion (flexing
like the lens of a mad eye- compared to a lunatic wielding weapons showing that the wind is
irrational and violent “we grip…other”- highlighting how they cannot tolerate each other
anymore. The foundations of their relationship are beginning to crumble apart (window
trembling, roots of the house moving, stones cry(ing) showing that the fundamental nature of
their relationship is crumbling apart, also the fragility of their relationship for it to shatter like a
“green goblet”)
Explore the ways in which Hughes makes ‘Relic’ such a disturbing poem.
Hughes portrays Relic as a highly disturbing poem through referencing the insignificance of the jawbone
when being amidst the brutality of the asphyxiating nature that is the sea. This in itself serves as a stark
warning that everything is minuscule and irrelevant in the face of the cult-like nature of the cycle of life,
proving that death is not only imminent and inevitable, but that nature is superior to everything and
everyone else.
Points to make:
- The power brutality of the sea (its achievements personified usage of asyndeton and the plosives
in broken by the beakers- highlights the destructive nature. Causing a jawbone to turn into crust.
None grow rich in the sea- nothing thrives. Morbidity and sadistic nature of the sea- compared to
Old Testament god; grimness of the environment- “that darkness” and “the deeps” )
- Vulnerability/insignificance of the bone itself and all the animals in it (camaraderie does not hold-
i.e. survival of the fittest. Only served its purpose (repetition) and nothing else- did not laugh,
only tried to grip onto its hold of life for as long as it can- highlighting the inevitability of death.
Sense of being disrespected by the sea as it is discarded/tossed away to flap for ½ an hour. Usage
of metonymy in indigestibles)
- Natural order is religion (cult like nature with a hierarchy established, whereby the sea is
superior(fish eat fish (clutching devours) but in the end sea “eats” the big fish), is arbiter of life,
just as God is to humans. Reference to the jawbone as a relic- holy item found from the ordinary.
Reference to the cycle of life and reincarnation, “continue the beginning” “time in the sea eats its
tail”
- Futility of life
- Irregular rhyme scheme – unpredictable nature of the waves- they could strike at any moment
Themes:
- Coming of age/Maturity
- Violence/Oppression
- Religion/Tradition
- Political Backdrop
- Silence/Tyranny
- Defiance
What does....
Aunty Ifeoma represent?
Freedom and hope. She is more liberal and open-minded than her brother and is also living proof that you
don’t need a lot of money to have happiness.
Jaja represent? (can you mention who he is named after?)
Defiance and rebellion- against Papa Eugene and is named after a king. He develops his own sense of
purpose throughout the novel when the two of them stay at Aunty Ifeoma’s house, and the fact that he
refuses to go to communion, even after having first-hand experienced the wrath of his father shows the
extent to which he will defend his beliefs.
Ade Coker represent?
An outspoken critic of the political climate/situation that Nigeria finds itself in at the time. He is the editor
of an underground newspaper run by Papa Eugene called “The Standard”, in which he criticises the
military coup which is happening. It is ironic that Papa Eugene owns it, as his values represented in his
domestic life are very much opposite to the values of freedom of speech and expression which are being
promoted through the channel that is his newspaper.
Kambili represent?
She is the main protagonist of the novel, and she represents the changes that occur due to coming of age,
and in later sections of the novel she is depicted as one of the emancipators of change in the Achike
household, standing up against the iron grip that Eugene has over the household. Initially she is presented
as meek and obedient, always idolizing everything that her father does. However, after subsequent visits
to Aunt Ifeoma’s house she realises that her life isn’t all as glamorous as her own narrative makes out to
be, and the tyranny of Eugene and the harm that he regularly dishes out to the other members of the
household is in stark contrast to the joyous household of Aunty Ifeoma. She also changes in the sense that
she begins to have a higher sense of self esteem and self regard, as when she meets Father Amadi, whom
she adores, she starts to put lipstick on her lips in order to impress him, and she has her first bout of love,
like a sort of teenage fever.
The engraved clock represent?
,The engraved clock in Eugene’s house represents the control and influence that Eugene has on the other
members of the Achike household, as although he has all of the time in the world, everyone else must
hurry themselves up (e.g. when Kambili goes to shower she is only there for a few moments so that Papa
would not be annoyed) for his appeasement.
The purple hibiscus represent?
The purple hibiscus represents experimentalism and freedom of self expression, as Aunty Ifeoma has
experimented with other hibiscuses in order to get that flurry of colour. This is in stark contrast to the red
hibiscuses at home, which represent affluence and order.
Eugene represent? (mention his duality!)
Although Eugene is made out to solely be the arbiter of the Achike household, who is stone-hearted, we
also see another side of him, whereby he only gives out punishment to his children as a mode to care for
them. The line between pain and pleasure is forged into one, and this in itself highlights the duality of
Eugene, as although he can be violent and oppressive, he does this for the benefit of his children. This
may be due to the fact that he is a victim of intergenerational trauma, due to he himself idolising the
Christian missionaries who brainwashed him and forced him to become a “colonial product”
Silence represent?
The silence represents the iron grip that Eugene has on the Achike household, as everybody listens to
what he says and preaches, and the fact that, for example, he instructs everyone to shun Papa Nnukwu, his
own father, for being what he calls a “heathen” shows the extent to which he brainwashes the children,
particularly Kambili. Furthermore, the silence is often more powerful than the already grotesque
punishments he hands out (pouring boiling water on Kambili’s feet) as it highlights the unpredictable
nature of Eugene, but also the vulnerability of the rest of the family themselves, as they initially cower
and prevail to his demeaning presence.
The figurines represent?
The last bit of sanity that Mama has- once these are broken, she loses every bit of purpose and the last bit
of satisfaction she has ever had. This is highlighted after she poisons Eugene- even though the domestic
abuser who caused her to have 2 miscarriages is no longer in her life, she still feels lost and lacking any
real sense of happiness in her life, as Jaja being in prison still haunts her. This is highlighted by the
loosened wrapper that she wears, highlighting the lack of control she has on her own life, due to being
submissive and obeying Papa at every moment in fear that she may be abused once again.
Poetry IGCSE topic sentences:
How does Hughes make the Thought fox such a striking poem?
Hughes utilises the image of a barely formed fox to represent the elusiveness yet the challenging nature of
writing creatively. Through referencing writer’s block and the lonely process of writing, he highlights
how difficult it is to manifest a truly mesmerizing idea.
Points to make:
- Initial sense of loneliness and disconnectedness he feels from his writing and his surroundings.
(e.g. fingers moving themselves, clock feels lonely, explicit blank page)
, - The fox itself is forming (usage of present participles, repetition of now, adverbs)
- The fox/idea has formed (monosyllables to increase pace of the poem, repetition of the starless
night metaphor, sibilance to highlight how the fox and idea are one, and the shift in tone from
page being blank to being printed (also the neat prints in the snow)
- Outro tying up the points
- 3 points- no star- no direction- no hope for his idea- nothing there. Something more near-
unknown nature of the idea senses idea forming but cannot visualise it
- Delicately, warily, concentratedly, how the idea becomes stronger widening, deepening
greenness- present participles- v vivid still happening. Idea comes spontaneously
- Body of the fox appearing eyes etc.
- Symbolism- metaphor- thought fox- the elusive fleeting nature of idea like a fox. Idea is
flourishing in his head. Strength of the idea. Something repetition. Emphasis of loneliness-
writer’s block.
- Writer’s block/obscurity with difficulty of creative process; elusiveness of idea- it does not come
by chance; how vivid it is shown to be growing.
How does Hughes use words and images to powerful effect in ‘The Jaguar’?
Hughes accentuates the extent to which the Jaguar is an animal which not only transcends the boundaries
that it is currently in, but also highlights the extent to which the savagery and the bloodlust of the Jaguar
is starkly different in contrast to the indolence and lifelessness of the other animals in the enclosure.
Through achieving this, Hughes also highlights the power and the ingenuity of the human mind to
overcome and adapt to unprecedented physical circumstances.
Points to make:
- Laziness of the other animals
- The power of the jaguar in comparison, seeing the thirst for blood and instinct (use of plosives
and quickening of the pace of the poem)
- The strength/power of the mind including the human (jaguar being compared to a visionary)-
highlights that the human mind can also be primal and driven for a certain purpose/goal and
create another world without being influenced by outside things, like the jaguar thinks he is
outside the cage when he is still inside it.
How does Hughes vividly convey his thoughts and feelings about the natural world in ‘The Horses’?
Hughes vividly presents the horses to be one of the cornerstones of unwavering natural beauty
through the usage of suspended motion to highlight their dignified yet ordinary presence in contrast to
the polluted, chaotic and sprawling nature of urban life.
Points to make:
- Beauty of the horses themselves and ignoring the speaker’s presence- suspended motion. –
stability and beauty of nature and dynamism and vitality- even though the landscape changes
suddenly- eruption
- Frozen initial scene
- Contrast between the people in the urban scene and the horses (peace vs chaos: rural vs urban- no
sound vs din – Hughes yearns for nature lonely vs crowded
- Laborious nature of his hike
, How does Hughes make ‘Wind’ such a dramatic poem?
Hughes presents the sheer power and brutality of nature by portraying the wind as a vicious force of
nature inducing hell-bending levels of destruction to not only their fragile house but the surrounding
nature. Hughes presents the struggle for the house to stay upright as a symbolism of his strained
relationship, and how it too could very easily collapse in on itself.
Points:
- The destructive force of nature in the face of man-made objects but also nature (e.g. the hills had
new places, being compared to horses, hills are flimsy as tents- simile black back gull bent like an
iron bar- plosives emphasise the grotesque nature of what has happened to the gull, control of the
wind wielding its weapons. )
- Relationships/houses are susceptible to being blown apart by storms of strong emotion (flexing
like the lens of a mad eye- compared to a lunatic wielding weapons showing that the wind is
irrational and violent “we grip…other”- highlighting how they cannot tolerate each other
anymore. The foundations of their relationship are beginning to crumble apart (window
trembling, roots of the house moving, stones cry(ing) showing that the fundamental nature of
their relationship is crumbling apart, also the fragility of their relationship for it to shatter like a
“green goblet”)
Explore the ways in which Hughes makes ‘Relic’ such a disturbing poem.
Hughes portrays Relic as a highly disturbing poem through referencing the insignificance of the jawbone
when being amidst the brutality of the asphyxiating nature that is the sea. This in itself serves as a stark
warning that everything is minuscule and irrelevant in the face of the cult-like nature of the cycle of life,
proving that death is not only imminent and inevitable, but that nature is superior to everything and
everyone else.
Points to make:
- The power brutality of the sea (its achievements personified usage of asyndeton and the plosives
in broken by the beakers- highlights the destructive nature. Causing a jawbone to turn into crust.
None grow rich in the sea- nothing thrives. Morbidity and sadistic nature of the sea- compared to
Old Testament god; grimness of the environment- “that darkness” and “the deeps” )
- Vulnerability/insignificance of the bone itself and all the animals in it (camaraderie does not hold-
i.e. survival of the fittest. Only served its purpose (repetition) and nothing else- did not laugh,
only tried to grip onto its hold of life for as long as it can- highlighting the inevitability of death.
Sense of being disrespected by the sea as it is discarded/tossed away to flap for ½ an hour. Usage
of metonymy in indigestibles)
- Natural order is religion (cult like nature with a hierarchy established, whereby the sea is
superior(fish eat fish (clutching devours) but in the end sea “eats” the big fish), is arbiter of life,
just as God is to humans. Reference to the jawbone as a relic- holy item found from the ordinary.
Reference to the cycle of life and reincarnation, “continue the beginning” “time in the sea eats its
tail”
- Futility of life
- Irregular rhyme scheme – unpredictable nature of the waves- they could strike at any moment
