Topanac Flashcards
Themes that both books share
Oppression
Family dynamics and relationship shaped by class and power and closeness
Rebellion
Coming of age based on circumstances (morality and gray areas)
Complex realities of forms of love, lust and violence in the form resistance and love
Influence of colonialism and racism
Class prejudice on lives of their protagonists
Introductory
State the essay question.
In the novels purple hibiscus and noughts and crosses, both authors set the scene on a post colonial Nigerian and alternate converge Britain to explore powerful themes that shape the protagonists’( Kambili and persephone/callum) identity development and societal interaction based on a social hierarchy foundation through which this essay will explore supporting (thesis statement)
1)Oppressive environments
What is the main focus on
What society is established that affects relationships
How does the vast difference between books share a central theme of young characters?
Focus: 15 year old Kambili growing up in postcolonial Nigeria under her tyrannical father Eugene.
Noughts and crosses, focuses on two teens, callum and sephy living in a racially segregated society.
The vast difference in setting, however share common themes of family dynamics that display forms of rebellion and a key factor surrounding the structure and mentality the young characters have as they come of age
2) Family dynamics and closeness based on class and power
In both novels, family dynamics are a central point of tension, influenced by both class and power.
Kambili’s family is dominated by the wealthy and religious Eugene’s rules enforced as a sign of power and control which mirrors the broader political oppression in Nigeria. An emotionally stiffed environment is created for the growing Kambili and jaja, contributed by the family’s wealth tied to Eugene’s societal position underscoring that power dynamics and control are at play. An additional factor is that social class determines the level of
Similarly in noughts and crosses, family dynamics are influenced by class and racial hierarchy. Sephy a cross whose more privileged as a daughter of a powerful politician and callum a kid from a working class background
Are social separated. Callum family struggles under the systemic racism and classis limits opportunities but bring more intimacy due to the the common experience
Racism - how is it tied to prejudice, criteria that Kambili’s cousin use and sephy for both parties, how is prejudice vs reality shown
Racism is tied to prejudice of what the contrasting parties should behave and act in situations and the characteristics they should aquire.
In purple hibiscus, Kambili’s cousin holds the prejudice criteria on how Kambili should act coming from a higher social class like entitlement and unawareness which Kambili fails to carry out therefore ruling her as a snob to her list.
In noughts and crosses, sephy expresses the supposed nature nought men and women should have, drunkeness and undignified woman however the prejudice is broken through her friendship with callum.
The is common prejudice theme also have a similar result which shows the opposition of the teaching that was instilled in them vs reality
3)An additional factor is that social class determines the level of intimacy each family has
Pursuit of Eugene
Emotional intimacy being an unfamiliar experience for Kambili at ifeomas house and what it concludes
What was she used to
How does she react to contrasting environments
Noughts and crosses
Common struggles for the family under racial system
Emotional intimacy allows expression towards things like what
And sephy’s family
Breaks what stereotype
How does it apply to Kambili and sephy’s family
In purple hibiscus, the violent pursuit or approach of Eugene towards his family brings them closer because of a trauma bond they share, this physical intimacy lacks emotional intimacy tied which is expressed at aunty ifeomas house in forms of love, warmth and awareness. This unfamiliar experience Kambili goes through brings her into a phase of displacement around her identity. Her isolated nature used to one side of a concept which is correct is placed in contrasting environments displaying different family dynamics and level of intamcy making her confused about the possibility that choices can have complexities and that she isn’t fixed to one way of thinking towards an idea.
In noughts and crosses, callums family common struggles under the racist system forms a strong bond where the emotional intimacy they have allows space for freedom of expression like towards the L M mirroring their freedom and oppression against racism whereas sephy’s family intimacy has a title only. This breaks the stereotype of the fact that material comfort brings closeness of family which doesn’t occur for Kambili and sephy’s family despite having this.
Despite the family’s closeness, they are still strained by societal forces that perpetuate inequality
4)brokenness in role models.
Both novels go on to show that parents not being a role model. They preach against negative settings that could influence the young minds however they are the mirror of what they talk about. Eugene’s abusive nature and sephy’s mom alcoholic addiction are the mirror of hway they preach their kids to not do. There’s a broken parent figure in the house which influences the way kids grow, Jude displays his dad’s aggressive rebellion towards the system and Kambili imitates her mom’s response towards the abuse experience and the chosen choice to be silent and pretend to be unaware to an extend because it’s deemed necessary
Family dynamics form boundaries
Eugene’s authorative power forms a restrictive boundary or limit to the emotional maturity Kambili is supposed to have. Curiosity and confusion or any form of rebellion challenges Eugene’s power over them just as the government they fall under. Any form of rebellion such as the articles published by the editorial news and jaja breaking the family routine of going to sends alarms to the strength of power placed upon them similarly in nights and crosses
Any form of boundary or norm broken challenges the higher position security, this is shown when noughts are bought to the heaftencroft highschool which alarms the cross superior/majority as their position is now being threatened. Violence used against them is based on fear of becoming inferior masked as anger/discipline as Eugene also uses violence to maintain balance
5) the coming of age
Both Kambili and sephy are shaped by their coming of age experiences marked by their increasing awareness of their world around them and identities.
Kambili’s story is more of personal growth as she transitions from an oppressive environment of her father’s house to a liberated and expressive one of her aunt. This exposure to a different way of life allows Kambili to break free from her dad’s control and finds her voice. Her coming of age is also tied to her recognition of the broader political struggles in Nigeria and starts to question the ideals her father has imposed on her.
In contrast sephy’s coming of age is defined by the tension between her love and friendship for callum and the reality of racial and class divisions. As sephy matures, she confronts the racist structures of society that stand in the way of her friendship with callum, her growth is political as she realizes the extent of oppression faced by the noughts, particularly callum
Both journeys of coming of age for the protagonists are marked by the awakening to injustice and the power dynamics that shape their lives.
6) rebellion and resistance of jaja and Jude and the desire from freedom
Rebellion is a key theme in both novels in the form of resistance against oppressive family structures and societal expectations.
In purple hibiscus, jaja’s rebellion is a quiet but powerful act of defiance against his father’s authoritarian rule. When jaja refuses to take blame for a crime he didn’t commit, he signals a break form the family’s cycle of fear and submission. It’s a symbol of rejection and oppression they experienced dominantly in their life’s.
Similarly in noughts and crosses, Jude, callum’s brother is a figure of rebellion. Driven by the systematic oppression against noughts, he becomes radicalized and seeks violent ways to challenge his status quo. While hsi methods are more extreme than jaja, they both express the desire for freedom from the systems that constraint them
7) love, lust, power and violence
Kambili’s emotional development is tied to her first experiences in love, both in familial sense and through her interactions with Father amadi, a priest representing a different kind of freedom. However love in Kambili’s world is marred with violence - her father’s physical abuse of the mother and constant tension in the household reflecting the darker side of the perfect family. Kambili’s journey towards love and emotional connection is inextricably linked to the violence that surrounds her.
In noughts and crosses, the love between sephy and callum is equally complicated framed within the broader context of racial and class violence. They have a societal forbidden love which only fuels their passion for each other which will eventually erupt violence around them, the dad’s trial being a foreshadowing mark for the event that will happen later on. As their love and friendship unfolds, it’s clear that it can’t be isolated from the power structures that dominate their world. The violence they encounter through institutional racism like at school or personal betrayals serves as a reminder that there’s a price to pay for love in a divided society
8) colonialism, racism and class prejudice
Both books are heavily wrapped by the legacies of colonialism and persistence of racism and class prejudice. I
In purple hibiscus the political instability in Nigeria is a direct consequence of colonial history and Eugene’s obsession with western traditions reflects the lingering traumatic effect of colonialism on post colonial identity. He uses it as a necessary shield, from past experiences to survive inflicting the same behavior to the kids and from his attitude towards traditional igbo reflects the possible harsh experiences he faced from the brits people as an igbo boy to deem his religion as a seed of sin. The tension between tradition and westernization creates tension for Kambili’s identity.
In noughts and crosses racial hierarchy explores effects of colonialism and racism where power is unequally divided resulting in noughts being the white marginalized group oppressed by crosses holding optical power. Both books express struggle to cope with the new norm from the colonized past where both parties are still bitter. This reversal of historical racial roles serves as a critique in ways which racial prejudice and colonial history shape societal dynamics.
Conclusion
These shared themes by adichie and Blackman offer profound insight into ways love power and resistance shep the lived of young people in oppressive environment a
