The multi-award winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has distinguished herself as one of Nigerian’s most successful female writers, and in this essay published in the Journal for Humanities and Art Studies, Ibeku Ijeoma Ann uses one of her most famous works, Purple Habiscus, to explore the issue of feminism in the African novel. Feminism in African novels has a long tradition as a literary movement that seeks to, and succeeds in, bringing about change in society, especially on how women are treated. It tries to discourage discrimination toward and humiliation of women, and focuses its attention on their emancipation. This stands in stark contrast to the usual depiction of women in African novels as mere sex symbols, inferior beings who should do as instructed by men.
Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus is a feminist work that challenges the tendency of men to dehumanise women, and this is evident in the character of Mama (Beatrice Achike), who exposes the African concept of an ideal woman; one who stays silent in the face of humiliation, victimization, and brutality, so as to be perceived as a good woman. This study seeks to address the issue of feminism in the work, and how characters subject to series of humiliation leads to a radical approach to gain their freedom, and considers numerous criticisms and interpretations of the work.
Adichie in her novel presented two types of women; the good woman (Mama) and the real woman (Aunty Ifeoma). which mirrors the two different types of feminism in the work: African feminism, which is often seen as being liberal and tolerant of men, and radical feminism, born from violence, which then uses violence in order to gain freedom. Although Adichie tactically presented Mama as quiet and obedient at the beginning of the novel, she became radical towards the end of the novel to show that she can react when pushed to the wall.
The authors argue the case that Achike belongs to the category of liberal feminism who was forced by situations beyond her control to respond and go radical in order to crush anything that stands in her way to happiness. In exploring the different tenets of feminism, this essay acknowledges that radical feminism is an off-shoot of violence; a radical reaction to dehumanization, humiliation, and violence.