Religion And Corruption As Portrayed In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus

Abstract

Purple Hibiscus is a symbol of the violence that has resulted from the cultural struggle. Colonial violence, according to Ania Loomba, is epistemic violence that disregards other people’s culture, religion, and beliefs. She also states, “Consequently, colonial violence is understood as including an ‘epistemic’ aspect, i.e. an attack on the culture, ideas and value systems of the colonised peoples” (54). Likewise, G. Spivak in Morris’ Can the Subaltern Speak? Reflections on the History of an Idea discusses “the epistemic violence of imperialism” (Morris 43). Epistemic violence, according to Spivak, arises when particular voices in Western discourses are marginalised. This practise of othering is a colonial policy since these voices belong to the subaltern’ and Said’s notion of ‘otherness’ in Orientalism. Eugene’s persona reflects a severe influence of colonisation on certain Africans, since he despises his native tongue, Igbo, and only speaks English. The novel is a compelling narrative beautifully presented by a strong voice with a lot of promise for the future. The novel is set in post-colonial Nigerian communities where people are heavily reliant on nature. The novel’s location varies from one rural town to the next. Nature is cherished, worshipped, and in some cases mistreated by the characters in the novel. This Paper  Environmental principles, natural resources, environmentally acceptable lifestyles, and a spectrum of natural and human-induced environmental challenges are all present in the communities.