Female's Body as a Site of Domination and Resistance in Adichie's Purple Hibiscus

Abstract

In Purple Hibiscus, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie presents the general predicament of postcolonial Nigerian females under colonial patriarchy. Postcolonial females inPurple Hibiscussuffer double victimization-colonial and gender victimization. The patriarchal social norms as well as colonial values undermine women’s freedom. Unless these dominating and gender-biased norms of traditional societies are changed, women will not get equal position and opportunities in their own societies. Likewise, the imperial culturethat dominates both men and women of colonized nations and disregards their rights for freedom is subverted by means of solidarity of local men and women. For this solidarity to take place, local men should respect women’s freedom, rights and provide equal opportunities to them, welcoming all sorts of positive changes in the dominating, conservative and traditional patriarchal norms. Adichie implies that women can easily resist to colonial patriarchy through their 'unity' and empowerment and before that, women should realize their potential and empower themselves to resist the dominations that marginalize them.