Purple Hibiscus Symbolism: The Purple Hibiscus Flower 

Can you make analysation video/clip of Blood brothers, it on my GCSE topic and crucially important, kind regards sir:)☺️

Thank you🤗

Really glad to hear it was useful. Thanks for the +ve feedback. Good luck with the exam.

It is fairly unusual as a colour for hibiscus flowers in the real world. Maybe look again at the way the flower was created for Aunt Ifeoma by her botanist friend. Hibiscuses are usually different colours. But not purple. Not sure if that is info you already have... Anyways hope it helps. Good luck with the presentation.

ok thank u sir

Great question! For both characters (and readers) the purple hibiscus flower is associated with Aunty Ifeoma's family. Her family offer Kambili and Jaja offer a sense of freedom from Papa's violence and oppression. By association, therefore, the purple hibiscus flower comes to symbolise freedom and also a sense of rebellion (remember the hybrid purple hibiscus flower was bred specially to be a different colour from the usual hibiscuses). So the purple hibiscus flower represents hope to Jaja that you can be different. That is one reason why Jaja takes cuttings of the flower back to Enugu to try and grow them. If they take root and grow then maybe he too can grow up to be different from his own oppressive family background. Adichie writes, “See, the purple hibiscuses are about to bloom,” Jaja said, as we got out of the car. He was pointing, although I did not need him to. I could see the sleepy, oval-shape buds in the front yard as they swayed in the evening breeze. The next day was Palm Sunday, the day Jaja did not go to communion, the day Papa threw his heavy missal across the room and broke the figurines” So we see the growth of the purple hibiscuses is linked to Jaja’s first act of defiance against Papa, and the beginning of Jaja, Kambili and Mama moving towards freedom from Papa’s violence and control. Kambili is influenced by Jaja. So that would be how the purple hibiscus is also used to represent her development. Sorry it’s a lengthy reply, but really hope that helps you.

@@mrpollardenglish Thank you so much! I really admire all the hard work and dedication you put into this.

Thanks for the +ve comment. Some more Purple Hibiscus videos coming in the next few days/ weeks! 🙂