Wisnu Raja

Mr. Flake
Honors English 12
November 6, 2015
Purple Hibiscus
In Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adicie, a passage in
chapter eight displays a juxtaposition of the wide wealth gap in
Nigeria. Imagery and metaphors employed in the passage serve to
show how Kambili, unaware of the state of her country; comes to
realize the struggle of the undeveloped side and the clear observable
difference of the upper and lower class.
Kambili lives a privilege life, her family is wealthy, she lives in
a comfortable house and goes to school. The chance she gets to go
sightseeing with her aunt is a learning experience for her to
understand the state of her country. In the outset of the passage, the
use of imagery is employed first to illustrate the living standards of
the upper class and its effects lies on how oblivious Kambili is. As they
drive by a residential area [they] past bungalows in wide compounds
with rose bushes and faded lawns and fruit trees. The quote shows
the lavish surroundings of a wealthy area with wide compounds,
where fruit trees are just like rose bushes; they are there for beauty.
Its effect is to show how a small wealthy class wants and has more
land and recourses; whereas the vast majority of the lower class
doesnt have the land and resources they need. Moreover, we see
that Kambili is unaware of this fact. What proves this statement is
that Kambili doesnt realize the importance when her cousin Amaka
mentions: They cured malaria. the novel written in Kambilis

perspective doesnt show an interest or further description in the

significance of a cure for malaria, it stands alone amidst the imagery
of the wealthy neighborhood. This suggests how oblivious Kambili is
on the current condition of the whole country.
Driving further out the residential house imagery is further
used to show the conditions and more importantly a comparison to
lower class housing. Kambili describes, The street gradually lost its
tarred smoothness and its cultivated hedges; here the effect is the
start of a transition from the upper class to lower class. Moreover she
describes, the house became low and narrow, their front doors so
close together; here the quote shows how congested the area is,
which create a ramification effect of problems struggling families
face. In addition, the effect is elaborated when Amaka says if they
are lucky enough to get [a house]; this shows even if some lower
class families are fortunate enough for a house, poverty is still a
problem, there are many people who suffer worse. Furthermore, she
describes more comparison that there was no pretense at hedges
here, no pretense at separation or privacy, just low building side by
side amid a scatter of stunted shrubs. Completing the comparison,
the main purpose of the passage is a juxtaposition of the wide wealth
gap by highlighting the big observable difference between the two
classes.
Finally, towards the end of the passage a metaphor is used to
describe Kambilis reaction with a religious connotation. She doesnt
have any opinion or feeling towards what she has seen, the

realization of how privileged she is or the general economic status of

the country. When driving back Kambili let [her] mind drift, imagining
god laying out the hills of Nsukka with his wide white hands. the
quote shows the effect that Kambili still has faith in god to provide for
the nation. However, it shows that Kambili is too privileged to see
things in a different perspective; most people cant rely on god for
their necessities.
In conclusion, the passage from Purple Hibiscus employs
imagery and metaphors to highlight the wide wealth gap and to show
the observable difference of the upper and lower class. Amidst the
juxtaposition, Kambili is yet to acknowledge the economic turmoil the
country is in.