International Journal of Research in Arts and Science
ISSN: 2394-9759 | Frequency: 4 Issues/Year
Impact Factor: 0.387 | International Scientific Indexing(ISI) calculate based on International Citation Report(ICR)
Awakening the Self: Female Consciousness and Religious Oppression in Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Abstract:
Gender inequality has remained one of the major social issues represented in contemporary African literature. Women are often subjected to silence, oppression, domestic violence, and patriarchal domination within both family and society. Contemporary women writers therefore use literature as a medium to question these unequal power structures and to represent female identity, resistance, and liberation. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, one of the most significant contemporary African writers, explores these issues deeply in her novel Purple Hibiscus. The novel portrays the experiences of women living under patriarchal authority and examines how female consciousness develops through suffering, education, and self-realization. Through characters such as Kambili, Beatrice, and Aunty Ifeoma, the narrative presents different responses to male domination and social expectations. The study focuses on the themes of gender equality, female identity, silence, resistance, and empowerment in the novel. It further analyses how women challenge oppressive structures and gradually develop the courage to reclaim their individuality and freedom. The novel ultimately highlights the importance of equality, emotional independence, and female agency in both family and society.
Keywords: Gender Equality, Female Consciousness, Patriarchy, Identity, Resistance, Empowerment.
Volume: 12 | Issue: 1
Pages: 9-11
Issue Date: June , 2026
DOI: 10.9756/IJRAS/V12I1/BIJ26007
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