Subjugation of Women in African Society: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Human Right Abuses in Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus
Abstract
This study explores the depiction of human rights abuses in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus, with special focus on the subjugation of women within a patriarchal African society. From a linguistic point of view, it examines how expository language, symbolism, and narrative techniques help develop the themes of oppression and resistance. The novel portrays various forms of abuse, including domestic violence, psychological oppression, and economic dependence, highlighting the ways in which they are afflicted by the perpetrators and resisted by the victims within the Achike family. Further, the relevant sections of the novel are extracted and subjected to a critical discourse analysis (CDA) to examine how language helps reflect gender-based power structures. The findings reveal that Eugene Achike’s verbal authoritarianism and religious extremism serve as tools of control and subjugation in his dealings with women, reinforcing the patriarchal power structures in his society. Moreover, the symbolic use of the purple hibiscus flower, and the metaphorical use of silence and speech underscore the novel’s message of liberation. The study concludes that in Purple Hibiscus, Adichie offers a profound critique of the patriarchal norms of Nigeria and a celebration of the feminist resilience against male dominance, highlighting the significance of the application of discourse analysis approaches and techniques in understanding and addressing human rights abuses.
