PH Reading Response

          Purple Hibiscus has taken turns to places which I could not have initially imagined. Beyond being a novel about maturity and the family construct, it strikes on darker, deeper topics in a chaotic world of corrupt politics and poverty. The setting has provided all the story has needed so far to create a frighteningly realistic take on modern life and the family system. The strain on Kambili and Jaja's lives as children, students, and--most importantly--people is clearly seen in this novel of revealed abuse, fear, and struggle. 

          I believe we have reached the climax of the plot, as the action has accumulated and built up to a momentous final straw for Kambili, Jaja, and Beatrice. As Kambili and Jaja return from their trip to Nsukka, they are changed forever. Jaja and Kambili's growing realization of the lack of happiness and freedom in their lives at home leads to their painful reality check brought by their father, a detrimental reminder of the prison from which they are trapped from within. So far, the plot movements and real-world issues that Purple Hibiscus has struck upon has no less than stunned and obstructed my view of the world and family constructs.