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St. Albert Complete Project Enl
St. Albert Complete Project Enl
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Preamble
Hibiscus through the writer’s creative manipulation of language for rhetoric purposes.
The Leech and Short’s mode of stylistic analysis is applied to the written text which
reveals certain traits of the writer’s psychology and her perspective .The work
commences with preliminary, followed by the four levels of stylistic analysis and
conclusion.
My main propose for carrying out this study is my interest in stylistics as well as
The scope of study is the application of all of the four levels of stylistics study:
Graphology, phonology, Syntax and Semantics and their importance in the novel, Purple
Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This study does not mean the entire language
used in Purple Hibiscus rather excerpts are isolated, defined and discussed the linguistics
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features and literary elements which are particularly important and reveal her mindset
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus explores like any novels of the
twenty-first (21st) Century, but with a turn, the tension between Igbo and Western culture
through the story of a fifteen year old girl named Kambili. Her industrialist father,
Eugene Achike is well known in the community as a pious and generous man that
courageously stands against the rebel forces who overthrew the democratic regime, but
on the other hand, Eugene is a tyrant, who terrorizes Kambili, her mother, Beatrice and
her elder brother, Jaja. Eugene forces his family to live by the strictures of a
fundamentalist strain of Catholicism and rejects the traditional African faith of his own
father. Hence, the subject matters of Purple Hibiscus is the reflection of the historical and
Adichie uses a pseudonym Kambili Achike to narrate her story through a first
person point of view. Kambili starts the story from the almost at the middle and goes
back (flashback) to give the accounts of previous events and from her experience as a
teenager we are told of another form of silence (foreshadowing). She began where the
Achike’s family, oversee by the Father, Eugene Achike, commences a close fatal nuclear
family disintegration. She moves back in time to tell all that precedes and precipitates the
disintegration. Kambili grows from about fourteen years old to around eighteen years old.
The person of Kambili is a timid, subdued, submissive, and reserved and by which she
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shapes her story. The other characters are Beatrice Eugene Achike, Jaja, Papa-Nnukwu,
Aunty Ifeoma, Amaka, Chima, Obiora, Ade Coker, father Benedict, father Amadi and
some others whose rose seem tiny but of course relevant too.
Purple Hibiscus mirrors the oddities in Nigeria and Africa at large. It captures the
tyrannical trauma of patriachical leadership in the family and socio-political unease and
character after burning Kambili’s feet, Eugene tells Kambili that when he was growing-
up, he himself had suffered a similar punishment at the hands of the priests who raised
him, after he committed “a sin against my body” that is, masturbation, the priest soaked
his hands in boiling water. Eugene is a victim of abuse emanating from colonialism and
Christianity, yet he sees the act of punishing his own children as gesture of compassion.
Kambili and Jaja’s lives take a good turn with their visit to their aunt Ifeoma and her
children in Nsukka. Ifeoma is also a Catholic like Eugene Achike, her elder brother but
not an extremist Catholic like him. Ifeoma provides a freedom and friendly atmosphere
for her children and corrects them gently when it utmost needed. The irony of the story
resides in Eugene’s oppression of his own family while he fights for political freedom.
Purple Hibiscus suggests the pervasiveness of despotism and the way it can ensnare even
those who resist it. Kambili’s linguistic alienation which underscores her isolation from
the world around her, foreground the style of narrative which in-turn fashioned the choice
of words, sentence and paragraphs used in captivating the mind of the readers.
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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was born on September 15, 1977 in Enugu state,
although she is a native of Abba, in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State,
Eastern Nigeria. She is the fifth of six children to her parents, Grace Ifeoma and James
Nwoye Adichie. She was brought up in the University town of Nsukka, in the former
home of Nigerian writer, Chinua Achebe and the location of the University of Nigeria,
where her father worked as a deputy Vice-Chancellor and a professor of statistics while
her mother was the University Registrar. As a child she attended the University’s primary
desire to write, and during these years she wrote a number of plays and poems that were
performed at school.
In 1995 she enrolled in the University to study Medicine and Pharmacy but left
during this period, and several of her short stories were published in literary journals,
such as: Gramta, other voices, calyx, and lowa Review. In 2003, she had her master’s
degree in creative writing at the John Hopkins University in Baltimore. And in 2008, she
received a masters of Arts in African Studies at Yale University. Her debut, Purple
Hibiscus was published in 2003. It received good review and won the 2005
commonwealth writer’s Prize for Best First Book. Her second novel, Half of A Yellow
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Sun is named after the short-lived flag of the Biafra nation and is set before and during
the Biafra war, which was published in 2006, and was awarded the 2007 Orange Prize for
friction. Moreso, her third book a collection of short stories entitled The Thing Around
Your Neck was published in April 2009 in the U.S.A. She has also written numerous
1.2 Methodology
The data for analysis have been randomly excerpted from Purple Hibiscus. This will be
done with the application of Leech and Shorts’ model of analysis. They postulate that
“The apparatus of linguistic description can be used in analyzing the style of a prose
text.”(74).They further say that the basis of stylistic analysis should base upon “the
(119-120).
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They go further to state the fourth level of stylistics as graphology in the following
level of organization and analysis must be given its place: That of GRAPHOLOGY, the
writing system.” (120). Therefore, this study will analyze Purple Hibiscus stylistically
with the four levels of leech and Short’s model of analysis, that is, phonology,
graphology, syntax and semantics will form the basis of the analysis.
The subject stylistics has been studied from nineteenth (19th) till date
academic field within the scope of linguistics in the 1960s, stylistics has continued to
fraction of linguistic that deals with the study of varieties of language, its constituents,
and principles behind choice, dialogue, accent, length and register. On the contrary,
others insist that it attempts to establish principles capable of explaining the particular
choices (style) used by individuals and social groups in their use of language. Cambridge
(1450). With this definition the study of style is not just haphazard but ‘systematic’. This
shows that language is a system, that is, language is a highly structured system of
communication and that is why utterances are not formed by randomly combining
language’ (1437). Longman’s definition is obvious that style could be studied in both
written and spoken language. Meanwhile, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary explains
stylistics as:
Crystal and Davy explained the concept of stylistics with new but similar terms as
follows:
study of style in Language; traditionally of variations in usage literary and other texts,
now more generally, of a way systematic variation in either writing or speech which
relates to the type of discourse of its context” (386). Matthew pays special attention to
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differentiate between language style and dialectal variation. This language style is
specifically among literary and other texts which must be systemic. Leech and Short
define stylistics simply as “the (linguistic) study of style” (13). In other words linguistics
advertisement style, fashion style, meanwhile, when it becomes the linguistic study of
style; it requires our knowledge of language and literature. They summed and unit the
different perspectives of scholars in the field of stylistics as they say in the following
statement.
language use (stylistics) which activate and control the code. (1985 5).
explore for pattern and system below the surface forms of language to search for meaning
in the linguistic constituents of a text. They further make the goals of stylistic theoretical
background clearer in their explanation for the generic component of a literary text in the
below statement:
making use of the same code, the same set of communicative resources, as
unthinkable that the literary artist should cut himself adrift from the all –
They are of the opinion that literary work is not an abstract linguistics composition
rather it only deviates from the norm of language usage to bring out artistic aesthetics.
Hence, evaluating the artistic aesthetic of language use in a text through which reader’s
intuition is used to extract meaning from the linguistic features which constitute a text.
Thus, stylistics is primarily concerned with the use of language and it effects in a text.
This study is based on describing the form and function of language used in Adichie’s
debut.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s debut had received numerous good reviews from
Africa and non-Africans before winning the Commonwealth Writers Prizes for Best First
Book in 2005. Thereafter, more interests in the novel spring up, such as articles, brief
analysis, comments on websites, and works in form of discussions. These are mostly
explores the processes by which the meanings of utterances are modified in use,
exemplifying with twenty-five percent of transactions in the novel. The research reveals
that the recovery of explicatures involves reference assignment, bridging, gap – filling,
immensely in understanding conversations in the text and aids access to the intended
engaging and exquisitely crafted piece of work. He continues, by saying that, Purple
girl who finds her own voice, despite years of abuse and intimidation that have left her
stuttering. In telling the story of Kambili and the extraordinary events that transform her
world, Adichie manages to present and explore a number of important issues rather
questions without ever resorting to preaching. One minor criticism is the absence of a
entitled “Igbo Rhetoric and the New Nigerian Novel: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s
Purple Hibiscus” analyzes the Igbo words, phrases, clauses and even sentences
pragmatically. He says that, Adichie, the Igbo-born Nigerian novelist, follows the
pragmatic example of Achebe, her elder compatriot, in constructing the ‘Igbo English’ as
she draws from the inexhaustible oral resources of the Igbo as the figural “bolts” and
“nuts” of her narrative. The work’s contention is that the ‘Adichian’ aesthetics points the
way to the future of literature in Africa. Already it is seen as a new Nigerian literary
voice and gradually gaining the recognition for Africa new literary voice.
Daria Tunca’s article on Purple Hibiscus entitled “An ambiguous Freedom Song:
of stylistic analysis of Purple Hibiscus with a theory introduced and developed by Roger
Fowler that is, a concept of “Mind-Style”’ as well as M.A.K Holidays and Mathiessen’s
functional grammar. Tunca questions the critical consensus regarding the narrative voice
deeper understanding of how the notion of freedom and oppression are woven into the
novel. He further argues that Kambili’s experiences of the phenomena of the real world,
that is, her experiences of the internal world of her own consciousness, her reactions,
cognitions, perceptions and her linguistic acts of speaking and understanding enhance
More so, a book review by Oseloka Obaze of Purple Hibiscus state “Two Thumps
linguistics and literary studies. The choice of words Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie uses for
rhetoric purposes reflects the work as the conscious experience and thoughts of the
author herself. The author has some perspectives in form of thoughts, ideas which lies
within ideology and her desire to narrate it through the conscious creative manipulation
of language (that is, stylistics). This work set out to analyze the creative manipulation of
semantic features to express the culture and religion conflicts, dysfunctional social
setting.
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CHAPTER TWO
Phonology consists of two morphemes: Phono (sound or voice) and logy (study)
originated from the Greek Language. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines
phonology as “the speech sounds of a particular language; the study of these sounds
(1090).” This definition is concise and precise, that is, phonology is the relation between
sounds of speech and grammar of a language. Phonology has two basic levels: segmental
and suprasegmental levels. The segmental level otherwise, known as phonemes (vowels
and consonants) are smallest units of speech in a language that distinguish one world
form another. The second level, suprasegmental also called prosody. Suprasegmental
written literature the implicit sound pattern can possibly be realized explicit in reading
aloud to hear the string of sounds. The observation of Leech and Short makes us
Furthermore, the manner and sequence of words brings out the aesthetic stylistic values
paramount to stylistician. Phonology does not only consist of physical properties but also
phonology, other features of syntax and semantics like pattern repetitions, paraphrasing
and rephrasing evoke musical qualities to foreground lexical words. The phonological
allophone and rhythm or stress. There are others but those mentioned above will form our
focus of discussion.
2.1.1 Assonance
It brings out the rhyme in a text, although it is a rhyme itself. Assonance and consonance
are commonly used in prose texts, while rhyme is for repetition of same sound in ending
of lines in poetry. Assonance like consonance reinforces sounds which make the flow of
words in sentences rhythmic. The following examples from Purple Hibiscus have
assonance.
i. The b/e/ll-shaped y/e/llow fru/i/ts hung, laz/i/ly, drawing b/u/zzing bees that
ii. Jaja soon came back with the boys, the b/o/ttle /o/f s/o/ft drinks in a bl/a/ck
iii. The flickering light cast a t/o/paz glow /o/ver the narr/o/w verandah (…..)
(174).
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iv. They think grief and denial – that her husband is dead and that her son is in
prison – have turned her into this vision of a painfull/y/ bon/y/ bod/y/. (300)
The essences from example (i), /e/, /o/ and /u/, that is, words like “bell” and
“yellow”, “buzzing” and “bumped”, and drawing” and buzzing” draw the reader’s
attention and reinforces rhythm in the text. In example (ii) /o/ and /a/ gives the expression
melodies tune which suggests the good mood of the speaker. Example (iii), assonance /o/
sound is used to picture the atmosphere. The assonance sound /i/ encapsulates the
thinning fragile body of Beatrice. The assonance /r/ also creates a music tune.
2.1.2 Alliteration
sounds occurring in initial words are sequentially arranged to give musicality. There are
there (112).
ii. The /g/ardener /h/ad /s/aid it was a /h/armless /g/arden /s/nake (114)
iii. (……..) each /s/mack of the /s/wtich /s/wift and precise (110).
iv. It was early rainy season, and the frangipani tree planted next to the walls
already filled the yard with the /s/ickly - /s/weet /s/cent of their flowers (17).
The example (i) has alliterative sound: approximant /w/ repeated sequentially and
in example (ii) plosive /g/, fricative /h/ and fricative /s/ give the sentence musical tune.
Example (iii) and (iv) have fricative alveolar voiced /s/ sound without consonant clusters
allow for smooth and musicality in the reading of the novel. The alliteration sound in
example (iii) suggest the swirling and fast movement of the “switch” as it fell on the
victims while some sound enhance our sense of perception of the “flowers” in example
(iv). The alliterative sound which is approximant bilabial /w/ sound combine with words
with initial nasal bilabial voiced /m/ signal the sharp taste of the salt in Kambili’s mouth.
Alliteration, when properly used complement meaning in the context it has been used.
2.1.3 Onomatopoeia
grammar to mean words that imitate the sounds they denote. It forms some basic set of
Adichie suggests meaning in the context they are use. For example:
i. Amaka chanted, “Flush, flush, flush,” while I struggle to break free. (134)
ii. Aunty Ifeoma was scraping a burnt pot in the kitchen, and the kroo-kroo-
kroo
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iii. Papa turned into the dirt road, and soon I heard the screech- screech-screech
of the low underbelly of Mercedes scraping the bumpy, sun-baked dirt road
(63).
The first example with “flush, flush, flush” has a co-relation with the context of
its usage. The onomatopoeic word “flush” arouses the picture of ordure in the reader’s
mind. In example two (ii) the word “kroo-kroo-kroo” made by a spoon when scratching
dryness of the dirt that touch the bottom of the car, this suggest that the road is not tarred
2.1.4 Stress/Rhythm
Both terms to a large extent are inseparable because the use of one suggests the
inherent in the production of certain word or syllable which can also affect meaning and
produce rhythm, while rhythm is a regular strong beats with repeated patterns of sounds
or movements. Abrams explains the two terms as “A shift in stress-that is, of relative
occur at regular interval, for hits reason, English speech is described as highly
rhythmical, and in the regular occurrence of stress syllable, rhythm is observable. Stress
is a matter of prominence often realized in length, loudness, pitch and quality. These
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reiterate some salient quality of rhythm in Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. The stressed that
i. THINGS started to FALL aPART at HOME when MY brother jaJA did NOT
When some important fact is placed first in a sentence, there is the tendency that
such sentence will end with an unstressed syllable, as observable in the above example.
ii. Our STEPS on THE stairs WERE as MEAsured AND as Silent AS our
SUNdays: (39).
In the above example, the sentence starts with an unstressed or less important and
also ends in a fallen rhythm (unstressed). But in the following example, the rhythm is
placed on the important facts or themes of the sentences which are placed at the initial or
In addition, sentence whose end carries essential information is often stressed and
accompanied with a high rhythm. That is, sentence begins and ends in a fall-rise rhythm.
For instance:
For the examples, we see how stress and lexical items that carry central message
is used to modulate rhythm. The examples given above may not account for all others
stresses. Patterns in Purple Hibiscus, but, there is the tendency that Adichie purposely
used some lexical items that follows the pulse of stress patterns or syllables sequence
which produce rhythm, in respect to where the central message lies. In example (i) and
(iii), the significance of a rise – fall rhythm produces the effect of anticlimaxes. While
example (ii) and (iv) have interrelated meanings. The “steps on the stairs” asserts the
silentness of Sundays in Achike’s family. The picture painted by the effect of the
“Howling winds” to “yard” is vehemently essential and just like “steps on the stairs were
measure” is symbolic.
phonological features affected by sharp, harsh and aggressive tone and mood stand at the
Graphology is the study of the written forms of languages. Graphology is not the
first form of languages; it usually exists first in the spoken (phonological) form before its
There are numerous graphological features in Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus, that is,
some are internal while others are external deviations. This study only considers few of
2.2.1 Capitalization
Capitalization is a letter of the form and size that is used at the beginning of a sentence or
a name, that is, the use of large letter, as opposed to a small letter at the first alphabet in a
word, sentence and paragraph. In Purple Hibiscus, Adichie follows the usual convention
in capitalization such as; beginning each sentence with a capital letter and proper names.
i. She wore the same white T-shirt with GOD IS LOVE written on the front.
(42)
ii. Papa’s title was Omelora, after all, The One Who Does for the community.
(64)
NSUKKA. (118)
iv. The green sign outside the Church was lit with white lights. The words ST.
to twinkle as Amaka and I walked into the incense – scented Church (118).
These are few among enormous use of capitalization in the novel. The
capitalizations foreground the words which in turn make the meanings vivid. For
example (i), foreground word ”GOD IS LOVE” is ironical in the novel as Eugene, who
sees himself righteous and epitome of God’s Love maltreats his wife, Beatrice and
Children Jaja and Kambili in reciprocating this, Beatrice poison Eugene. Example ii,
foreground “The One Who Does”, the use of initial capitals lay emphasis on the
“Omelora” (Igbo). In example iii, the capital letters used point to the place of the sign-
post as the location of the referent. The capital letters in (iv), serve same purpose like that
2.2.2 Italicization
Italics are printed letters that lean to the right, that is, slightly slanted form like
handwriting, used in printed text. The use of italics emphasizes and highlights the
beyond the explicit meaning of words, phrases and sentences italicized. Purple Hibiscus
is a domestic novel with a view of a family life of influential wealthy Igbo man, Eugene
Adichie. To depict the domestic culture and tradition influences, Adichie uses italics to
i. “Nne, ngwa – Mama was already making me Ofe nsala (22 – 23)
ii. “ke kwanu?” - I asked, although I did not need to ask how he was doing.
(19).
In the examples above, Adichie does not translate the Igbo words nor there is
glossary that the back of the novel which puzzle readers’ at their meaning. These
untranslated expressions in the novel also account for the use of code-mixing and code-
switching in about 45% conversations in the novel, but there are some expression
iii. “Umu m,” – she said, hugging us. “My Children”. (42)
iv. Papa thumped my back while Mama rubbed my shoulders and said, “Ozugo.
The use of native dialect of course is intended in order to keep the readers’
consciousness at alert on the use, as to contrast with that of English by isolating them
vi. Papa himself would have a block face when I looked at him, the kind of
expression he had in the photo when they did the big story on him after
vii. His seventeen-year old face had grown lines; they zigzagged across his
forehead, and inside each line a dark tension had crawled in (19).
viii. But what we Nigerians needed was not soldiers ruling us, what we needed
The italicized are: Standard, Amnesty World, zigzagged and renewed democracy.
agency for social criticism. Standard’s editor, Ade Coker allows the publisher, Eugene
Achike’s extreme egoism to push him to violent death. Example vii, Amnesty world is
italicized to emphasize the significant of the award that is human right award puts
Eugene Adichie in the picture of human right activist and philanthropist. Example viii,
zigzagged is italicized to highlight the anger on the face of Jaja (imagery). Example ix,
different italicized expressions are very important as they emphasize, highlight and show
a stronger level of implicature. For example, in example (i) “Ofe nsala” in italics
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indicates a special meal and perhaps Kambili’s favourite food. Moreso, standard in (vi)
and Renewed Democracy in (ix) portrays the challenges of mass media in developing
countries like Nigeria, especially under military rule. Renewed Democracy portrays
Adichie’s political perspective which initiates the use of the italicized expression. The
Punctuation marks are signs, marks or symbols that separate words, phrases,
Punctuation marks are not only used to signal intonation, they are as well as use to guide
the stream of consciousness in a written text or avoid ambiguity and in a way to signal
intended meaning. Punctuation marks can play an essential stylistic role in a text. The use
of punctuation marks undiscriminatorily can mar cohesion and coherence of text, but
Hibiscus a lot of punctuation marks are used such as: full stop, comma, semi-colon,
The full stop is used at the end of a sentence, often to say there is any other
The usefulness of full stop to stylistics is how it is used in a text. Adichie uses this
meaningfully to inculcate both explicit and implicit meanings into the readers of Purpose
i. “They brought the cashew juice this afternoon. It tastes good. I am sure it will
sell,” (20)
ii. Something would happen. But the only thing that happened was choking. My
body shook from the coughing. Papa and Mama rushed over. Papa thumped
coughing.” (22)
The use of the full stop shows the great. Consciousness of the characters,
Beatrice, Kambili struggling to varnish tense silent that exists in an attempt to satisfy
Papa, her speeches observe occasional long pause. For instance, in example i, “It tastes
good.” and “I am sure it will sell,” are separated by full stop to give independent
information of each. “The cashew juice” ought to unite and allow words of
encouragement to Papa but Jaja fails to do this, which makes the dining table to be tense
and prevent free flowing of expression without pauses. In example ii, the use of full stop
It is a sign or mark use to represent a short pause in written text in order moderate
the reading, pace of the readers. The use of comma in Purple Hibiscus has a stylistic role,
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and serves some purposes for Adichie’s use of complex sentences, as the following
examples:
i. Papa always sat in the front few for Mass, at the end beside the middle aside,
ii. Even the babies stopped crying, as if they, too, were listening. (13)
iii. I closed my eyes, sat still, waiting to hear him call Jaja, to hear Jaja go into his
room. (17)
Comma, that is, the use of asyndeton, is employ to prevent frequent use of
polysyndeton conjunctions, which of course bring out stylistic effect in a written text.
Thus, it is observable in example (i ), that comma reduces volume of a text. And also, it
use of comma in example ii, points to unusual subject of discussion. In example iii, each
pause in the process of an action is that of nervousness. The use of comma displaces
polysyndeton, that is, conjunctive cohesion. The use of comma economized verbosity but
Semi-colon is a half colon consisting of comma a full stop on top of the comma,
that is, (;). The mark is used to separate the parts of a complicated sentence or items in a
detailed list, showing a pause that is longer than a comma but shorter than a full stop.
i. The standard, too, was different; it was more critical, more questioning than it
used to be (35).
ii. The plus rug that sank in when you step on it was plain cream; the curtains
had only a little brown embroidery at the edges; the cream leather armchair
need. That is, to describe the parts of a whole that are closely related rather than highly
divisible. Hence, example (i), does not only informed us of the uniqueness of the
standard but tells us the particular domain in which the standard is different though the
use of semi-colon. The standard is inquisitive, daring and unbiased which reflects the
author’s perspective of a genuine but forceful culture that runs the risk of being truncated
short sound, word or phrase spoken suddenly to express an emotion. The exclamation
mark is used to indicate strong assertions and varied emotions. In Adichie Purple
i. “Chineke! I thank you for this new morning! I thank you for the sun that
rises.” (174).
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ii. “Neke! Neke! Neke! Kambili and Jaja have come to greet their old father!” (72)
and form of appreciation for unmerited favour. In example (ii), the exclamation marks
assert a meaning beyond the mere expression of surprise, such as ‘unbelief’ because
Eugene had banned his children from visiting their grandfather, whom he considered a
pagan. The exclamation is used to capture the surprise and the repetition of “Neke!”
thrice with exclamation marks show how strong the emotion is and re-enforce the
surprise. Example (iii) the exclamation mark used to show the ignorant of the character
regarding subject of discussion, while example (iv) expresses extreme surprise that calls
for celebration. Adichie uses exclamation marks to reflect character’s emotions, which
Ellipsis is a three dots (…) used to show that a world or words have been
deliberately left out. It is the convention of using three dots to show an omitted part of a
texts or sentences. There are two forms of ellipsis in grammar: anaphoric and cataphoric
textual reference, that is, ellipsis refers either to the information before or after it. For
examples:
iii. I did not want to look at Amaka, did not want to see her scrawl, did not want
to prompt her to say something else to me, because I knew I could not keep up
(177).
The ellipsis in example (i) is an anaphoric one. It is used to prevent repetition and
it also signals the helplessness of Aunty Ifeoma. The ellipsis use in example (ii) is
repeated twice while the first person pronounce thrice indicate dishonest in the speaker’s
speech. The example (iii) is a grammatical ellipsis with lexical item (I) as omitted at the
beginning of the consequent clauses in the text. It is used to avoid unnecessary repetition
in the sentence.
2.2.4 Paragraphs
Adichie does not separate occurrence of events with chapter numbers rather she
uses paragraphs to dissect the concatenation of incidents in the novel. A paragraph can
consist of one; or more sentences with one or two or more description to differentiate it
from others. The paragraphs in Purple Hibiscus are varied in length. The essential thing
formulate the emphatic aim of each information. The first sentence in each paragraph
i. Things started to fall apart at home when my brother, Jaja, did not go to
communion and Papa flung his heavy missal across the room and broke the
ii. After mass, we stood outside the Church entrance; waiting while Papa greeted
iii. When we finally turned into the dirt road with the hand-painted sign that read
chaos. (278)
The example (i), is the opening paragraph of the novel, and the excerpt is the
opening sentence of the paragraph. The first sentence is loaded with compressed
the entire story of Purple Hibiscus. The example (ii) serves as introduction to preceding
paragraph which goes on to describe the nature of greetings between Papa’s and the
Church members. The example (iii), tells the reader what to expect in the paragraph with
the use of “chaos”. The following sentence explains the chaos, in details. Each paragraph
has a logical connection and the one that preceded it, which can be combined but Adichie
does hits significantly, perhaps for quick changes in thoughts and incidents. Moreso, to
highlight or emphasize their importance, so that, no detail should skip the reader’s
paragraphs. The use of graphological features not only aids proper understanding of
giving information through structural and physical arrangement but also carry with them
implicative meanings. Adichie uses these features stylistically in passing her message to
the reader.
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CHAPTER THREE
smaller entities which can be called an immediate constituent. These constituent units or
entities can be classified into words, phrases and clauses. Syntax also depends on
morphology. In other words, syntax deals with correct arrangement of words to form
This section discusses the syntactic levels of Purple Hibiscus by Adichie. The
levels are word, word clusters, phrases, clause, clause structure, sentence complexities,
kinds of sentence and parallel structure. Words, phrases and clauses will be analyzed
3. 1. 1 Words
accounts for itself. The analysis of word is not specifically concerned with the study of
individual words meanings, but generally, the system of choice of words used by Adichie
in relation to actions and events in the novel. Although, Adichie uses familiar words,
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with conventional use of word about eighty (80%) percent of the entire words are
i. “Here are my sins. I lied two times. I broke the Eucharistic fast once. I lost
concentration during the rosary three times. For all I have said and for all I
have forgotten to say, I beg pardon from your hands and the hands of
God.” (113)
From the above extract, it is clear that Adichie avoid the use of Latin words that
would have been easily fit-in and almost all the words used in the novel have denotative
meaning. The only word that may not be familiar to English speakers (who are not
Another use of words that brings out the aesthetics of stylistics is the use of Igbo
words (dialect). This takes the remaining ten (10) percent of the total words in the novel,
that is, unfamiliar to Non-Igbo speakers. The Igbo words are that of eastern part of
Nigeria. But they would have hamper understanding without literary translation and if
used out of contexts rather than they have been used. For example:
i. “Ke kwanu?” I asked, although I did not need to ask how he was doing (19).
ii. “Ezi Okwu?” Papa – Nnukwu looked up, his milky eye on Father Amadi. “is
The two examples above have literary translation of the Igbo (dialect) words.
Adichie used these words intentionally to identify herself as being a member of particular
World clusters is the use of group of words written together to form a single unit.
A cluster word can be replaced with a single word. A cluster word can occur in any of the
sentence slot (S.V.O.C.A.) word cluster is set of words which are very compatible
especially in terms of meaning. In Purple Hibiscus by Adichie has many word clusters
then single words. Adichie uses words cluster basically for emphatic and explicit aims
and in contexts where the meaning and effect of a cluster surpasses that of a single word.
i. She was caressing my cornrows; she likes to do that, to trace the way strands
of hair from different parts of my scalp meshed and held together (23).
ii. We left shortly afterwards, a little sooner than on the usual visit to Father
Benedict (39).
Example (i) is a verb clusters and example (ii) is adverb. These words clusters can
be replaced with the following single words. For example (i) interwove, (ii) immediately.
Adichie uses of cluster words are deliberate for rhetorical purposes. In example (i)
“stretches of gleaming marble” not only describing the nature of the floor but also the
Phrase is a group of words without a finite verb. It is also a syntactic unit that is
not a clause but has some words among which there is a head. Phrases are constituents of
sentences which account for complexity of sentences. Adichie uses different kind of
Noun phrase is a combination of words which has noun as its head. In Purple Hibiscus,
Adichie uses noun phrases through combination of nouns and/or preposition. For
examples:
ii. Gold – yellow lights of kerosene lamps flickered from behind windows
and on verandahs of home, like the eyes of hundreds of wild cats (246 –
247)
“of Kerosene Lamps”. The second part underline is also post-modified with “of hundred
of wild cats”. The use of noun phrases gives additional information in the contexts of
their usage. The complex noun phrase in example (ii) where noun heads are rephrased to
give a vivid picture, to explain or to disambiguate ambiguity that may arise leads to
another level of meaning like metaphor or allusion- “the eyes of hundreds of wild cats”.
36
i. They would stay there until next Ash Wednesday, when we would take the
ii. I had only to look at him. His seventeen-year old face had grown lines; they
zigzagged across his forehead, and inside each line a dark tension had crawled
in (19).
The examples above are mostly that of modal auxiliary and lexical verbs. In
example (i) the verb phrase underline are present – progressive. Example (ii) is perfective
aspect which describes a state resulting from something which is already completed. This
is as a result of conflict that engenders in the novel; it enlightens the reader of sudden
Prepositional phrase is the use of a preposition(s) with other words (usually noun)
in a sentence. Prepositional phrases account for the complex sentences found in Purple
drawn lines, in black ink, cut across each day, separating study from
37
siesta, siesta from family time, family time from eating, eating from
ii. We ate on the verandah, although it was almost as hot as the kitchen
(268).
There are lots of prepositional phrases uses by Adichie to link series of events
together. The persistent link between noun phrase (NP) and prepositional phrase (PP)
3. 1. 5 Clause
A clause is a group of words which consists of a subject and a verb which forms a
are more elaborate compare to phrases and can be distinguished from other elements of
syntax. Clauses are also part of complex sentence. Adichie uses different kinds of clauses
i. Things started to fall apart at home when my brother, Jaja, did not go to
communion (11).
ii. I had been teetering on that boundary that divides sleep and wakefulness,
imagining Papa Coming to get us himself, imagining the rage in his red-tinged
The word “when” introduces the nominal clauses, that is, a dependent. It gives
3.1.6 Sentence
Simple sentence is a sentence comprising only one value. It can be divided into
subject and predicate. The predicate can consists of auxiliary verb and main verb
(operator) and a constituent which completes the predicate. Adichie uses this to give
iv. “The grasshoppers make that sound with their wings” (287) – SVOCs
The simple sentences above contain clauses which can be analyzed into S.V.O.
C.A. elements or structures. Their function is very significant as they are declarative
sentences.
“but” “nor” among others and sometimes “comma” conjoined clauses to form compound
i. I could have seemed dramatic if someone else had done it, but with him it was
not (36)
ii. He looked sideway to see if Jaja and I were singing and nodded approvingly
iii. When people recounted tales of digging up hair tufts or when relatives
The use of these coordinators bring cohesion and coherence to the text and aid
understanding of the story. Moreso, the compound sentences are either use to Juxtapose
number of complex sentences beginning with subordinate clauses that is, starting a
this aids Adichie’s presentation of thoughts and events as they stream from her memory.
For examples:
ii. Above, clouds like dyed cotton wool hang low,/so low I feel/ I can reach out
The example (i) is made up of main clause and subordinate clause while example
(ii) is made up of two dependents and one independent. In example (iii) below, there are
iii. Mama shook her head and smiled,/the indulgent smile that stretched across
relatives suggested she consult a witch doctor,/or when people recounted tales
of digging up hair, tufts and animal bones wrapped in cloth/that had been
The subordinate clauses are introduce which “when”, “who” and “that”
i. When I thought of affection between them,/I thought of them exchanging the sign
of peace at Mass,/the way Papa would hold her tenderly in his arms/after they
The sentence has four clauses, comprising two main clauses and two subordinate
clauses. There are two subordinate clauses, one starting and second ending the sentence
and the two main clauses at the middle joined with implied “and” by the use of comma.
The two main or central clauses hold the greater information which stand as the base
from where the speaker’s belief, between the subordinate clauses are drawn.
42
there is a relation between the two words: lexis and semantic or in other words, words
and meanings. Lexis is a term used for the vocabulary of a language or languages,
consisting especially of its stock of lexemes. Semantics on the other hand is defined by
Abrams as “the study of the meaning of words and the combination of words in phrases,
sentence, and larger linguistics units” (174). Semantics simply put is the study of both
deep and surface meaning of words, phrases and sentences, that is, their denotations,
language. A figurative language makes use of figures of speech like metaphor etc. It is
an instance of lexical and semantic deviations. Figurative language is grouped under two
3.2.1 Schemes
Scheme is defined by Abrams (from the Greek word for “form”), in which the
departure from standard usage is not primarily in the meaning of the words, but in the
43
order or syntactical pattern of the words.” (119). Schemes are subdivided into
Tropes is defined by The Oxford Companion Dictionary to the English language as “In
rhetoric, both an express that deviates from the natural and literal through a change in
meaning, often with a pleasing effect, and the device or technique that makes such a
change possible” (967). A scheme deviates from standards norms in order of words but
not in meaning. The following schemes are identified in Purple Hibiscus; anaphora,
3.2.1.1 Anaphora
i. Papa always sat in front pew for Mass, at the end beside the middle aisle,
ii. It showed even it eh schedules themselves, the way his meticulously drawn
lines, in blank ink, cut across each day, separating study from siesta, siesta
from family time, family time from eating, eating from prayer, prayer from
iii. The blood was watery, flowing from Mama, flowing from my eyes. (43)
44
There are lots instances in the novel. Adichie use of anaphora does not only serve
the grammatical function of referring back to antecedent but also the literary function of
repetition for rhetorical purposes. For example (i), there is a use of pronoun (him) to
refers to Papa. In example (ii), there are the repetitive patterns of the noun phrase, while
example (iii), the infinitive (ing) repeats serves the anaphoric references. The repetitive
example (i) and in example (ii), the monotony of life is suggested. Example (iii), arouses
in reader sympathy. The use of anaphora allows the reader to observe the narrative
psychology of a child which Adichie adopts through the repetitive patterns used for
rhetorical purposes.
3.2.1.2 Antithesis
successive units are put in contrast. In other words, it is an opposition in the meaning of
two words, phrases or clauses place side-by-side. Instance of this in Purple Hibiscus are:
i. We did not scale the rod because we believed we could, we scaled it because
3.2.1.3 Parallelism
Parallelism is a similar word order and structure that is, a parallel syntactic
structure of two or more phrases and clauses as a single sentence. Parallelism is scheme
of repetition in semantics used to reinstate what has been said in a different way, but,
ii. “This is what our people say to the High God, the Chukwu,”
In the first example (i), “takes it well” ahs the same meaning with “hides it well”.
This means Papa Nnukwu pretends to appear not offended but actually he is. In example
(ii), “the High God” also means “Chukwu”. This is to acquaint the reader that the
traditionalist (Papa-Nnukwu) also has the knowledge of the western “High God” which
he sees as the same with his. The significance of the repetition is for rhetorical emphasis.
The expressions are foregrounded so as to make the information vivid and closer to the
reader’s mind.
3.2.2 Tropes
deviates from the natural and literal norms of language to effect a conspicuous deviant of
Adichie uses tropes in Purple Hibiscus effectively and stylistically. Tropes such
as; metaphor, paradox and synecdoche in the novel shall be analyzed and how Adichie
creates them linguistically for rhetorical purpose to bring out aesthetics of stylistics.
3.2.2.1 Metaphor
language to compare, describe and emphasize her intended meaning. For examples:
i. – the words GOD IS LOVE crawled over her sagging breast (15).
ii. The last time, only two weeks ago, when her swollen eye was still the black –
“Crawl”. The words “GOD IS LOVE” stands for the belief which has set the characters
in bondage. In example (ii), the sense of a “swollen eye” is compared with the perception
of “the black – purple colour of an overripe avocado”. There is a shift from human
anatomy to that of plant to pass meaning. From the context and through the vivid
comparison, the reader is conscious of the victim’s plight through our sense of sight.
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3.2.2.2 Paradox
A paradox is a statement, that is, at first sight seems to be completely untrue and
contradictory, but when looked closely reveals truth and fact. Examples of paradox in
The two examples appear at the surface having contradicting, but, at a deeper
level of meaning, they are not contradicting. (Negative) “Anger” example (i), is said to
be “alien and refreshing” (+, positive) is a contradiction. But on the contrary, anger does
make Kambili fees less endearment towards Fr. Amadi, and so eases her passion of love.
Hence, to her, anger is positive. In example (ii) the trope is of contradiction (that is, P =
(addressee’s) reluctance. These are some of the purposes of Adichie use of paradox.
3.2.2.3 Synecdoche
Synecdoche is a trope of substitution, that is, figurative words are substituted for literal
i. They were quizzical eyes, eyes that asked many questions and did not accept
In the above example, “eye” represents the whole being (of Amaka) who asks
“many questions” and “not accept many answers”. Adichie uses “eyes” because through
Adichie to affect the reader positively, through engaging the reader’s sense of intuition in
affiliation with the physical reality of life. So far schemes and tropes in Adichie’s Purple
CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION
Adichie’s debut encompasses the totality of life, presented through the following
aspects; languages, society and experience, which a stylistic analysis also need to
evaluates a literary text. The language of the novel is written in formal English Language,
but there are instance of code-mixing and code-switching of English and the Igbo
language. Some Igbo expressions are restated in English language in which there is a
literary translation. Sentence vary in length, form a single word “Fear”, to compound, to
complex and to compound – complex sentences. The society portrays in Purple Hibiscus
is that Nigeria society, in which events in the novel are confined within the South-East
Region of the Igbo society, particularly in Nsukka, Enugu and Aba. The novel covers the
period shortly before the coup in 1993 that ushered in the dictatorial military regime and
grows within the period in the novel. Adichie as a grown-up adopts a child psychology of
narration to keep abreast with the era of certain social and political events in Nigeria.
Adichie childhood experience has influence her thoughts, words and even her actions as a
grown-up. These experiences are embedded in the themes: a conflict between traditional
and importer western religions, the tyrannical reign of the dictator in a military regime
and the repressive rule of religiously fanatical father in the family, dysfunctional
50
academic institutions among others. The novel is the aesthetic stylistics creation of the
verisimilitude of life through language. Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus captures the whole
procedures and aspects of language, society and experience in its creativity. Stylistics
investigates the unique pattern in which a writer relays on a story. Hence, stylistics does
not follow the ordering of events in the story neither does it discuss them all nor replaced
the original story. Rather stylistic though coherent in analyses, graphology, phonology,
syntax and Lexico-semantics should account for the coherence and ordering of the work
having read the primary text it can still be explicitly understandable and reliable.
story, but also, on being able to manipulate language stylistically for aesthetics which
Magazines. This, Adichie does that through her skills, knowledge and ability to captivate
the audience, affect their emotions and enthuse them to a satisfactory end. These are done
through embellishments and stylistic deviations from common grammatically norms for
rhetorical purposes.
expressive end already mentioned. In this study, the four levels of stylistic analysis have
words, words clusters, phrasal types, types of clauses, and types of sentences. While the
Lexico-semantic levels of analysis is divided into schemes and tropes. Under schemes:
anaphora, antithesis, paralipsis and parallelism. And tropes include metaphor, paradox
and synecdoche. These different levels of linguistics and stylistic features are
appropriately and effectively utilized to facilitate the reader’s understanding, too, reveals
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