Purple Hibiscus

The natural world flourishes throughout the novel, imbuing scenes and creating character interconnectedness. The purple hibiscus represents hope for a harmonious fusion of past and present to create a kinder, more tolerant future.

The hibiscus is symbolic of hospitality and “old royalty,” and is meant to bring power and respect. It is a special gift to one who is loved and admired, holds a meaning of the immortality of love, and is said to have a calming effect. In the novel, “old royalty” alludes to the ancestral heritage slipping away at the hands of intruders. Power and respect correspond to the commanding presence in public and private realms, and the hospitable flower planted in personal gardens welcomes visitors in both Papa and Aunty Ifeoma’s gardens.

Papa’s red hibiscus represents a fierce energy, whereas Aunty Ifeoma’s purple hibiscus, which is a “deep shade of purple that [i]s almost blue” (128) tempers that ferocity with the calm stability of blue to create an energy forged from the old ways. This idea can be applied to both the novel’s familial and communal worlds, both of which are traveling at a rapid pace toward a distinctly different future. For example, when soldiers tug at the hibiscus’s red blossoms, they identify with its energy.

Red and blue can also signify the two distinct worlds of old and new blending to form a harmonious world. Jaja transplants the purple hibiscus as a gift to his family and an emblem of what the family and world can be—one of cooperation and inclusion as opposed to one of only “one color” and one way. This flower’s hue, which arrives as a result of experimentation, directly mirrors external factors.

Purple is also associated with power, wisdom, and rarity, so it’s fitting that Jaja most closely identifies with these qualities. Jaja wants to adopt the male role of protecting his family, especially the women, and he will gain power as the next patriarchal figure, one who has grown increasingly wise and brings a new spirituality to the world.