In Purple Hibiscus, Adichie resists the idea that “[w]e teach girls to shrink themselves…, and boys to fear weakness” by creating characters that defy gender stereotypes such as Aunty Ifeoma, Obiora, Mama, and Jaja. Aunty Ifeoma is a larger than life character who regularly defies gender stereotypes. One example of Ifeoma’s defiance of stereotypes comes when she is speaking with her friend, Chiaku. Chiaku asks Aunty Ifeoma if the truth will provide for their families, to which Aunty Ifeoma responds with a “blaze in her eyes” (Adichie 223). This “blaze in her eyes” represents how Aunty Ifeoma in angry with the corruption in Nigeria and specifically how it is being reflected in the University of Nigeria. Chiaku embodies how women are taught to be silent, but Aunty Ifeoma defies this tradition. By wanting to spread the truth about the corruption in Nigeria, not only is Aunty Ifeoma making her voice heard, but she is risking her life to do so. Aunty Ifeoma is also the breadwinner in her household after the death of her husband, but…show more content… Jaja is heavily oppressed by Papa throughout his childhood and only begins to discover himself in Nsukka. When Kambili is visiting Jaja in jail, she notes his shoulders that “bloomed in Nsukka, that grew wide and capable” (300). Jaja’s shoulders blossoming represents how he grew and discovered himself while in Nsukka. Jaja falls in love with the beautiful purple hibiscus flowers that live in Aunty Ifeoma’s garden even though gardening isn’t viewed as a manly profession. During his time in Nsukka, Jaja also learns to stand up for himself and defy Papa. Jaja is raised in such a way that he never learned to think for himself, but as soon as Papa is dead he blames himself for not protecting Mama sooner. Believing that he has to be the leader of the family as a teenager ultimately leads to Jaja being jailed for his mother’s
