Purple Rebellion by Alice Walker and Chimamanda Adichie

Abstract

The comparative study of The Color Purple and Purple Hibiscus finds its argument first in the substantive commonality in their titles: purple, which though a paratextual tool, melts in the texts. Second, the books are stories of veiled (un)common forms of oppression into which purple stands as a symbol in a patriarchal atmosphere purporting social constraints, silence and abidance to religious norms. They portray scenes of sexual, generational and religious conflicts coupled with maturity impulses as well, concomitantly building the oppressive social purpleness and overturning it in a constructive way. This paper relies on semiotics and feminist (womanism and radicalism) theory to hold the assumption that male domination has been taking place over time and space and that it relies on some symbols. Oppressed Women and children can overturn these symbols and build communities for symbolic and relational liberation.