PORTRAYAL OF AFRICAN CULTURE IN CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE’S PURPLE HIBISCUS AND AKACHI ADIMORA-EZEIGBO’S ROSES AND BULLETS.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. Background to the Study

Edward B. Taylor is reputed as the scholar who first coined and defined culture in his
work Primitive Culture (1871). Taylor saw culture as that complex whole which includes
knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs or any other capabilities and habits acquired by man
as a member of society. This definition captures the exhaustive nature of culture. Bello sees it as
"the totality of the way of life evolved by a people in their attempts to meet the challenge of
living in their environment, which gives order and meaning to their social, political, economic,

aesthetic and religious norms thus distinguishing a people from their neighbours" (189). Culture
serves to distinguish a people from others, and Aziza asserts that: Culture...refers to the totality
of the pattern of behaviour of a particular group of people. It includes everything that makes
them distinct from any other group of people for instance, their greeting habits, dressing, social
norms and taboos, food, songs and dance patterns, rites of passages from birth, through marriage
to death, traditional occupations, religious as well as philosophical beliefs (37).
In this research, we shall be dealing with African culture and drawing examples from Nigerian
culture. It is true that based on the consideration of culture as that which marks a people out from
other groups, one can rightly say that there are many cultures in Africa. Africa is inhabited by
various ethnic nationalities with their different languages, modes of dressing, eating, dancing and
even greeting habits. But in spite of their various cultures, Africans do share some dominant
traits in their belief systems and have similar values that mark them out from other peoples of the
world. A Nigerian culture, for instance, would be closer to, say, a Ghanaian culture on certain
cultural parameters than it would be to the orientalCulture of the Eastern world, or the Western
culture of Europe.

It is true that culture is universal and that each local or regional manifestation
of it is unique.This element of uniqueness in every culture is often described as cultural
variation. The cultures of traditional African societies, together with their value systems and
beliefs are close, even though they vary slightly from one another. These slight variations only
exist when we compare an African culture with others. Certainly, African cultures differ vastly
from the cultures of other regions or continents. And we believe there is no need to over-labour
this point since there are sufficient similarities to justify our usage of the term "African culture".
Here we would be sure to find a world of differences and diversity in beliefs, values and culture
generally. Using Nigerian culture for instance, Antia writes that "Nigerians always behave

differently from the French, or Chinese, or Americans or Indians, because Nigerian beliefs,
values and total thinking are different from those of the French, Chinese, Americans or the
Indians" (17).

1.2.Statement of the Problem:

While African literature has a rich history of portraying cultural aspects, the specific portrayals
can vary. This project investigates how ChimamandaNgoziAdichie'sPurple Hibiscus and
AkachiAdimora-Ezeigbo'sRoses and Bullets depict African culture, considering both the
traditions andtensions that may be highlighted within each novel.

1.2. Aim and Objectives

This study aims to analyze and understand the portrayal of African culture in Chimamanda
Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus and AkachiEzeigbo'sRoses and Bullets, by examining both the
traditional aspects and the tensions that arise in the context of cultural representation.
The objectives of the study are:

To identify and analyze the key elements of African culture depicted in each novel, suchas;

Social structures and family dynamics
Religious beliefs and practices
Traditional customs and ceremonies
Artistic expressions (music, storytelling)
Cousines and recipes (foods and drinks)

To examine how these cultural elements contribute to the narratives and character development in Purple Hibiscus and Roses and Bullets.
To analyze the portrayal of tensions that may exist within the cultural representations,
such as:

Traditional values vs. modernity
Gender roles and expectations
Colonial influences and their impact
Generational differences

1.4. Significance of the Study
1. This study plays a very important role in showing the richness and complexity of African
culture through the lens of literature.
2. By examining how these novels depict traditions, beliefs and social structures, the study
can help document and preserve these aspects of African culture.
3. The study will also help us to know the role of male and female genders in an African

4. By examining the novels, we will see the challenges that are faced by women in an
African society.
5. The study will also help us to know the challenges and impacts of colonialism on African
culture.

1.5. Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is...

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