Both Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Persepolis my Marjane Satrapi

depict the lives of two girl and their growth through young age in oppressive regimented
countries. Both authors use rebellion, religion (and repression that goes with it), appearance
and silence to question or subvert norms, conventions or traditions.

Persepolis explore the integration between religion and modernity as well as the impact of
religious oppression and those who must bear it. At the beginning of the novel Marji
describes herself a “deeply religious”, wanting to be “a prophet”. “Deep down I was very
religious but as a family we were very modern and avant-garde.” Satrapi’s use of
juxtaposition imposes the question- can one really be religious and have a modern outlook?
Or is religion old fashion and set in strict ways? Despite that fact “her” religion is a form of
freedom for herself; an escape into a fantasy. Seeing herself as the last prophet entertaining
the ideas of social equality, aid for the weak, the end of suffering and the fact that everyone
should have a car. For Marji, religion and modernity are not incompatible.

However, the revolution- that had many Iranian supporters who wanted freedom from the
violently oppressive rule they were under from the shah which unfortunately ended up
bringing to control a system of traditionalist hardliners who saw western styles as
antipathetic with Islam. The new government’s imposition of laws regulating all behavior on
religious grounds (essentially criminalizing western behavior and items), causing Marji to
lose her religion or in other terms rejecting it. She yells at God, ''Shut up and get out of my
life, I never want to see you again.” This imperative being said after the execution of her
uncle Anoosh by the revolutionaries with God disappearing for the rest of the novel. She
uses such strong conviction when saying this ultimately conveying to the reader that she is
so upset, so distraught that God (or religion for that matter) is repudiated. She went from
wanting to be this great, holy, last prophet to casting aside religion altogether from her life.

In Purple Hibiscus, the battle between Catholicism and traditional Igbo (Paganism) played a
strong role in shaping Kambili’s family including the harsh feelings Eugene felt about
religion that ultimately threatened to end their family and their lives. “Things started to fall
apart when my brother, Jaja did not go to communion and Papa flung his heavy missal across
the room and broke the figurines on the étagère”. The. British colonization of Nigeria left the
country divided between the two religions, upper-class citizens (such as Eugene) tending to
side with Catholicism with Eugene being a main representative of a Fundamentalist Nigeria
throughout the book. Within this national divide Adichie uses the dichotomy between Aunty
Ifeoma and Eugene to express those Nigerians who wanted to release the influence of
Catholicism and revert to traditional Igbo with her carefree spirit and easy-going ways;
contrasting with Eugene’s strict nature reflecting the ideals of the “elite” who want to hold
some resemblance of power that they had. In Enugu the only path Kambili and Jaja could
follow was Papa’s. His overbearing, authoritarian nature had Kambili and Jaja repressed into
a form of submission without question. However, when they go visit Aunty Ifeoma in
Nsukka they could question authority and choose their own path to follow. Here is when we
see Jaja to really question his life and decisions, leading to him rejecting the oppressive
religion he was brought up with. Just like in Persepolis rejecting due to the force upon which
it was pressured on them.
As a result of their oppressed living environment both novels protagonists have had to live
with silence. In Purple Hibiscus Kambili and Jaja have had to develop their own ‘secret
language’, a wordless way of communicating to each other through eye contact. “Speaking
with our spirits” is a metaphor or more specifically a metonymy- instead of using with our
eyes, Adichie uses spirits to emphasize the bond Kambili and Jaja share-coming from deep
within because they are sharing the same pain, the same thoughts.Silence within the house in
some ways represents an impenetrable wall, so these glances/ gestures were the only way
they could ‘say’ what the really wanted to say. Usually children don’t have to supress
themselves especially at a young age. She has had to grow up without a voice which is ironic
because Eugene in partnership with Ade Coker run the globe (the newspaper) which is all
about telling the truth-freedom of speech. Being unable to voice her thoughts/ feelings takes a
harsh tole on her both mentally and physically. She keeps all the trauma inside and doesn’t
acknowledge it or talk about it. As a result, she is unable to psychologically heal.

This is similar yet differs from Satrapi’s novel because Marji is encouraged to speak out on
her beliefs and questions authority. Quote about marji speaking out and getting in trouble in
class.