Purple Hibiscus: Chapter 3 Summary & Analysis

In the weeks after the coup Kambili notices some changes in the outside world. The Standard grows more critical, while the other papers seem more subdued. People are protesting in Government Square, chanting “Freedom” and blocking cars. The family’s driver, Kevin, puts green branches on the car to show solidarity with the pro-democracy protestors when he drives the children to school. Soldiers set up roadblocks and randomly search people at gunpoint.

Nothing changes inside the Achike household, however. Jaja and Kambili stick to their strict schedules, while Mama’s pregnancy progresses. At Mass on Pentecost Sunday there is a visiting priest at St. Agnes. He is young and sincere, and does not praise the church’s lavish altar like other visiting priests have done. During his sermon he starts singing a song in Igbo. This surprises the congregation at first, but then most of them start to sing along. Papa keeps his lips closed and checks his family to make sure their lips are closed as well.

Papa always greets people after church, as people flock around him. Then the family goes to visit Father Benedict. Papa says that the young visiting priest was “Godless” to sing a song during the sermon, and that he will bring trouble to the church. They arrive at Father Benedict’s, but Mama says she feels sick and wants to stay in the car. Papa stares at her meaningfully and asks her again to come in. She insists that she doesn’t feel “right,” but Papa asks again and she agrees to come in.

Papa talks to Father Benedict while the rest of the family waits in the living room. Father Benedict asks about Mama’s health, but she blames her sickly appearance on allergies. After the visit Papa grits his teeth on the drive home as they listen to “Ave Maria.” When they get home Mama offers to pour Papa’s tea, but he refuses. He gives Jaja and Kambili their “love sips” of the tea. Kambili is happy to “feel the love burn my tongue.”

Mama, Jaja, and Kambili then go upstairs to change. The children are scheduled to quietly reflect on a Bible verse and pray. Even the “family time” on Sundays is silent. Mama runs into her room to vomit, and the children hear her. At lunch Papa prays over the food, asking God to forgive “those who had tried to thwart His will” by not wanting to visit “His servant after Mass.” Mama loudly says “Amen.”

After lunch Kambili is reading the Bible when she hears thumping sounds from her parents’ room. Kambili imagines that Papa is trying to get the door unstuck, thinking that if she imagines it hard enough it will be true. After 20 seconds Papa comes out of the room, carrying Mama slung over his shoulder. He carries her downstairs and takes her outside. There is blood on the floor, and Jaja and Kambili clean it up.

Mama doesn’t come home that night, and Jaja and Kambili have dinner alone. They don’t talk about Mama, but instead talk about the three men who were publicly executed for drug trafficking the day before. The children go to their rooms after dinner. Papa comes home and goes into Kambili’s room. His eyes are red from crying. He says that Mama will be back tomorrow, and he hugs Kambili so that she can feel his heartbeat.

Mama comes home the next day, her eyes looking vacant. She says “there was an accident” and she has had a miscarriage. She stands there hugging herself for a while, and then starts polishing the ceramic figurines on the étagère. Kambili tries to help her, but Mama insists that she go up to her room and study, as it is her “study time.” Kambili looks at her textbook, but all the letters seem to blur into an image of Mama’s blood.

The next Sunday Papa makes the family stay behind after Mass and recite extra prayers “for Mama’s forgiveness.” Father Benedict sprinkles holy water over them as they recite, trying hard to get the words right so Papa doesn’t make them start over. Kambili tries not to think about what Mama might need to be forgiven for.