Purple Hibiscus: Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

On Christmas Papa takes the family to Mass, but beforehand they see Aunty Ifeoma and her children. Ifeoma and Amaka are both wearing bright red lipstick. During Mass Kambili thinks about that lipstick, and imagines wearing it herself. At Mass the priest doesn’t discuss anything religious, but instead complains about the lack of money and building materials for the priest’s new house. Kambili can tell that Papa is displeased. The family sits in the front with the other “important” people.

After Mass there is a fundraising event at the hall next to the church. Papa writes a single check and gives it to an usher. When the amount is read out, the priest starts to dance and Papa leaves with the family. As he walks out of the hall, people touch Papa’s tunic as if it might heal them.

The family gets home and their house is full of people. The wives of their umunna (large extended family in the village) are cooking huge amounts of food in the backyard. Kambili goes upstairs, and while she is changing she hears her cousins and Aunty Ifeoma arrive. She can hear them all laughing. Kambili goes out, pacing her breathing so she won’t stutter. Amaka asks her and Jaja about their stereo, wondering if they are bored with it like the TV. They don’t admit that they never play it, but only listen to the news on Papa’s radio during “family time.”

Obiora puts on a record of choirs singing. Chima goes to the bathroom and exclaims about how nice it is. Sisi comes up to say that the Igwe (local royalty) has arrived to visit Papa, and so the family goes downstairs to greet him. Kambili remembers the last time they had visited the Igwe’s palace, and Mama had greeted him in the traditional way for women, by bowing low to him. Later Papa told her it was sinful to bow to another ruler, and they did not visit the Igwe again. Hoping to impress Papa, Kambili had later refused to kiss a bishop’s ring, but Papa pulled her ear for this and said the bishop was a man of God.

The family goes downstairs and greets the Igwe. Aunty Ifeoma bows to him, but Mama shakes his hand. Then they go back upstairs, leaving Papa with the Igwe. Amaka and Jaja go off to discuss a book, and Chima and Obiora play a card game, laughing. Kambili stands outside Mama’s door, listening to her whisper to Aunty Ifeoma, trying to convince her to ask Papa for a gas tank. Ifeoma reminds her that Papa offered to buy her a car years ago, but only if she sent Amaka to convent school, stopped wearing makeup, and joined a Catholic society. Ifeoma says she wants the things Papa’s money can buy, but she won’t “lick his buttocks” to get them.

Aunty Ifeoma goes on, saying that her husband, Ifediora, did not get along with Papa because Ifediora was willing to tell the truth to Papa’s face, and Papa does not want to hear truths he doesn’t like. Ifeoma says that Papa-Nnukwu is dying, and Papa still won’t let him into the house. She says that Papa should stop trying to do God’s job—he should let God do the judging. Ifeoma says that the umunna will tell Papa whatever he wants to hear, as long as he provides them with food and money.

Amaka catches Kambili eavesdropping but doesn’t say anything. She tells her that Papa has come up to have lunch. They sit down and Papa prays for more than twenty minutes over the meal. Ifeoma mutters about the rice getting cold, but Papa ignores her. As they eat, Ifeoma insists that Papa let Jaja and Kambili visit her in Nsukka to get to know their cousins better. Papa tries to change the subject, but Ifeoma presses on, and asks Papa why he never picks up a phone and calls her.

Sisi brings more juice, the kind Papa’s factories make. Amaka tries it and politely suggests that Papa make it less sweet. Kambili is so nervous that she knocks over her glass. Amaka keeps talking to Papa, asking him about the rumored appearances of the Virgin Mary at the tiny village of Aokpe. Aunty Ifeoma suggests that Jaja and Kambili should come visit her, so she can take them and her own children to Aokpe. Papa looks pleased, and offers to let Jaja and Kambili visit for a day or two. Ifeoma insists that they stay for a week.

The next day is Sunday, and the family plans to go to early Mass. Kambili wakes up and sees that her period has started. She showers and dresses, making sure to cover her hair properly as Papa and Father Benedict like. Kambili’s cramps start to hurt, and she asks Mama for Panadol, a painkiller. She must eat food with the pill, but it is only twenty minutes before Mass, and the Eucharist fast demands an hour of fasting before communion. Mama whispers that Kambili should eat a few cornflakes quickly.

Jaja makes Kambili a bowl of cereal, saying that they will hear Papa before he comes upstairs. Kambili is almost finished eating when Papa enters. He quietly asks what is going on. Mama and Jaja both try to take the blame, and Papa asks if the devil has infected them all. He takes off his belt and beats all of them. Afterward he asks sadly why they like sin, and then he hugs Jaja and Kambili, asking if they are hurt. Everyone changes clothes, and they go to later Mass.

The family leaves after New Year’s. The wives of the umunna take all the leftover food, even what seems spoiled. As they drive away, the gate man waves at them, and Kambili remembers him telling them that Papa had paid for his children’s school and helped get his wife a job. Papa recites the rosary as he drives. Soon they come to a checkpoint, where there has been an accident. A dead man is lying beside the road. Papa says that the police set up checkpoints in wooded areas so that they can hide the money they extort.

The family returns to Enugu, and two days later Papa takes the family to confession at Father Benedict’s house. He hadn’t wanted to go to confession in Abba, because the priest there wasn’t “spiritual” enough, and was too concerned with building churches and statues. Papa says that white people would not be concerned with such things.

Papa, Mama, and then Jaja go in. Kambili asks Jaja with her eyes if he remembered his words to Papa-Nnukwu about offering to drink in his house, and Jaja nods. Kambili goes into the room. It is a more personal interaction than a confessional, as she and Father Benedict are face to face. Kambili confesses, but Father Benedict keeps asking her if she has something else. Kambili cannot think of anything, until Father Benedict leads her into saying that she enjoyed looking at the mmuo. Father Benedict says that it is wrong to “take joy in pagan rituals,” and gives Kambili her penance.

As the family drives home, Papa happily declares that they are all “spotless” now, and that if they died they would go straight to heaven. When he gets home he is still in a good mood, and he calls Aunty Ifeoma. He says that Jaja and Kambili can go to Aokpe as long as they remember that the sightings of the Virgin have not been verified by the church. They will go to Nsukka the next day and stay for five days.

Jaja and Kambili pack their things, and Mama suggests that they bring food and gas cylinders from the factory. Papa is suspicious of this suggestion, but then agrees. Jaja and Kambili both nervously admit to each other that they want to go to Nsukka, but Kambili feels afraid of spending time away from Papa’s presence.

The next morning Kevin puts two gas cylinders in the car, along with lots of food. Papa gives Jaja and Kambili schedules for their time in Nsukka. They include two hours each day for “time with your cousins.” He hugs them, his hands shaking, and says that he has never been without them for more than a day. As they drive away Kambili sees that Papa is crying.