Family Dynamics in Purple Hibiscus and the Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives

Student: Nmesoma Ann Eze (Project, 2025)
Department of English and Literary Studies
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State

Abstract

Abstract This study focuses on the psychological nature of characters in a family. It examines the intricate dynamics of family connections in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel "Purple Hibiscus" and Lola Shoneyin's novel "The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives," using psychoanalytic theory as a guide. Both works explore the intricate interaction of familial responsibilities, power, and repression in Nigerian society, illustrating how these components influence their protagonists' mental landscapes. In "Purple Hibiscus," the story revolves around Kambili Achike, a young girl negotiating a harsh and oppressive household commanded by her authoritarian father, Eugene. The novel explores issues of suppression, internalized guilt, and trauma's impact on personal identity via a psychoanalytic lens. Kambili's voyage depicts her struggle to balance her father's strict expectations with her desire for freedom. “The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives” examines the intricate relationships among the wives of a patriarch, Baba Segi. Through psychoanalysis, the novel explores sibling rivalry, power dynamics, and latent desires, exposing the societal pressures faced by these women. Keywords: psychoanalysis, family relationship, trauma, unconscious, dysfunctional family

Keywords
psychoanalysis family relationship trauma unconscious dysfunctional family
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