2021-22 - H. Eng. 12 - Purple Hibiscus Cultural Context : Overview

Overview: Researching the cultural and historical contexts for a novel will enable you to track and analyze significant threads throughout your study of Purple Hibiscus. Today you will conduct initial research, then you will return in December to dig deeper into one of the research topics. Please use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate this site and, if you are accessing the materials from home, visit the "citations and passwords" tab to open all library databases.

Photo credit: "Clouds at sunset on Sahara Desert, Nigeria". Clouds at sunset on Sahara Desert, Nigeria. Photograph. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016. quest.eb.com/search/126_504166/1/126_504166/cite. Accessed 26 Oct 2021.

As you explore the materials linked to this site, investigate aspects in the following categories:

• Historical events relevant to the novel; specifically learn about British colonization, the events leading to Nigeria's independence in the 1960s, and post-colonial rule in the 1980s
• Economic and Political factors, impacting the author’s characters and setting; consider the political figures during this time period and factors impacting income inequality in the country
• Religious information, significant to the characters and narrative; learn about the basic beliefs of Catholicism and the connections to Nigerian society in the 1980s
• Cultural aspects relevant to the novel; focus on the role of women, including educational and social rights 

You may also want to consider: 

• Biographical information as well as interesting details about the authors (for example pictures, quotations, awards)
  

This site will guide you to quality information in a timely fashion. Keep track of your sources as you research and consider the credibility and reliability of your source materials.