An Examination of Masculinity, Violence, and Identity in Things Fall Apart and Purple Hibiscus

This senior thesis primarily examines the roles of masculinity, violence, and identity in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. This paper seeks to uncover the root of why the two novels’ protagonists, Okonkwo and Eugene, are so violent through a close reading of both texts. Furthermore, it explores some of the significant consequences of the actions of these two tyrannical men. The two mens’ fates, as well as the havoc they wreak, serve as a cautionary tale of the dangers of excessive displays of masculinity and religious extremism