How Does Adichie Use Papa As A Tragic Hero

In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus, the character of Papa can be read and interpreted differently depending on who the reader is. One reader can interpret and see Papa as a tragic hero, a character who has made a judgment error which inevitably leads to his own downfall (Aristotle). While another, can interpret Papa as a tyrant, a cruel and oppressive ruler (Oxford). By placing Papa inside of a post-colonial world, presenting him as a dominant and abusive man who reaches an inevitable downfall, Adichie sets the stage for the reader to view him as a tyrant. However, Adichie is able to show qualities that bring out Papa’s tragic hero side. Adichie characterizes Papa as religious, controlling and violent as a result he can either be interpreted as a tragic hero or a tyrant depending on the reader.
First and foremost, Adichie uses visual imagery and language to characterize Papa

Papa uses violence to correct his children’s errors seeing as he believes that it is the only way to change them. This can be seen when he beats Kambili because she had a picture of a “pagan”, the beating is described as “stinging” and being “more like bites because the metal landed on open skin” (211). Papa truly believes that his violence should be used to correct his children’s flaws and he believes he is helping them out. Regardless of this justification, it is apparent that Papa uses his violence to establish his power which can be seen through the silence that follows the abuse. For example, after Mama loses the baby due to Papa’s violence, the whole family stays silent about it and pretends as if Papa did not do anything wrong (32-34). Papa uses his violence to empower himself to the point in which the whole family is submissive, and silent about it. Simply put, Papa’s violence can be used to justify him as either a tragic hero or a