The Environmental Power in Language Acquisition: A Study of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus

Abstract

Language skill is priceless gift. It is a valuable life instrument which every child should not be deprived of. Unfortunately, some parents and caregivers fail to give this the required pride of place. In the life of Kambili and Jaja as depicted in Purple Hibiscus by Adichie, one discovers that a lot depends on social environment and interactions within the sociocultural milieu. The turn of events in the life of the duo after their visit to their aunt speaks volume about the positive change a friendly and reassuring environment can create in the life of an individual. This work is an awareness call to parents and caregivers to pay close attention to their children’s unspoken needs. It concludes that an authoritarian environment rescinds inner freedom and power of expression leaving an individual unequipped in scaling through today’s competitive global world.