Fruge, Bernard. “3 Dimensions Of Taming The Raging Words. Respect And Gratitude, The Message Of “I” And The Rules.” Bernard.fruga.net. Wordpress, 1 September 2014. Web. 30 May 2016.
“Water PSA.” Haikudeck.com. Haiku Deck, 24 November 2015. Web. 30 May 2016.
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Domestic Discipline
Domestic Discipline, or DD, is a lifestyle which is quietly being adopted by a growing number of Christian couples. We have studied DD for a number of years – read books and web sites, talked to couples who practice (or practiced) it, and “lurked” on several “Christian Domestic Discipline” e-mail lists. We must acknowledge that some who have adopted this life style have found at least temporary benefit from it, but what is taught is at odds with the Word of God, and we believe it to be a distortion of what God intended headship and submission to be.
Let’s start with the basic premises of DD. There are some variations, but these seem to be the main beliefs:
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Relation to Purple Hibiscus
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Papa is known to have committed domestic violence on his children and wife on numerous occasions. Abusing his family has led to great health detriments. For example, Mama once had a miscarriage after a beating. Next, Kamibili was harshly punished after she placed second in her class. Her father, believing he has invested too much in his children to be complacent with second place, punished her severely in the past. Then, when Kambili broke fast early, Papa whipped her with his belt to teach her proper behavior. He also continued to whip Jaja and Mama for encouraging Kambili. When Papa learned of Kambili and Jaja's residence with their traditional grandfather during their stay at Aunt Ifeoma's, Papa poured boiling water on their feet to teach them no to associate with traditional believers. Finally, Kambili was almost beat to death after Papa discovered the painting of her grandfather.
All these extreme acts of violence makes the readers question whether Papa's actions can be justified. Although Papa claims that this is for the greater good of his family, is it truly benefiting? The article above gives a different perspective on the topic, presenting domestic discipline from the eyes of the punisher. Like what Papa claims, Christian family's who have adopted domestic discipline give the man of the house the ultimate power to punish his family and interpret God's will. It is highly likely that Papa thinks the same way in Purple Hibiscus. This artifact about punishment is placed in the 7th of nine places based on the chronology of events throughout the book. Around this time in the book, Papa nearly kills Kambili after discovering the painting of her grandfather. This marks a major turning point in how everybody views Papa. This is especially true for Mama who finally decided to poison Papa after this incident. |