Rapport management in Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus

Abstract

This paper discusses how rapport and interpersonal relations are (mis)managed in Chimamanda Adichie's Purple Hibiscus, using Spencer-Oatey's (2005) rapport management theory. The paper reveals that the rapport management strategies employed by the characters include the (mis)management of the illocutionary, stylistic, discourse and non-verbal domains. The study also shows that rapport orientation and contextual variables influence the strategies used by the interlocutors. It, therefore, exposes the linguistic means through which conflicts are created and resolved. By revealing how harmony and disharmony are (mis)managed, the paper expounds how interpersonal relations are managed both in literature and in real life contexts. It study further shows how the utilisation of these strategies depict the themes and gives a deeper understanding of the characters in the text.