Racism and Men's Power Over Women in Alice Walker's "The Color Purple"

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The novel, The Color Purple by Alice Walker was set in the post “World War I

American South and the story takes place in Georgia between 1910s and 1940" (BookRags, 2009). In this novel there were four main characters and the novel is based on a woman that is treated as a slave involving racism and unfair gender roles of women by man in society. The four main characters of “The Color Purple” novel are Celie, Nettie, Mr. Albert, and Shug Avery. Celie is the protagonist and also the narrator of the story. “According to Celie’s stepfather, Celie was dumb, poor, and an ugly black girl” (Book rags). As a child, she was abused and had a low self-esteem, especially by her stepfather and then by her husband Albert. Mr. Albert is very harsh and unsympathetic and hides the letters that Nettie send Celie. Albert had a big impact on Celie with her transformation, he causes her to feel anger for the first time. Shug Avery is a key character because she represents women standing up for themselves as women.

Celie is abused and raped by her stepfather and gave birth to two children...

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