Color Purple Oppression

Zahro Hashi

The Color Purple shows the intersectionality of oppression and the issues women had to deal with such as their sexuality,gender,race. One of the biggest problems this book was facing was Sexsism. In the beginning of novel, one of the main characters, Celie reveals to the readers how she has no control over her life. Celie’s mother dies due to a heart break. Her father which is also the father of her two children who she refers to as ”Pa” abuses her on a daily base. She writes many letters speaking to God. She shows that she doesn't respect her husband because she really never refers to his name. The Color Purple faces issues such as sexsim. The power of women was distorted and challenged. Black feminism cues that sexsism, classism,

As a woman Celie is expected to stay home and take care of things around the house. Celie's father puts her out because she was “a bad influence on his... other girl”. If Celie was the one daughter who was ruined he did not want his other girls turning out the same because they actually have “value” something. Celie is the only one that “can work like a man” because that's the only thing she is excelled in. Harpo, for example, beats Sofia only after his father implies that Sofia’s resistance makes Harpo less of a man. That is an example of sexsism because he feels as if he has to be more of a man and take control. Mr.___, also mistreats his family because that is the same thing his father used treat his family. “African American women’s experiences with pornoraphy, prostitution, and rape demonstrate how erotic power becomes commodified and exploited in social institutions”(Collins 167). Shug is viewed as the sexual attractive one. We start to see a sexual relationship developing between shug and celie. There is also a problem with the disruption of gender roles. Harpo's insecurity about his masculinity makes him lose power which eventually causes problems in his marriage. Shug is another fights sexsism by being extremely independent. Celia is pretty afraid to take control of her life and also afraid of men. Shug guided her telling her that she does have what it takes to gain her power back. Once Celia gains

Celie writes letters to god and Nettie writes letters to Celie. Celie feels like the only way she can gain her power is if she speaks to god because he is always listening.Writing letters is how both Celie and Nettie gain strength. In Celie's mind God is a old white man who is “genderless and raceless”. Through The Color Purple, Walker uses to demonstrate the… The particular color (purple) suggest that it is a mix of both blue (usually representing boys), and red/pink (usually representing girls). The color Purple is also an asscocaition of lesbisnsim which points to sexual and homosexuality. The lack of color is usually associated with whiteness and white people. The Color Purple would be Celia would confess her love to god in her journals. God was the only person she missed and she “loved him with all her heart”.Walker believes that a woman's identity can be strengthened through successful relationships with other women. Towards the end of Celia journal she starts to give up on god because she is dismissing men altogether. She “truly did not notice nothing god makes”(312). Shug, a really good friend of Celie helps her realize why she needed god and not to give up on