“Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone's hand is the beginning of a journey. At other times, it is allowing another to take yours”(Nazarian). This quote by Vera Nazarian, a famous Armenian-Russian writer connects with the theme of female relationships in Alice Walker's novel The Color Purple. This novel acknowledges the struggles of African-American women during the 1940s, but readers begin to witness the growth of women during this time as they bond together and by the end of the novel are no longer powerless. THESIS:From the first page of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, the readers are confronted with strong female relationships; Celie learns to know herself by instruction of her three confidantes: her sister Nettie, her daughter-in-law Sofia, and a blue singer Shug Avery, but all of these women learn and grow from lessons taught through one another. Celie To begin, Celie, the protagonist resembles the perfect wife of this time she listened to what she was told; she cleaned, worked, and took care of everyone around her no matter what the circumstances. “Her strength, unlike that of Sofia or Shug is not physical or artistic, but it is the strength of integrity. She remains honest and compassionate, caring for everyone she comes into contact with” (Litnotes). Reader often become frustrated with Celie because she remains so loyal and loving for the people who mistreat her. For example, Celie was often beaten on days her husband, Albert, was in a bad mood; she did not even have to do anything wrong to be mistreated, but above all she would continue to work like his slave and never once complain. The problem of this novel is the woman have absolutely no power over anything, including themselves; therefore the women begin to bond together and have an uprising. Walker's describes Celie's bonding, first with the biological mother of infancy and ranges from Celie's
Celie is a victim of mistreatment and isolation in a world that considers women inferior to men. To instill fear and obedience in women, men conduct themselves in a hostile manner towards women. They manage women similar to slaves and sexually dominate them. When Celie is barely fourteen her stepfather, causing her to become pregnant twice, violates her multiple times. In a letter to God, Celie writes “I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it” (Walker 11). Intended merely to satisfy Pa, Celie...
Alice Walker’s love of Zora Neale Hurston is well known. She was the only one who went looking for Hurston’s grave. She describes her journey to get to the unmarked grave in her book, In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens. During that journey, Walker started to feel as if Hurston is family to her, an aunt. “By this time, I am, of course, completely into being Zora’s niece… Besides, as far as I’m concerned, she is my aunt – and that of all black people as well” (Ong). Walker’s book, The Color Purple, was influenced by Hurston and her works. Walker was greatly influenced by Hurston and her book The Color Purple has similarities to Hurston’s book Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Women haven’t but recently really been consider equal to men. In the past it was even worse, not to even mention if you were a black woman you were even less so then the white women. The Color Purple is about a story of two sister that were separated when they were young , they were once best friends. Celie was the older sister that was abused by her father and what considered ugly and sent to marry and man to clean and cook for him. Netti the younger sister was considered a prize a beautiful girl that all the men wanted. One day they got separated by Celie’s abusive husband and didn’t see each other for over twenty years. During this time there was lots of
The Color Purple by Alice Walker was a particularly enjoyable book. One reason is because the book relates to my own life in some ways. The main character, Celie, feels isolated because her father abuses her. She writes letters to God because she has no one else she can connect with. “Long as I can spell G-o-d I got somebody along” (Walker 17). Celie writes to God because she feels loved by him and she needs a companion or a friend to talk to. I, myself, am a Christian and I feel the same way. Although I am not abused, I feel her sense of loneliness. Sometimes I feel as if I have to go through all of the stress of school and studying alone, but then I realize many of my peers are feeling the same way.
She wants to escape her cruel and callous relationship with Albert, yet she feels that this is something that she cannot even try to do. However, through interaction with Shug and Sofia, Celie is exposed to new ideas. At the beginning of the novel, based on her experiences with her father and Mr. ______, Celie believes that men have to keep women in their submissive place by beating them. For example, when Celie’s stepson sought advice on his new marriage to Sophia, he asked, “what to do to make Sofia mind”(Walker 35). Celie replied for him to “beat her”(Walker 34). Her action of telling Harpo to beat Sofia demonstrates her acceptance of these gender roles that have been assigned and her willingness to conform to them. However, when the stepson tries to follow this advice, Sofia instead fights back and beats her husband, until his “two eyes close like fists” (Walker 62), when he tries to touch her her. This circumstance allows for a shift in the way that Celie thinks about gender roles, because before this instance it hasn’t occurred to her to fight back and speak up for herself. Moreover, Shug finds out that Albert is beating Celie for lots of mistakes, but most of all Celie tells Shug that Albert beats her “for being me and not you”(Walker 75). Shug is horrified by this instantly comforts her saying “I won’t leave...until I know Albert won’t even think about beating you” (Walker 75). This act of love from Shug
My reaction to this article was quiet agreeing. I agreed with many things stated in this article, the article explained the story exactly right. For example when it states the relationship between Shug and Celie because Shug was always there for Celie. The article did a really good job explaining the novel and gave a really good report. (The New York Times).
The book called The Color Purple shows many of the topics discussed in class, but for the purpose of this paper I would like to discuss three aspects that are the most concerning and disturbing. The concept of the body, reproduction, and violence shown through the novel are the most prominent and key concerns seen in this literature selection that I would like to analyze in this expository essay. Beginning with the concept of the body, The Color Purple portrays a very graphic portrayal from the first pages. “She ugly” (Walker, 9). This gives the feel that the men have high standards of the women that are seen in this story of Black Southern Women. This also can be seen when Celie (the main character) holds on to a picture of Shug Avery (the woman she lets her husband have an affair with) because she is so beautiful. These are ideals seen in our culture as a whole. Women holding onto pictures of women in magazines and posters lead to the idea that the airbrushed picture is attainable and that is what the women of the world need to look like. The forerunner of this is visualized when this is what the men look at in their magazines. The view that men have of women is one of this sexual being waiting to be had. Celie holding onto this picture is the same as a woman today buying a magazine that appeals to her inferior parts. “I’m not as pretty or as smart”(10) is played on throughout the book as well as in our culture. Women of the world today need to be attractive to be someone, or so it seems. The same way Celie is a barefoot and pregnant housewife living her fantasy of a singer that is attractive. The epitome of the quotes that shows the sexuality associated with a women’s body is “right down there in your *censored* is a little button that gits real hot when you do you know what with somebody” (81). This allows the feeling of vulgarity in someone’s mind today, because talk of this sort is discounted. Through this following quote it continues with other vulgarities that society does not accept “I kiss her back…Then us touch each other” (118). Mainly, because female sexuality as a whole is discounted and seen as a negative portrayal of our home lives.
The relationship between Celie and Albert went through many changes throughout this novel. Albert, or Mr._________, was a man who seem to be a person who was very angry, powerful and hateful. His father was a man who believed that love was not the point while trying to find a good wife, obedience was. The woman didn't have to be attractive, rich or one who was in love, all she had to do was cook, clean and tend to the children. Albert was taught that this was the way to an successful life. Albert feel in love with Shug, they did not marry. Mr.____ was controlled by his father even as an adult. His father wouldn't allow his son to marry Shug. His father didn't want him to actually love, because he never loved himself. Albert married a woman his father approved of, and he treated her how his father taught him to. Margret cooked, cleaned and tended to the children. After his father took shug away from him, he hated his father, but was so controlled by him that he could never stand up to his father. She later died and left behind a house to be cleaned, cooking to be done and children who needed to be tended to. He fell in love again with Nettie, but she was not allowed to marry him. Albert was forced to find a quick replacement for Margret. So instead he married Celie. He beat her not only because of the angry towards his father, but also because she was neither Shug nor Nettie. In the marriage of Celie and Albert there was no love or devotion. They were just stuck with the other. Celie married Albert because her step father told her too and Albert married because he wanted a full time maid. They just went one day to the next with Albert giving the orders and Celie carrying out these orders. It was like boss and employ, except Celie was anything but rewarded for carrying out the orders.
Events leading to Celie taking control of her life began with Celie’s relationship with Shug Avery. Shug Avery embodied confidence and what it looked like for a person, particularly a woman to use their voice and defend themselves. Celie desired to inherit traits like Shug and realized how great it would be if she took control of her own life and writes, “My life stop when I left home, I think. But then I think again. It stop with Mr. ______ maybe, but start
Alice Walker is the pride of African Americans, who are considered as the most suppressed community within United States. She was born on 9th February 1944 in Georgia. She started her career as a social worker activist, followed by teaching and writer. She has secured many awards for her unprecedented works. The third novel of Alice Walker “The Color Purple” was published in 1982, which gave the real flight to her publications; as she received massive credits from around the world. Her works basically include short stories, novels and essays that are always evidently centered on the struggles and adversities of black women particularly in United States. Walker uses the writing as her standard to spread her voice and to process experiences of
There are numerous works of literature that recount a story- a story from which inspiration flourishes, providing a source of liberating motivation to its audience, or a story that simply aspires to touch the hearts and souls of all of those who read it. One of the most prevalent themes in historical types of these kinds of literature is racism. In America specifically, African Americans endured racism heavily, especially in the South, and did not gain equal rights until the 1960s. In her renowned book The Color Purple, Alice Walker narrates the journey of an African American woman, Celie Johnson (Harris), who experiences racism, sexism, and enduring hardships throughout the course of her life; nonetheless, through the help of friends and family, she is able to overcome her obstacles and grow into a stronger, more self-assured individual. While there are numerous themes transpiring throughout the course of the novel, the symbolism is one of the strongest prospects for instigating the plot. In The Color Purple by Alice Walker, numerous symbols influence and drive the plot of the novel.
The Color Purple depicts the struggle within the life of the female protagonist, Celie. Celie, a clear victim of abuse, narrates the story through a collection of writings that starts with her confession of “Dear God.” Celie’s story encompasses around her life and the characters that breaks the common gender depiction. The story heavily addresses the subject of social and behavioral standards for either men and women. It raises an issues on traditional marital subjects, family patriarchy, and social topics. In a traditional take of the family structure, the man often exhibits the dominant male figure head with the final say. The father provides the money and security for the wife and children as well as claim authority over the family. He becomes very work oriented and cares for the children only in times of need. On the other hand, the woman acts to be passive and pleases her husband. She plays a major role in raising and educating the children in every way possible. Often times, the woman takes a small part in maintaining a profession; although, she holds responsibility for all house work. The societal perspective of the patriarchal family system relies so heavily on gender roles that it becomes an expectation and the regulated norm. The Color Purple disrupts this gender norm by introducing characters that faces marital issues due to being the opposite of the typical gender role. Because they embody the opposite gender’s likely attributes, it becomes a questioning issue that leads to striving to live up to social norms or dealing with society disapproval. Within the progression of the novel, the women possess a sense of empowerment while as the men accept how things are in the world. The introducti...
I choose to read the book “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker. The book talks about the life of an African-American lady by the name of Celie that lived in the southern United States in the late 1930s. It addresses the numerous issues that included the low ranking of American social culture. In the book it talks about how she wrote books to God because the father she had would beat her and rape her. He also got her pregnant and then she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Her father end up taking the baby shortly after birth.
In the book “The Color Purple” the writer Alice Walker illustrates a story of bravery, struggle and oppression. The main character in the book, Celie, is shown as a submissive woman with no intention of changing. Celie turns into a strong independent woman at the end of the novel, but first she faces some very large obstacles. Walker, from the beginning, illustrates what the story will contain: “You better not never tell nobody but God. It’d kill your mommy.”
For the majority of the novel, Celie was never told she was or could be beautiful by men, she was told how much of nothing she was to them. Beauty was something Celie learned was for women who enjoyed having sex, something for women who had confidence, which was something she could never feel for herself. She was constantly mis treated and told what to do by men like her father and Albert. The book opens with her being raped by her father. He tells her to tell nobody but God, and she begins to be scared of saying “no” to men, she feels she needs to take the abuse, Celie would “be wood” because wood does not feel pain. Her father dominates and makes Celie feel like she was bad, like she did something to deserve this. She felt she was worth little because she should allow her father to do thing like this to her. She felt controlled, dominated and therefore subordinate to men. Her self worth had gone from little down to nothing, and she was told by her father how ugly she was.