The Color Purple
Walker, Alice- 1982
Alexis Moss

Alice Walker wrote The Color Purple (book titles in italics) to give her insight of men, women, love or the lack thereof, physical, mental, and verbal abuse. The men within this book were very powerful. It would be safe to say that the men were slave owners, and the women were the slaves. Celie was the main character of the book, and she endures every form of abuse from individuals in her life that should have been showing her love. Everyone abused her except her sister Nettie, whom she found herself trying to protect from their father. Celie’s mother abused and cursed her, even while being on her sick bed because her husband desired to have sex with Celie more than her. Walker uses this unique protagonist to comment on the racism, sexism, and abuse of women who was so prevalent in the early 1900s. Walker used Celie’s inner monologue (in the form of letters to God and her sister Nettie) to convey the overarching message of the novel; the power of finding that inner voice that leads to freedom from the oppression of society’s expectations. The plot takes place over a 30-year period in the reconstruction South of Georgia. They live in a rural farm community and were a hotbed of activity for civil rights and suffrage. This book was written from the other side of racism, from the victim’s point of view forcing the reader to see the result of bigotry. Racism not only affected Celie’s life but also the life of her friend Sofia. Sofia was a headstrong young girl who took charge in her life, and provided a role model for Celie. She taught her how to stand up for herself, and they both were victims of the corrupt justice system of the South. The prejudice in this time made it virtually impossible for any woman, but especially African American women to find work outside the home, and thereby escape abusive situations like Celie’s. Celie was a 14-year-old, African American girl who was raped by her father and eventually had two children by him. She believed the first child was killed, and the other child was sold. Walker portrayed Celie as the quintessential female in the Deep South in the early 1900s, quiet, and subservient to the men around her, to call attention to the blatant sexism that was common and to demand change. When Mr. _____ came into their lives he was interested in Nettie, but their father believed she was to smart and had a future. Celie was dumb and would not have a future so he did not mind if he married her. He wanted a young wife to have sex with and to take care of him and his children. He had no morals or respect for women and treated Celie like an object. He raped and beat her and his children boss her around like a slave. The relationships between fathers and their female children and husbands abusing wives were typical, but kept a secret. Walker never tells the reader the name of Celie’s husband, referring to him as “Mr.___” to make the male characters seem more general allowing the reader to focus on their actions toward the women of the novel exposing the exploit and abuse the men take of Celie finds comfort in Mr.__ mistress Shug and for once she was loved by someone and happy. The two ladies bonded because they realized they both were mothers but are not raising their own children and could share secrets. That was the breaking point the ladies needed to gain dominance. It was difficult for the women to express feelings because of the violence from the males. They were not allowed to tell what was going on in their home and God played a major role in their lives. Dealing with such for so long caused her to struggle to gain strength, self-confidence and will power. Celie could not appreciate life until she broke free of her oppressors and was free to live it. She eventually was able to gain these attributes leading to a happy life after so many years of heartache and pain. The Color Purple was an emotional book to read. This story showed other views of racism and abuse in the South. The vision was clear about the problems within society, and the struggle women faced. Through pain and triumph a lesson can be learned, that one should never look forward to better days. Racism is still an ongoing issue but it is better than what it used to be.