...The Color of Freedom Life for black women in the early 1900s was difficult, not only because of racism and lack of women’s rights, but because of the subjugation they faced from the men in their lives and from society. In the novel, The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, the narrator is an abused black woman named Celie. Walker uses this unique protagonist to comment on the racism, sexism, and abuse of women that 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. Celie started off the book as a powerless victim of the men in her life with no voice. Walker uses Celie’s first person point of view to tell her life story of abuse and submissive silence. Celie’s only form of communication about her thoughts and feelings are through letters to God that are brief at first but then are more complex as Celie gets more confident and finds her voice. In the beginning, Celie’s inner voice had been beaten into silence at an early age by her abusive step-father and later by her husband with emotional and physical abuse. She survived by “[not] fight(ing)… stay[ing] where (she) told” and staying silent letting her step father believe that she is” too dumb to keep going to school” (Walker 2.254, 3. 342) Celie was only able to find her voice once she stood up to her husband...
Words: 1147 - Pages: 5
...2013 Alice Walker Section 1 Biography According to Michael Mayer, Alice Walker, one of the best-known and most highly respected writers in the United States, was born in Eatonton, Georgia. She was the eighth and last child of Willie Lee and Minnie Lou Grant Walker. Her parents were sharecroppers, and money was not always available as needed. At the tender age of eight, Walker lost sight of one eye when one of her older brothers shot her with a BB gun by accident. This left her in somewhat a depression, and she secluded herself from the other children. Walker felt like she was no longer a little girl because of the traumatic experience she had undergone, and she was filled with shame because she thought she was unpleasant to look at. During this seclusion from other kids of her age, Walker began to write poems. Hence, her career as a writer began. Walker found the love of her life in 1967, a white activist civil rights lawyer named Mel Leventhal, and they married him in 1967. A year later she gave birth to their daughter, Rebecca. It was not until she began teaching that her writing career really took off. She began teaching at Jackson State, then Tougaloo, and finally at Wellesley College. Walker was involved in the Civil Rights Movement and spoke for the women’s movement, the anti-apartheid movement, for the anti-nuclear movement, and against female genital mutilation. She also started her own publishing company: “The Wild Trees Press”, in 1984. Walker refused...
Words: 2381 - Pages: 10
...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...
Words: 778 - Pages: 4
...The Color Purple Sherelle Rozier English 2001 South University Thesis: Celie, an abused child and wife, Shug, a strong independent woman who was once a town whore, and Nettie, the sister of Celie who left the United States to become a missionary teacher. All these strong women need affection and love, and bond together to find their own voice. Celie’s story is about an abused child and wife who finds her independence. Celie was a slave to her husband and his children. Celie is able to gain her own security with the help of Shug and her sister Nettie’s letters. Celie finds independence and courage after years of abuse and other incredible obstacles. Nettie’s story is about a woman who left the United States to study becoming a missionary and hopes one day to reunite with her sister again. Nettie finds a good family and leaves the United States. B. Nettie keeps writing letters, hoping her sister will one day read them. III. Shug’s story is about a strong independent woman who was once the town whore and seeks love from men and helps Celie find love and courage to live on her own. Shug’s father did not want her to sing sinner’s music. B. She is known as a whore, but she presents herself as a strong and determined woman . In the novel The Color Purple, Alice Walker creates a woman who faces struggles and hardships as a child and as an adult. This story is narrated by Celie, the main...
Words: 1714 - Pages: 7
...born: Alice Walker. Alice Walker was born to a poor family of nine, she was the youngest out of all of siblings. Being the youngest child out of all your siblings can be a blessing and a curse, you can have two sides of the spectrum, either you are spoiled or you get hand me down things from your older siblings.But because she was born into a poor family, she got the short end of the stick. Her parents were sharecroppers and her mother also worked as a maid so she could support her family. Growing up wasn’t easy for Walker, not only did she have a poor upbringing but she also had an injury happen at a young age. At the age of 8 Walker was playing with her two...
Words: 1504 - Pages: 7
...fiction “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker The Color Purple is an epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker which won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction. It was later adapted into a film and musical of the same name. This novel is making arguments on the topic “racism and sexism”. The Color Purple is an extraordinary novel that’s full of surprises. Taking place mostly in rural Georgia, the story focuses on female black life in the 1930s in the southern United States, addressing numerous issues including their exceedingly low position in American social culture. Alice Walker’s biography [pic] Alice Walker was born on February 9, 1994, in Eatonton, Georgia. Living in the racially divided South, Walker attended segregated schools. She graduated from her high school as the valedictorian of her class. With the help of a scholarship, she was able to go to Spelman College in Atlanta. Later, she switched to Sarah Lawrence College in New York City. While at Sarah Lawrence, Walker visited Africa as part of a study-abroad program. She graduated in 1965—the same year that she published her first short story. After college, Walker worked as a social worker, teacher and lecturer. She became active in the Civil Rights Movement, fighting for equality for all African Americans. Her experiences informed her first collection of poetry, Once, which was published in 1968. Better known now as a novelist, Walker showed her...
Words: 2561 - Pages: 11
...Stacy Jackson C. Liegh McInnis ENG 105-09 December 7, 2011 Critical Analysis of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple Alice Walker wrote The Color Purple 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 as slave owners and the women were treated as slaves. Celie, being the main character of the book, 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, Celie and Nettie’s father, desired to have sex with Celie more than he did with his wife (Celie’s mother). Marriage is a union between a man and a woman although in today’s society in some states it could be man and man or woman and woman. However, within the traditional marriage, the man is said to be the head of the household, especially within the Christian faith. Marriage consists of God, the husband, and then the wife which is how it was intended to be. In this context, historically, the men within a marriage ruled or oppressed the wife. The wife had to do whatever her husband demanded of her. Alice Walker’s The Color Purple explains the marital oppression of women, which included an older widowed man who is given a younger unattractive wife by her step-father...
Words: 3457 - Pages: 14
...Cathcart 1 Ciera Cathcart Period 0 Mrs.Allan Honors English 28 April 2014 The Hidden Outlier Truth Lies, fairness and kindness is the reality of all americans no matter what color, race, or who you are. Nobody wants to be singled out ever.The treatment of women has always been a hard subject in society and many subjects of novels. Walker dramatically shows realistic imagery, as she reels the reader in by conditions black women put up with and what life can be like when you are abused. In The Color Purple ,by Alice Walker, tackles the subject of sexism in communties. The first amendment does issue the fact that women's rights should be their and that everyone has the freedom, and that we all have quality The Color Purple written by Alice Walker should not be banned, through various arguments. Some including that it is an honest depiction of African-American life in the early 20th century, it addresses child abuse issues, rape, that still need to be addressed in our society, and because the freedom of speech is a constitutional right. The Color Purple was banned due to explicit language, sexual content, and racist stereotypes. Although, you would think the banning of the book is very difficult or hard but it is actually simple. There are two different ways to get a book removed, either banning or challenging. Banning a book is the removal no matter what. A Challenged book is when its an attempt to remove...
Words: 1150 - Pages: 5
...‘Controlling the minds of the people translates to the control of the body’ how far do you agree? Totalitarianism is a common theme ground between ‘The Colour Purple’ and ‘1984’ where both protagonists seem to be ‘suspended’ and ‘were lost in a period that offered no hope of progress’ George Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Alice Walker’s ‘The Color Purple’ have a society where there is complete control and oppression, which eventually translates to the control of the body, we are presented with the party members and the black women protagonists being the proletariat of society, and never truly being free because ‘As long as the mind is enslaved, the body can never be free’ however, we are presented objects and behaviour that can be described as liberating,...
Words: 2038 - Pages: 9
...The Color Purple is a great story of resilience and overcoming great oppression. Alice Walker tells a story a young black woman who was raped as a teen by her stepfather and beaten, also later beaten by her husband. With the help of new friends and her sister Nettie, Celie learns how to use her voice and stand up for herself and not just be a doormat. This novel explores the effect of strong female relationships which are essential for Celie’s development into a independent woman. As the novel is written in a series of letters to God and Nettie by Celie, the characters in the novel are uniquely introduced. The Color Purple would make a great addition to the AP English 12 curriculum, students would learn about the strength of the human spirit. At the beginning of the novel Celie is voiceless against her abuse and has learned how to survive but soon from Nettie and her new friend Shug gains a voice through the power of strong female relationships. Throughout the novel, Celie has been discriminated for who she was, and didn’t accept herself. She was always used for, and had a male dominating her. In the novel, there were several characters that changed Celie, and it were women that were very close to her. Her sister Nettie was a big influenced to her and Shug. In the story, Shug has helped her overcome Mr.____ and not be taken granted for. On pg. 186, it states that she is leaving Mr.____ and going to see Pa. This part of the story, Celie is taking charge and leaving Mr.____, showing...
Words: 649 - Pages: 3
...“Womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender,” a quote by author Alice Walker. Walker basically created the definition of womanism by using this quote in her book In Search of our Mother’s Gardens. What is womanism? What are womanist views of feminism and are they well founded? Many womanists would agree that the feminist movement was only to created to end sexism. Author Bell Hooks states that anyone who supports feminist politics needs to comprehend the fact that the work does not end with the fight for gender equality (Hooks, 662). Many womanists would believe that feminism was only created by middle-class white women for middle-class white women, and they would be correct. Many feminists only believe in equal rights for middle-class...
Words: 1599 - Pages: 7
...The Color Purple by Alice Walker is set during the 1930's. During this time period in history, mens' status in society was undeniably higher than that of a womans'. The main characters' role in society, her status, and how it affects the theme of the story can all be seen in the novel. She endures years of abuse by both her husband and stepfather. However, overtime, she overcomes her hardships and defends herself. Celie, like many others, finally takes a stand for what she believes in. Being the main character in this novel, Celie's role in society is well-developed. Since Celie is a black housewife, she stays at home to care for her husbands' children. Although she works the same amount as her husband, she is treated unfairly simply because she is of the opposite sex. Celie is treated like an indentured servant or a slave, only being used for sexual pleasure by both her stepfather and her husband. Her own husband, Albert, only marries her so she can work for him and assist him with caring for his children. He doesn't view her as a lover, simply as a maid. This shows men's attitude towards women and how they simply use them to satisfy themselves or help them around the house. Since Celie could not work, she remained a housewife. Eventually, she made her hobby of sewing into a business and began making pants for family members and friends but could never get a real career. Men do not support women having jobs but Nettie, Celie's sister, mentions how “ The world is changing.....
Words: 1194 - Pages: 5
...form a deeply rooted friendship in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. They each have what the other needs. Both women are severely oppressed by the hardships of their lives. Celie was oppressed by her lack of dignity and emotions caused by her abusive father and husband. Shug was oppressed by her unpleasant, vulgar reputation in the eyes of others. Shug’s promiscuous image restrained her from seeking what she yearned, which is to be a member of a loving family. Shug was never truly part of a loving family. Her own mother even hated her. She displays this when she states, “One thing my momma hated me for was how much I love to fuck, she say. She never love to do nothing had anything to do with touching nobody, she say. I try to kiss her, she turn her mouth away” (Walker 120). Celie freed Shug from this promiscuous image, and in return, Shug freed Celie from her psychological chains of abuse by being her mentor and friend. Both women became what others made them out to be. For Celie’s whole life, her father Alphonso and husband Mr. (Albert) berated and belittled Celie by calling her ugly and useless. Shug even joined in on the abuse when she told Celie at their first meeting, “You sure is ugly” (Walker 46). On account of constant abuse, Celie never developed self-esteem causing her to feel ugly and useless. Shug’s own mother first called her a whore and eventually others joined in. She became the vice that all men wanted and women hated. Celie freed Shug from...
Words: 820 - Pages: 4
...Throughout the novel “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker Celie’s life is filled with abuse and struggle to be loved as an equal. She gains confident with the help of the women in her life that are not afraid to speak their mind in response to injustice. These women and the past hardships Celie had to face allowed her to understand why she needs to be confident in herself. As a person that has experienced similar events, I can relate to Celie’s struggle for confidence. This is why, abuse can fill a person’s life with sorrow and unhappiness,and as a result, the hardships faced enable one to become stronger and more independent. In the novel, Celie faces injustice as a women and as a person. She is constantly being beaten by her dad and her...
Words: 602 - Pages: 3
...public up until the 1950s. Financial status determined your ranking on the social hierarchy of power granting an individual the ability to have a great influence or to f. dFinancial status was signifigant; higher amounts of incomes meant one had a strong influence in society and respect was demanded. All of which were based on the norms of the time. Currently The United States of America does enforce laws that restrict physical harm onto others and enacted an equal opportunity act, thus enabling all Americans regardless of gender, financial status or race to be treated equally. Although we have seen oppression decline publically, we still see it happening on a daily base through sexual oppression. For example, in the book, The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, she introduces the readers to the time around the 1930s when racial, gender, education, and financial oppression were a norm of society. An abused...
Words: 1532 - Pages: 7
