While other women may complain to their friends about frivolous, day-to-day worries about spoiled milk or misbehaving children, Celie, the main character in the film The Color Purple, deals with extremely serious psychological issues all alone. Not only does she have to suffer through a relationship with Albert, an abusive and alcoholic husband, she also has to face the cold prospect of isolation from the black community. Members of the black community in the movie The Color Purple band together for spiritual, financial and social support during troubled times in a racist era. However, Celie enjoys none of the community’s bastions of support because the community isolates Celie and regards her as an oddity. Albert's regular verbal insults and physical assaults does contribute to Celie’s diffidence, but Celie’s own choice to isolate herself from others explains why Celie remains alone and friendless throughout much of the movie.
The film portrays the extent of Celie’s extensive abuse though a series of violent and abusive relationships that control Celie, and force her to contain emotions. As a young girl, Celie’s stepfather easily orders Celie around, and exacerbates Celie’s self-confidence by molesting her to further submission. Though her stepfather took care of Celie’s basic needs, he never displayed parental love towards his stepdaughter, resulting in a Celie who for a long time never knew the meaning of love. Albert continues this train of abuse by constantly insulting Celie for every flaw he finds with her, beating her from purely visceral impulses, and sexually harassing her for his pleasure and dominance. Albert assigns Celie marginal household chores and farm duties that occupy most of her time, leaving her no t...
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...usiness and enjoys friendship with Shug and Harpo’s family.
Celie, the main character in the film The Color Purple, suffers through isolation and abuse largely because she chooses to endure abuse. At first, she lacks the courage and resoluteness to challenge her abusive husband; she remains a servant who obeys her husband’s every wish and command. With no one to confide in and nobody to care for her, she keeps to herself, responding to violence with silence. Once she meets the outgoing, and friendly Shug, Celie realizes the simple fact that she can create friendships if she chooses to extend herself. She realizes that she has chosen to endure Albert’s abuse because she never chose to face her fears and face him. Once she stands up for herself, and extends herself towards others, she enjoys the life she could have had she chosen independence from Albert early on.
In The Color Purple the realities of an abusive upbringing are deeply explained to the reader. Celie, the main character, is taught the importance of being strong and standing up for herself through Shug Avery. She portrays strength and independence that women have. In The Color Purple, Shug Avery teaches characters to hold the vigor and autonomy that is hidden somewhere inside of them.
Within The Color Purple by Alice Walker, women are treated as inferior to men therefore they must obey them. Through the strength and wisdoms Celie gains from other women, she learns to overcome her oppression and realize her self worth as a woman. The women she has met throughout her life, and the woman she protected since young, are the people that helped her become a strong independent woman. Sofia and Shug were there for Celie when she needed someone to look up to and depend on. Nettie was able to push Celie to become a more educated, independent person. The main source of conflict in this book is Celie’s struggle with becoming an independent woman who needs not to rely on a man. Throughout the book we see her grow as a person and become independent in many ways through her experiences with the powerful women in her life.
Celie was abused all her life, always serve and did whatever she was told or else she would be hit. Because of this she was never able to leave the house to make any friends and form any relationships. One of the biggest and meaningful friendship in the movie The Color Purple was between Celie and Shug Avery, Celie’s abusive husband Albert loved Shug, but she didn't like him and just played him. This friendship was very important because this friendship ultimately was Celie's escape to having a real life for herself. Shug gave Celie hope that someday she could become more than just a servant. Also she help Celie find the letter that Netti sent her all twenty years. Without this friendship form Celie would have never been able to escape her terrible life. In an online it says, “childhood friend who I probably have nothing in common with anymore” (Faris). The best friend other than family the more you grow up the less likely you stay together. Clearly, the message of friendship is portrayed in the
Emotional and Physical abuse day and night all her adolescent life is what Constance Briscoe faced. This amazingly awe inspiring true story of the horrible life the writer had to put up with truly shows the strength of the human spirit. This story is extremely sad and you can't help but feel angry at the torture Constance has to put up with and follows her through her schooling years and her goal to become a barrister. As a teenager it makes you realise how lucky we are and makes you stop and think about the millions of children that face this problem everyday. UGLY' is an inspirational story that makes you appreciate your life and sends the message that no matter whom you are you can do anything, don't ever let yourself be told you're not good enough.
The novel begins with the intense and graphic description of Celie being raped by her father. During this violation Celie states that, “When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it. But I don’t ever get used to it” (Walker 1). The very specific dialect that Walker uses in these three short sentences creates a very grim and severe tone that helps deepen the understanding and severity of Celie’s situation. A sense of inferiority is established through Celie’s father’s demand that she must “get used to it” because he is the superior male and she must listen to him. Walker uses this tone to immediately establish the traditional gender roles that are woven throughout the novel. In addition to the male’s
The narrator does not hesitate to show how much Honoria and Charlie care for each other. Though Honoria was just a little girl, growing up without a father is still harsh. Still her love for Charlie is unconditional, and questions about the past are not brought up. Their strong relationship is alm...
Most of all, without Shug, Celie would have never been reunited with her beloved sister Nettie. The Color Purple is a tale of epic proportion and is beautiful, tear-jerking, passionate, and suspenseful. Even after all of the abuse that Celie received and after all of the struggles that she faced, she found it in her heart to forgive and move on. Her life was truly remarkable, and she was a brave woman who defied the odds in a time of division and hatred. The love that was shared between Celie and Shug was extraordinary and went against all customs of the time period.
Over the course of the novel, Celie, became a confident, independent, strong woman. The novel begins with fourteen year old, Celie, As the novel progresses
The second most important relationship that develops in Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple”, is the relationship between Celie and Shug. Even before Celie meets Shug she is envious of her; she starts with just word of mouth, then a picture, until finally they meet. Shug represents everything that that is frowned upon in the patriarchal society. She is fatherless, sexually promiscuous, and a very talented singer. She is a strong, independent, and free woman, and because of this she is outcast from society. Walker writes “He talk bout [Shug] a strumpet in short skirts, smoking cigarettes, drinking gin. Singing for money and taking other women mens. Talk bout slut, hussy, heifer and streetcleaner”(44). Shug represents the ultimate freedom to Celie, she is able to control Albert and she is not owned or controlled by any man.
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.
Celie also endures other forms of both physical and mental abuse. “He beat me for dressing trampy but he do it to me anyway” (Walker 8). Abuse was very common in those times. It was used for control and ultimately complete domination. Celie could not run from her stepfather because she had nowhere else to go. Alphonso later forces Celie to marry the Reverend Mr.______. This is not that bad for Celie because she no longer...
Sedgewick observes, one’s social position is affected by various axis of classification such as gender, sexuality, race, class and the interplay of these social identities. In The Color Purple by Alice walker, Sedgewick’s observations ring true. Celie, the main character in Walker’s novel, is a perfect example of these observations put forth by Sedgewick. Celie’s social position is indicative of her gender, sexuality, race, and class; as a Black woman living in Georgia in 1910 to 1940, one can expect to witness the general ‘acceptable’ racism present within the novel towards people of color. Despite the ‘acceptable’ racism, the novel accentuates the hardships and struggles the women of color in this novel have to go through. The social positions of the characters, more so Celie and Sofia, in Walker’s The Color Purple are based on the social identities of their gender, race, class, sexuality, and ethnicity.
Throughout The Color Purple, Alice Walker conveys the importance and the power of female friendship in all forms. It shapes and forms the strong bond of female companionship as means of refuge from oppression, male dominance and a world full of violence perpetrated against women which the female protagonists wish to break free from. Walker constantly reminds the reader of the gruelling pursuit of identity that all are in search for, both in Africa and America. For females to gain equal recognition as individuals who deserve fair and just treatment in a patriarchal society where, as Albert states “Men suppose to wear the pants” in society. In conclusion, not only leading Celies personal growth as an independent woman but also to the extraordinary establishment of a female solidarity network within the novel.
Alice Walker's use of characterization in her novel The Color Purple depicts her main theme of female empowerment and the importance of maintaining an assertive voice. The tyrannical male characters, the victimized female characters, and the development of the protagonist, Celie, express Walker's firm views of female independence in a male dominated society. Her feminist views have been influenced by her experiences with discrimination as an African-American woman as well as her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. These experiences serve as an inspiration for developing the character Celie, a young black woman discovering her own sense of self while battling a male dependent environment. The progression of civil rights for black women that existed throughout the twentieth century mirrors the development Celie makes from a verbally debilitated girl to an adamant young woman. The expression of racism and sexism that evidenced itself during the postmodern era presented Walker with an opportunity to compose a novel that reveals her strong animosity toward discrimination. Without these outlets, Walker would not have had the ability to create a novel with such in-depth insights into the lifestyle of an immensely oppressed woman.
Celie is not a typical protagonist. In Alice Walker's The Color Purple, the main character Celie is an ugly, poor girl who is severely lacking in self-confidence. However, Celie transforms throughout the course of the novel and manages to realize herself as a colorful, beautiful, and proud human being. Celie becomes a powerful individual.