The Colour Purple by Alice Walker - Book Report/Review Example

The Colour Purple “The Colour purple” by Alice Walker is all about women relationships and trauma and suffering women undergo in the society. In the story, the author talks about female friendship as a means for women to describe their suffering. For them the friendship is a motive that gives them courage to tell their stories. In the story, the bond between women form a refuge and gives them a reciprocal love and comfort in a world which filled by male dominance and violence. In the story, the female relationship takes many forms from sisterly to motherly love or as a mentor or sexual. In this story, the author portrays the importance of female friendship in comforting and relieving them from pain and sufferings. ( Thesis) In the story some character gets motivation, courage, love, affection and willpower from female friends. A woman who undergoes abuse and suffering can only relate with other woman to share their experience and pain. The many characters in the story like Celie, Nettie, hug Avery, Sofia, Squeak, Corrine, Olivia, Tasha, Miss Millie, Jane and who express their feeling and thoughts. We can see that throughout the story Celie expresses her bond with many women in her life. Her pain is the main focus of the story. According to ( Walker 175) “Yeah, I say, and he give me a lynched daddy, a crazy mama, a lowdown dog of a step pa and a sister I probably wont ever see again. Anyhow, I say, the God I been praying and writing to is a man. And act just like all the other men I know. Trifling, forgetful “ She is a black woman who is uneducated and has a history which is poor. She had been raped by her stepfather Pa and had an abusive husband. As per (Watkins,198) “The Color Purple" is foremost the story of Celie, a poor, barely literate Southern black woman who struggles to escape the brutality and degradation of her treatment by men”. In the story, a lady called Shug Avery helps her find her true identity. Shug is a singer and have intimate relationship with Celie and makes her a singer. As per ( Walker 82) “All the men got they eyes glued to Shugs bosom. I got my eyes glued there too. I feel my nipples harden under my dress. My little button sort of perk up too. Shug, I say to her in my mind, Girl, you looks like a real good time, the Good Lord knows you do”. Later in the story, Shug helps Celie to become an indepndent woman who is happy and self – confident. We can also see the abuse of Celie by her husband . He later in life transforms to a better person and befriends with Celie. However Celie ‘s friend Shug has a mothering relationship with her and also is a gentle mentor. It is Shug who helps Celie to evolve and become a better person in life.Celie also has a sister who is Nettie but her relationship with Shug is more profoud. We can see that Celie and Shug share a romantic relationship . Celie is the person who has undergone physical, emotional, sexual abuse. Rape is the most heinous abuse and that could be the reason that she felt resentment about men later in her life. She found love in a woman because she could relate to her and get comfort and solace in Shug. We can see the powerlessness, low – self esteem, and her revulsion towards sex as the story progresses. In the story both her step father Pa and husband repeatedly raped her. According to ( Bloom 62)The disputes over “ The Color Purple” actually stimulated meaning production that connected with a larger movement of black women that is empowering black women forming a potent force for change”. Another character Sofia is an independent woman who has been subjected to discrimination and sent to jail. In the story, the author shows the hardship and resistance of Sofia. Sofia had been victim to racism and prejudice and later become independent in life. Here, Harpo who was lover of Sofia beats her and mistreats her. But in the story, she shows her strength to resist violence because she is assertive. She is different from Celie as she do not take assault and fight people who picks her. She beats them twice as much as they give it to her. This quality of Sofia is admired by Celie. So we can see that Celie is impaired by another female character in the story. In the story, Shug is a character who is larger than life. She is a person who knows to love and be compassionate. Her character is that who loves and keeps on loving that which attracts Celie. She has a weakness for people and keeps them in life no matter what. Shug is the main motivator for Protagonist and makes Celie a new woman. This is an epitome of female friendship and we can see love, admiration, respect, care and compassion in this relationship. As per ( Scott)“Alice Walker’s The Colour Purple is a classic coming-of-age story centred on the life of African-American protagonist Celia, as she overcomes her issues with self image and her abusive childhood in rural Alabama”. Squeak a mixed race woman tries to blackmail the sheriff in releasing Sofia but instead got raped by the sheriff; she takes care of Sofia’s children. This makes them be close friends. The theme of racism and sexism is portrayed in the novel where the perpetrators of violence are themselves victims we see that Harpo beats his wife after his father tells him to. Celie, on the other hand, counsels Harpo due to her envious of Sofia’s strength and assertiveness. The role of male and female is shown where disparities between characters and their gender and the traits they show. Sofia’s strength and sass, Harpo’s insecurity and Shugs sexual assertiveness are major examples. There is also the sexual ambiguity between Shug and Celie. Additionally, disruption of gender roles cause problems this is where Harpos insecurity about his masculinity leads to his family breakdown due to his attempt to beat Sofia. Connectively, Shug’s confident sexuality and resistance to male domination causes her to be labelled a tramp In the story, we can see that Nettie is the only person who unconditionally and consistently loves Celie. Because of the strong love Celie reciprocates it to Nettie The mutual love is depicted in the novel very well. As per ( Walker 29) I dont say nothing. I think bout Nettie, dead. She fight, she run away. What good it do? I dont fight, I stay where Im told. But Im alive." From Alice Walker’s, we are able to reinforce that women in their own right are capable of standing apart from men and also becoming independent and self confident as sisters, in caring and also supporting themselves instead of fighting each other while hiding ill feelings just as Celie and her friends did. These make Celie ask God to clothe her in purple (royalty) dress that she believes that it would make even God himself to notice her while she walks with it doing royal deeds to others. Celie and Shug discuss their ideas about God’s identity, appearance and personality. As per (Boysen 1-41 ) “Their opinions about relationships and family have been shaped by their views on God, and their views on God have been shaped by their early experiences”. This book reveals the pain and abuse which the African women underwent in early 20th century. The relationship between women, the love, encouragement and comfort their receive from each other is a highlight of the story Work Cited Bloom, Harold. The Color Purple. New York: Infobase publishing, 2008. 62. Print. Boysen, Peter. "The Color Purple." Prestwick House 1.8 (2008): 1-41. Print. Scott, B. "The Color Purple ." http://www.teenink.com. Teen Ink, 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. . Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Harcout Publishers, 1982. Print. Watkins, Mel. "Some Letters Went to God ." http://www.nytimes.com. New York Times, 1982. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. . Read More