WALKER, ALICE. "THE COLOR PURPLE".   Term Paper ID:13055 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Summary, character analysis, theme. Poor, black & female in pre-Civil Rights Amer. South.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Summary, character analysis, theme. Poor, black & female in pre-Civil Rights Amer. South. Paper Introduction: On a surface level, it is relatively easy to characterize Alice Walker's novel, The Color Purple, as a tale of growing up and coming of age while poor, Black, and female in the pre-civil rights American South. A careful examination of the story, characters, and major theme, however, reveals that the novel transcends the obvious characteristics to become a universal treatment of the human condition. Ultimately, The Color Purple is a symbolic presentation of "Everyman" and "Everywoman." Summary of the Novel Alice Walker's The Color Purple is presented as a series of letters, first from Celie to God and then an exchange of letters between Celie and her sister Nettie. In the first half of the novel, Celie writes to God because of the admonishment, "You better not never tell nobody but God. It'd kill your mammy" Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Shug Avery is the other dominant character in The Color Purple. Nettie leaves again butCelie tells her, "Never mine, never mine, long as I can spell G-o-d I gotsomebody along" (26). Singing for money and taking other women mens. Sorrow, lord. And, finally, Celie is triumphant. All of theunanswerable questions lead to a sense of love which is reciprocated byothers. New York: Washington Square Press, 1983.----------------------- 8 Why us black. Now that Albert understands as well, there can be a reconciliationbetween them. "He talk about a strumpet in short skirts, smoking cigarettes,drinking gin. Dear stars, dear trees, dear sky, dearpeoples. Never ast mehow I feel, nothing. Albert says: Anyhow, he say, you know how it is. You come into the world with God. Talk boutslut, hussy, heifer and streetcleaner" (48-49). Theyare finally the victors in the long fight. Here's the thing, say Shug. Celie, Shug, and Albertovercome the miseries of being poor and Black in the hostile South. She has become anindependent woman. He clam on top ofme and fuck and fuck, even when my head bandaged. But Celiestruggles, learns, endures, survives. Why us suffer. He never know the difference. It happens that themajor character, Celie, is a woman, but ultimately the novel becomes amirror of the struggle and travail that man and woman must endure. Andwhen you can feel that, and be happy to feel that, you've found It" (178).Shug has found It and through her, Celie finds It. It ain't something youcan look at apart from anything else, including yourself. Shugtells Celie that God is not a he or a she, but rather an "It." "Don't looklike nothing, she say. But it is Celie's struggle that is important, that makes The ColorPurple an important work for the reader. Nobody ever love me, Isay" (1 9). Thank you for bringing my sisterNettie and our children home (249). And sometimes it just manifest itself even if you not looking, or don't know what you looking for. It is ironic that the supposedsinner, Shug, can teach Celie, whose only relief was God, about God. The Color Purple documents Celie'sstruggle for identity and her struggle to learn how to fight--for herself. The novel could not becomplete until Celie becomes a complete person, no longer subjugated byhusband, children, or circumstance. He never ast me nothing bout myself. God is inside you and inside everybody else. Everything that is or ever was or ever will be. Celie will need God. Celie tells God, "I keep hoping hefine somebody to marry. Shug also teaches Celie about God. Dear God. As the novel progresses, Celie's husband takes in Shug Avery, asinger and the woman he really loves. You got to let them knowwho got the upper hand. "You satisfied that what you want, Shug say, cool asclabber" (181). Works CitedWalker, Alice. . Ithought you was finally happy, he say. Shug has the strength of convictionlearned through the travail of being a Black woman in the racist South.She has won her struggle because she could fight. It ain't a picture show. It is Shug who will teach Celie that she is awoman and an individual, worthy of respect and consideration. Finally, however, Celie's life comes together. Shug announces that Celie is leaving with her tolive in Memphis. What is it like? It is her continuing quest foridentity that provides the framework for the novel. It is also Shug who helps free Celie from her husband and the miseryof their life together. Celie is forced tomarry Albert in Nettie's stead, raising his children and becoming nothingmore than a drudge. It has been a long struggle forCelie, but she has finally learned to fight. Fromthe opening pages of the novel, Celie has been a "little lost baby,"struggling for love, for identity, for a sense of belonging. But Celie's meeting withShug is a momentous one. I start to wonder why us need love. The thing I believe. Dear Everything. Albert and Celie can live together in harmony and as equals. The novel opens with Celie as a girl at age 14 who is raped by herfather and who bears him two children. Acareful examination of the story, characters, and major theme, however,reveals that the novel transcends the obvious characteristics to become auniversal treatment of the human condition. Celie'shusband, Albert, who has caused her so much grief, explains his feelingsafter Celie goes to Memphis. Nettie runs away and comes to live with Celie for atime. In summary, then, the major theme of The Color Purple is the struggleof man and woman to achieve an inner harmony despite the suffering andhardships imposed by a hostile environment. It didn't take long to realize I didn't hardly know nothing. She is without fear.For example, when she announces that Celie is coming to live with her inMemphis, Albert's first reaction is "over my dead body." Shug's response istypical for her. It's time to leave you and enter into the Creation. For too much of her life, Celie has felt the sorrow. Albert is shocked, of course. Shug tells her that she likes tomake love. And, for a time, Celie loses her faith in God . Anotherman wants Celie's little sister, Nettie, but their father refuses to allowthat marriage, saying that he can have Celie instead. On a surface level, it is relatively easy to characterize AliceWalker's novel, The Color Purple, as a tale of growing up and coming of agewhile poor, Black, and female in the pre-civil rights American South. But only them that search for it inside find it. Albert has discovered what Celie discovered before him. With God help" (13). Celie dominates The Color Purple. When she andShug make love, Celie can unburden her soul. Circumstance finds Nettie livingin Africa as a Christian missionary. Itis that--and more. You ast yourself one question, it lead to fifteen. Where do children really come from. Feeling like shit (177). But I say I'll take care of you. "My mama die, I tell Shug.My sister Nettie run away. She has gained the self-knowledge sheneeded to live in the turmoil of the human condition. I see him looking at my little sister. "Don't let them run over you, Nettie say. Just do his business, get off, go to sleep" (79).Shug eventually brings Celie to realize how a woman can feel during theirrelationship together. Mosttimes I pretend I ain't there. Major Theme Celie's quest for identity and self-fulfillment is the basis for themajor theme of Alice Walker's The Color Purple. The novel ends with a great note of optimism as Celie addressesher last letter to: "Dear God. In the first half of the novel, Celie writes to Godbecause of the admonishment, "You better not never tell nobody but God.It'd kill your mammy" (11). Celie replies, "I don't like it at all. Shugprovides a role model for Celie to imitate on her road to self-discovery.Shug is a complete and independent individual, not nearly the strumpet thatthe preacher would like to make her. Why us men and women. Mr. come git me to take care of hisrotten children. And that if you ast yourself why you black or a man or a woman or a bush it don't mean nothing if you don't ast why you here, period (247). Shug understands struggle. After Celie comes to understand,there are others is the novel who reach an understanding as well. She has become an independentwoman with a complete identity. "You a lowdown dog is what's wrong,I say. and hegive me a lynched daddy, a crazy mama, a lowdown dog of a step pa and asister I probably won't ever see again" (175). Trouble do it for most folks, I think. Celie also finds out that the father who raped her was not reallyher father. Way after while, I act like a little lost baby too" (1 9). In the final analysis, however, The Color Purpletranscends feminism and becomes universal in theme. Shugtouches upon this universal theme while she is trying to bring Celie backto God. Much of the last portion of the novel is taken up with acorrespondence between Celie and Nettie. Shug. Shug professes her love for Celie. "He look over at me. Hegit up on you, heist your nightgown round your waist, plunge in. Shescared. Ultimately, The Color Purpleis a symbolic presentation of "Everyman" and "Everywoman." Summary of the Novel Alice Walker's The Color Purple is presented as a series of letters,first from Celie to God and then an exchange of letters between Celie andher sister Nettie. They got it, I say" (25). The preacher talks about Shug in hissermon. Celie canfinally release her pent up feelings. . It is Shugwho will teach Celie to fight and to love. And your deadbody just the welcome mat I need" (181). During a conversation with Shug, Celie reveals her inner feelingsabout men and how men have treated her. As noted earlier, a firstreading of the novel would indicate that it was a major feminist work. "Then I feels somethingreal soft and wet on my breast, feel like one of my little lost babiesmouth. The Color Purple. What wrong now?" (181). Character Analysis Celie. During the course of the letters,Celie realizes her longing for her sister and her longing for a realfamily. I believe God iseverything, say Shug. When Nettie finally returns from Africa, the family isunited. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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