Color Purple Gender Inequality Quotes

It is clear that Celie’s father commits several forms of violence against her when she quotes, “he [Pa] never had a kine word to say to me… First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around… When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it. But I don’t never get used to it.” (Walker, 1-2). As a results of this, Celie finds herself in situations where she has trouble identifying with her sexual orientation as well as, becoming numb to sex after repeated sexual abuse. Moreover, not only is he physically violent with her by raping her, but later on in the novel, one discovers that he sells Celie’s children away- just like Aminata’s children- causing her to face emotional damage as well. Moreover, Celie’s father does not respect her as a human being, for the fact that he calls her ugly and does not say anything kind to her, but he also forces her to keep quiet about the way he is treating her, thus dehumanizing her. All in all, numerous forms of abuse have severely crippled Aminata and Celie, displaying oppression caused by men in their daily lives.

Walker`s diction throughout the book emphasizes the inexperience of a young girl that is illiterate and existing in a land where men are considered dominate forces of every demeanor of life. Celie cultured how she was to submit to man, men in general which caused Celie to inhibit all of her own hopes and dreams. The moment Shug Avery and Sofia are introduced in the text we began to see the indoctrinated woman Celie really is within herself. Shug Avery is the perfect epitome of what it means to be an independent woman that Celie desires to be but cannot find the inner courage to become. Celie learned to stand up for herself and emerged as a powerful and astute woman through Shug`s yearning and inspiration. Celie encountered a lot of violence that was very uncomfortable and intolerable for her. Many of

There are numerous scenes of violence throughout the first half of the novel, Celie is sexually abused by her father and Mr. ____. In one of her letters to God, Celie writes about her children. She writes that they were conceived through incest by her stepfather and killed thereafter. Nettie who is Celie’s sister comforts Celie and takes care of her by not judging her and offering her understanding. Because Celie is not allowed to go to school but has to work at home, Nettie teaches her what she is learning at school. In return, Celie agrees to take care of her.

Both men and women face a vary of challenges with pay gaps, and other social class treatments but women still are beneath men periods. Throughout Toni Morrison’s novel “The Bluest Eye” she introduced the challenges both men and women in poverty faced, but the men were still the breadwinners of the family. Also in Alice Walkers text the “ The Color Purple”. Walker tells a tales about a black Woman struggling with poverty, and abuse. During the time of The Color Purple, most black men own the property and were the workers.

One example of inequality is sexism. The main victim of sexism in this story is Curley's wife. First of all, in the story she is

Through her whole life Celie is at the bottom of the food chain. The African American males treat her badly. All she is to them is a sexual toy and a punching bag. She is expected to take the abuse and harassment they send her way, and continue cleaning their house, caring for the children, and feed the men. Women at this time are not allowed to defend themselves and talk back to the men. Celie kept quiet about everything that happened to her especially when she was young and was being raped by her father, mainly because he had told her “You better not never tell anyone but God. It’d kill your mammy” (Walker

Over the course of the novel, Celie, became a confident, independent, strong woman. The novel begins with fourteen year old, Celie, who had been repeatedly raped by her father and bore two of his children as a result. Celie is scared into silence about her mistreatment and prays to God to, “give me a sign letting me know what is happening to me” (1). As the novel progresses, Celie, is sold into marriage to Mr. ______, who continues to abuse Celie physically and emotionally. Celie continues to remain passive to the abuse and writes, “all I can do not cry.

Her life never showed her any reason why she should be worth what she was actually worth. Celie had never experienced true love even from her mother or her father but only from her dearest sister. As she goes through her usual sufferings of life, she comes across some people who begin to understand her feelings. Shug Avery and other women of love, try to show her the real world and how much the society had blinded her. Celie's realization that "women do need a little fun, once in a while," leads to her denial and refutation of the roles that the society places on gender, race and class. She begins to model her life to her dreams, and no longer to the way the society expects it. She follows her passion and helps others to come out the same way. Alice Walker convinces the readers that life is not about pleasing the society and those in authority, but about pleasing oneself. This principle followed in her book, eventually leads Celie to a sense of self-accomplishment and happiness. Through her understanding that "if yellow is a name, black is the same," Celie finally feels just like every other person- free to satisfy herself, being restrained no more by anybody else. She stood firm, with her God for help, in the paths she believed was right.

From the beginning of the novel, Celie is abused physically and emotionally; her perspective of superiority is carved by her step-father. Celie’s step-father sexually exploited her many times; this portrays how men, of any race, feel as if they are dominant towards women:

It is through Celie's crude upbringing and troubling adult relationships that Walker is able to show Celie's transformation from a complacent servant to a woman with her own voice and identity. From the first letter that Celie writes, it

Nettie always had the strength that Celie did not have. She knew right away that Mr.____ was abusing her. She even wrote to Celie and told her "You've got to fight and get away from Albert. He ain't no good." (Walker, pg.

You black, you pore, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, he say, you nothing at all.” (Walker, pg75). Celie’s is still oppressed by her relationships with authoritative male figures and her sense of self is yet to be discovered by this point in the

One family member in particular named Sofia is a stubborn, hard-headed woman who is Harpo’s (Celie’s stepson) wife. She usually does not listening to Harpo’s commands, and one day, Harpo gets frustrated. In a discussion with his father, Mr.___ (who is also Celie’s new husband), Mr.___ tells his son that “wives is like children […] nothing can do that better than a good sound beating” and concluded his lecture convincing Harpo that “Sofia needs to be taken down a peg” (Walker 36). Poor consultation and guidance is seen here in the exchange between father and son. It can be inferred that Mr.___ grew up being taught that disciplining a companion or a wife needs to be done in order to teach a lesson.

Segregation and Women’s discrimination in Alice Walker’s novel The Color Purple play a very important role. Back then is those days it was okay for a man to abuse his wife. Every man thought that they were more superior than their wife or any other woman. The story opens with a memory of Celie being commanded by her father to keep it a secret that he sexually abuses her. With Celie's mother being very ill he takes advantage of Celie and forbids her to tell anyone but God. With that being said it explains why most of the novel begins with the phrase ‘Dear god”.

Opening the narrative with a teenage version of Celie, Walker implements crucial information for the readers to grasp the emotional toll Celie’s rape conveys. Raped by her stepfather, Celie is powerless to his abuse. Her stepfather, Alphonso warns and threatens her to keep quiet, “Better not never tell nobody but God”. With this statement, the reader learns why Celie writes letters to God and why she is the most frank in these letters. Celie decants her story to God and remains passive in her material life. The main theme of the story, the power of an individual’s voice, coincides with the abrupt loss of Celie’s youthful innocence.