Case Study About Celie

Sara Norris
 Celie
Young, Poor, Uneducated, African-American Woman,
Married, Christian
Celie is a young black girl from Georgia with a very sad personal history. Celie grows up believing that she was raped by her father
“Then he pushed his thing inside my pussy. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying you better shut up and git used to
it”(Walker 1) and that he killed both of their babies “ he took it. He took it while I was sleeping.Kilt it out their in the woods. Kill this
one too, if he can”(Walker 2). Celie as a young girl seems to frequently be subjected to physical and verbal abuse. Lot’s of different
people Celie comes across tell her over and over that she is ugly. All these abusive things lead Celie to have very low self-esteem.” She
ugly. He say… I got to get rid of her. She to old to be living here at home. And she a bad influence on my other girls” (Walker 8). In the
book Celie copes with the abuse by being silent around everyone and thus making herself invisible. Celie’s letters to God are her way of
self-expression and allow her to unload her feelings without fear of judgment or abuse. “I make myself wood. I say to myself, Celie you
are a tree. That’s how come I know trees fear man” (Walker 22). Celie’s most prized things in life were her kids and Nettie. “But I don’t
cry. I lay there thinking about Nettie while he on top of me, wonder if she safe” (Walker 12). Celie assumed that she had her kids with
her Pa and that her Pa killed their kids. Celie’s sister Nettie who she loved more than anything in the world had to run away from the
abuse of her Pa, Nettie ran to Celie but quickly realized being in the same house with Mr. was not good either. This led to Nettie running
away. “ She run way from home. She said she hate to leave our stepma, but she had to git out … “I tell Nettie the next morning. Stead of
being mad, she glad to go. She say she hate to leave me is all” (Walker 16 & 17).
●
Past Medical History
Celie has two pregnancies one
when she was 14 years “When I
start to hurt and then my
stomach start moving and then
that little baby come out my
pussy…” (Walker 2)
● Celie's second child was when
she was either 14 or 15 “ A girl
in church say you git big if you
bleed every month. I don't
bleed no more” (Walker 5).
● Celie got hit in the head with a
rock that Mrs__ son threw at
her the first day they met, “He
pick up a rock and laid my head
open. The blood run all down
my breast” (Walker 12)
Medical History
Family Medical History
● Celie's Mother was always ill
and mentally ill, “ Can't you see
I'm already half dead, an all of
these children” (Walker 1).
● Celie's “father” pa isn't her real
father. “But Celie, I can tell
you. And I pray with all my
heart that you will get this
letter, if none of the others. Pa
is not our pa!” (Walker 175)
●
Work or family stress
Celie makes sure that her sister nettie keeps in
school and doesn't get married “ I tell Nettie to
keep at her books. It be more than a notion taking
care of children aint even yourn. And look what
happened to ma” (Walker 4).
● Celie doesn't work legally but is a housewife for
Mr__, Celie cooks, cleans, takes care of the
children, and gives Mr__ his sexual needs even if
Celie doesn't want to. “ Mr__ marry me to take
care of his children. I marry him cause my daddy
made me. I don't love Mr___ and he dont love me”
(Walker 62).
● Celie's real dad was lynched by a group of white
men because Celie learns in the book that her
father owned a dry goods store and the white store
owners were very mad that the b lack man was
getting all the attention and money. Celie's Mother
also went mad after having so many children but
especially when Celie's real father died. “ My
daddy lynch. My mammy crazy”(Walker 176).
 Celie's Physiological History
~Demographic data~
Sexual history and preference
● Celie's first sexual encounter was with her
dad when she was raped by him and had a
baby by him “Then he pushed his thing
inside my pussy. When that hurt, I cry. He
start to choke me, saying you better shut up
and git used to it”(Walker 1)
● Celie's second sexual encounter was with
Mr__ on multiple occasions even if she
didn't want to, “ I lay their thinking bout
Nettie while he on top of me…”(Walker 12)
● Celie's third sexual encounter was with shug
avery she showed celie where and how to
pleasure herself, “It mine I say. Where the
button? Right up their at the top, she say.
The part that stick out a little. I look at her
and touch it with my finger”(Walker 77).
~Family~ ~Education~
Familiar Support How does their education
● Celie's main support from her early affect their actions/ behavior
childhood and on is Nettie, Celie's
● Celie didn't get much education so
sister, “Don't let them run over you,
Nettie goes to school for the both of
Nettie say. You got to let them know
them and teaches Celie on how to
who got the upper hand … You got to
read and write, “ Helping me with
fight. You got to fight” (Walker 16).
spelling and everything else she
think I need to know. No matter
● Celie then meets Shug Avery who
what happen, Nettie steady try to
becomes another one of Celie's
teach me what go on in the
supporters as well as Nettie, “ She say
world”(Walker 16).
while you looking, look at your titties
too… I won't leave, she say, until I
know Albert won't even think about
beating you” (Walker 74 & 77)
 Presenting Problem
Problem- Victimization/dehumanization Celie was abused
physically, sexually, and emotionally.
Thoughts, feelings, and perceptions
Condition
● My personal perception is that it is at
● Celie was affected because she was subjected to ongoing physical, times difficult to know if someone is
emotional, and sexual abuse by several men in her life.
How does the problem being abused, as most are afraid of abuser
● People that are victimized by others for physical, sexual, or emotional present itself in Celie and do not speak about it and therefore
abuse can be from anywhere in the world and can be any age or leaves many in the dark that it has or is
gender.
actually happening. There are definitely
● The symptoms of this might be fear of touch, verbal abuse, speaking ● Raped by pa ways to help those that are suffering abuse
their mind and or speaking at all once it is known.
● Sold into marriage
● Possible treatments would be some group therapy or individual therapy
● Physically and sexually ● Fortunately in today's society there are
● V- discovered in the 1940s and 50s, when several criminologists many free and anonymous hotlines for
(notably Hans von Hentig, Benjamin Mendelsohn, and Henri abused by husband
Ellenberger) examined victim-offender interactions and stressed victims and or people that want to report
reciprocal influences and role reversals. The rights of victims are every ● Verbally abused by many on behalf of the victim. In addition, there
bit as important as those of alleged criminals are, and in recent decades
government agencies have strengthened services to crime victims. are many available resources to the victim
DEH-Started in 1818, immigrants This expanded view recognizes that whether it be a safe place to go or a place
dehumanization can occur in interpersonal as well as intergroup to seek counseling.
contexts, and is not limited to conditions of overt conflict (for review
see, Haslam and Loughnan, 2014)

● Cause of this can be due to abuse cycle, those that were abused become
abuser or just that the abuser is a bad person who takes advantage of
those that can be considered weak.
 Diagnosis
If Celie would have been diagnosed by a physician one might say she was a victim of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. Celie was subjected
from an early age being abused by those that should have been her protector and loved her. Often Celie was emotionally abused by her PA and others
in her town. They would consistently and constantly tell her she was ugly, poor, and good for no more than cooking, cleaning, and taking are of kids.
“Emotional abuse is a way to control another person by using emotions to criticize, embarrass, shame, blame, or otherwise manipulate another
person. In general, a relationship is emotionally abusive when there is a consistent pattern of abusive words and bullying behaviors that wear down a
person's self-esteem and undermine their mental health” (Gordon)

When Pa basically sold Celie to Mr__ it was apparent to Celie from the beginning that he not only didn't love her but thought she was ugly and
therefore thought of her as nothing more his property to do as he wished. Mr. often physically abuse Celie if he perceived her to do something he did
not like.“Non-accidental use of force that results in bodily injury, pain, or impairment. This includes, but is not limited to, being slapped, burned, cut,
bruised or improperly physically restrained."Physical abuse is not limited to children and can happen to adults of any age” (Tracy).

Celie was a victim of sexual abuse by both Pa nad Mr. as in both cases she never wanted to be wth them sexually but was forced to do so so much at
times even aganist her will. The engaging in sexual contact with a person who is below a specified age or who is incapable of giving consent because
of age or mental or physical incapacity” (Webster). Both Pa and Mr. used physical force to get what they wanted out of Celie. In the case of Pa Celie
was still a young girl and not of consenting age when Pa forcibly took advantage of Celie and her innocence. 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).

Celie was forced into marriage with
Mr__ without any consent from her(
Walker 12) Celie has gotten sexually
abused by Mr__ several time on
different occasions whether she liked
it or not. (Walker 12 & 76).
Celie is being emotionally abused
by Mr_ almost everyday but
towards the end of the book it
comes out a lot more (Walker 204).
Celie was being physically abused by Mr__
all through the book and being physically
abused by her Pa in the beginning of the
book (Walker 5 & 22). Celie keeps getting
physically abused by Mr__ all throughout
the book (Walker 73 & 74).
 Intervention
Celie's personal intervention was writing her letters to god. When Celie was writing the
letters to god that was her way of expressing her feelings and telling someone what has and
what has happened to her that she was and was not happy about. For Celie writing these
letters gave her something to live for since Nettie was in and out of her life and she didn't
have anyone else to fall back on until Shug came along. Celie used writing letters to god as
a way to build up her confidence and a way to get stronger and stronger over the years. By
writing these letter Celie got the confidence to stand up to Mr__ and tell him “until you do
right by me, i say everything you even dream about will fail. I give it to him straight, just
like it come to me” (Walker 205). There was a period of time where Celie stopped writing to
god and started to write to Nettie instead. Celie stopped writing to god because she felt like
god was not reading or listening to her letters anymore so she decided to write to someone
who would actually read and write back which was Nettie. “If he ever listened to a poor
colored women in the world would be a different place, I can tell you.”(Walker 191). Even
though Celie stopped writing to god for a period of time, for that period of time she wrote to
Nettie and was still able to express her feelings and use it as a way of coping until she
re-believed in god. If someone is in a similar situation as Celie then here is a link where
you can get help
(https://www.womenshealth.gov/relationships-and-safety/get-help/state-resources )
 Work Cited
Celie . imagez.tmz.com/image/3f/16by9/2014/01/28/3fe8af8d7d855d6e9d29f8a84427fc0a_xl.jpg .

Celie

static.rogerebert.com/uploads/blog_post/primary_image/interviews/whoopi-goldberg-the-color-purple/EB19851215PEOPLE101119

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www.verywellmind.com/identify-and-cope-with-emotional-abuse-4156673.
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