Name- Vani Nirwan

Roll No.- 200300

The following essay aims to examine the various themes and concepts on the topic of gender
present in the novel, The Colour Purple, published in the year 1982 and authored by novelist
and social activist, Alice Walker. The Colour Purple is an epistolary novel based in rural
Georgia in the early 20th century. The main character of the novel is Celie, a poor, semi-
educated African-American girl who finds herself trapped in the trials and tribulations of
incestuous abuse. Throughout her years growing up, Celie was stuck in a repetitive cycle of
rape and pregnancy and thought that God took her children away only to come to the
realization that her children’s father is really her stepfather. In hopes of escaping this terrible
routine, Celie escapes from her house only to find herself caught in yet another oppressive
relationship with a widower who reduces her role in his life as a caretaker of his children and
performing domestic chores. However, the widower, Mr. Albert fancies her younger sister,
Nettie who was able to escape her draconic stepfather’s house and go to Africa where her
children happened to get adopted by a young missionary couple. Throughout all this, Celie
continues to remain a victim of her husband’s suppression as he brings home another woman
named Shug Avery. Celie and Shug Avery eventually form a great bond with each other as
Shug, who is a bold, independent woman teaches Celie the means of earning a livelihood by
putting her own creativity to use. Celie in her letters to God expresses the regular abuse and
humiliation she undergoes. Celie and her sister Nettie view letter writing as a source of
empowerment as it gives them a voice of their own and makes them realise their own
subjectivity.

The colour purple is used as a symbol of Celie’s pain and suffering. She uses it to relate to
clotted blood and also divulges her sexual abuse when she compares her private parts to the
colour. Although, it also carries a positive message as the colour represents her breaking free
from the shackles of constraints imposed on her as the novel ultimately talks about growth
and resilience. Celie’s journey towards self- acceptance and articulation begins when she
stumbles upon letters written to her by Nettie. By the end of the story, Celie ceases to live in
fear of her husband and leaves everything behind to start a new life in Memphis. She
establishes a matriarchal household with Shug Avery and continues to pursue the path of self-
reliance and financial independence when she inaugurates her trouser making business called
Folkspants Unlimited that makes trousers for both women and men. She is able to support
herself not by means of working a job that pays her a daily wage but through starting a trade
that defies the conventional notions of male and female apparel. Finally, Celie comes to
realize her own self-worth and embarks on a journey where she overcomes her fears and
gains autonomy over her own life.

The black rural south community in which ‘The Color Purple’ is based is extraordinarily
patriarchal. Almost all the male characters mentioned are seen dominating the women and
exhibit signs of violent and oppressive behaviour. Instances of not only physical but sexual
and emotional violence are also mentioned throughout the course of this book, having dire
mental effects on these women. The women in her novel are made to feel worthless and
inferior and are used to living in fear of the men in their lives.

This is particularly obvious in the life of Celie, the central character of the novel. She
experiences sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather, followed by a loveless marriage in
which Celie is reduced tp nothing more than a slave. Celie’s life is an appropriate example of
the suppression draconic aspects possessed by the dominant African-American male. Celie’s
main duties were to look after her husband’s children, spend hours in the fields and be
associated with a man who treats her like an unpaid prostitute. Throughout the story, the male
characters are seen to be possessing a deep-rooted sense of superiority to the extent that they
are unaware of when they are being offensive. A few instances of this behaviour would be
when Harpo assumes that he can make his wife Sofia submit to him by using physical force
on her, or when Mary Agnes wants to establish herself as a singer but Harpo cannot
comprehend why she would strive for such independence when he provides her with
‘everything’ in their marriage. Another instance is when Mary helps to get Sofia released
from prison, her uncle assumes that he holds the absolute right to extract payment from her in
the form of sex. On the other hand, Celie’s sister Nettie’s section of the story is reflective of
the American patriarchal system. The men of the Olinka tribe consider women as invaluable
assets fit only for bearing children, and undeserving of any education. They propagate the
practice of female genital mutilation used for labelling women as male possessions, rendering
them unable to derive any pleasure from physical relationship when they are given in
marriage to a partner of their father’s choice.

Walker does an impeccable job of painting the reality of a male-dominated society where a
woman’s role is only confined to that of a slave or a sex object. This appropriately depicts the
lives of African-American women in black communities in rural South America during the
1930s. Celie’s letters to God are not a only a cry for help but also play the role of
representing the voices of all African-American women who were faced with a similar
situation as her. The author also compares Celie’s life to the relationship between the white
master and black slave that had already existed in the United States of America for centuries
where women were regarded as ‘property’ fit only for sex and labour. In the initial parts of
the novel, most of the female characters are fearful of men. Similarly, Celie would not even
dare to look at men because she is so afraid and prefers to look at women instead. It does not
come as a surprise when the African-American women in the novel turn to each for help and
even to nature to find solidarity, friendship and support. The novel emphasizes greatly on the
bond between sisters Nettie and Celie, as well as Sofia and Odessa. In addition to this, the
author also stresses upon the importance of friendship. This can be seen in a few instances in
the book such as the strong friendship groups formed between women within the Olinka tribe
and when Sofia takes on the responsibility of looking after Mary Agnes’ child when she goes
away to try her luck as a singer. In addition to the focus laid on friendly and filial
relationships between the African-American women, The Color Purple also portrays these
women as challenging traditional gender roles that are forced upon them. A fine example of
this would be the relationship shared between Sofia and Harpo. Sofia was mainly seen taking
on tasks that would generally be labelled as masculine where Harpo would thrive in domestic
tasks such as looking after the children and cooking meals. Celie’s business venture of
making trousers for women is an imposition of equality, although sewing as a task was
considered conventionally feminine. The reunion between Celie and Albert is also marked by
Albert helping her stitch a piece of clothing and finally admitting that he enjoyed the task.
The emotional message of the novel can mainly be found in Celie’s liberation through her
budding relationship with Shug Avery. Most women are seen feeling weak when they are in
isolation but gain strength in unity by working as a unit. The initial step in Celie’s liberation
was to evade an unbearable situation, which Shug motivated to Celie to do. Similarly, Sofia
suggests Eleanor Jane to leave her unhappy marriage and look for work. This encourages
Eleanor Jane to eventually contemplate the racism and its evils when she begins to look after
Sofia’s daughter, Henrietta.

The novel also addresses how both masculine and feminine qualities can be embodied by
males and females. A fine example of this is the narrative of Shug Avery. She is shown as a
woman who is not typically submissive, nor a victim, instead she is independent and capable.
Shug was a strong believer of breaking conventional notions about sex, speaking to women in
masculine pharases and being extremely expressive of her sexuality as a bisexual. She makes
it a point to instill confidence in Celie about her own body that eventually leads to Celie’s
journey towards contentment and self-confidence. Shug Avery’s character is representative of
Walker’s idea of womanism- the idea that every woman, with the help of other women, can
learn to love herself. Shug and Sofia play an integral role in Celie’s quest of finding the
courage to define herself as a woman in her own right. Celie goes on to fight against the
abusive treatment that she had been put through and leaves her husband’s house to have a
fresh start in Memphis.

Another symbol of equality mentioned in the book was Celie’s trouser business, as well as
her confidence to wear pieces of clothing that were traditionally meant to be worn by men. It
represents the freedom for men and women to dress and behave in whichever way they
choose. Celie’s choice of wearing trousers symbolizes her ability to celebrate her own
masculinity and sewing trousers for both men and women soon becomes her prime focus in
life. She understands that her financial independence has enabled her to stop being dependent
on a male to provide for her. It is also to be noted that Celie’s sewing business is what
eventually brought Celie and Albert closer and gave them a better understanding of each
other. Such an understanding led to Albert addressing the skills and creativity possessed by
women, of which he would also like a share. Walker’s ideology of womanism causes her to
base her novel around strong female characters who are, by large, more respectable than the
men in the story, who are portrayed to be inferior. However, there are a few exceptions. For
example, Odessa’s husband Jack is likable and supportive of his wife, Sofia and the rest of
the extended family. Similarly, Samuel is gentle and caring and it can be seen that the author
conveniently uses this narrative to provide a supportive husband for Nettie after the death of
Corinne. Albert is also seen to be embodying some major changes towards the end of the
novel. However, it is eventually the women in the story who are seen to be the personification
of unmatched courage, innovation and intelligence. Celie, Shug, Sofia and Mary Agnes are
seen being victorious through their own endeavours. Nettie towards the end of the book
remains a conventional wife but this is largely due to the fact that she is able to break free
from the turbulent South and its oppressive male members. The overarching theme of women
achieving freedom can be seen throughout the course of the story. From a state of near of
slavery, Celie and Nettie begin to take a step towards independence, finding the power of
self-expression with Nettie becoming a wife and teacher and Celie a successful
businesswoman without the need to depend on a male character in her life. Sofia finally finds
the freedom to live the life of her choice, while Mary Agnes makes strides in a career of her
own choosing rather than being tied to conventional domestic duties and male requirements.

The idea that every African-American woman with the support of other women, can become
a ‘womanist’ and learn to love herself is emphasized by Walker throughout the novel. If this
is a possibility, the author also assumes that reconcialiation between the sexes (male and
female) can also be made possible leading to a re-establishment of equality and harmony and
a resolution of misunderstanding, oppression and violence. Themes such as the relationship
with God, the relentless suppression of women and the colour purple which is a symbolic
element in the story, are explored in the novel. In the beginning of the novel, Celie religiously
writes letter to God thinking that He is her only way out and that He would somehow
intervene in the agony and trauma that she was being put through. However, it is to be noted
that a significant shift in Celie’s understanding of God takes place by the end of the novel,
where she finally starts viewing God as a powerful white man reflecting the kind of process
of socialization she had growing up. Celie’s letters can also be viewed as a symbol of
oppression from an early but these letters are the only medium through which she was able to
record her journey from suppression to liberation. It is seen that Celie gradually matures and
realizes that her audience is not white (God) and starts addressing these letters to her sister
Nettie instead.

Alice Walker is able to illustrate through her work the oppressive relationship between black
men and women, the latter constantly being abused and neglected, Celie is a woman who has
lost her individuality and sense of purpose and has to be submissive silently endure every
form of brutal behavious of her husband and also because she knows no other behavior. She
writes: “He hits me like he hits children ……All I can do is not cry. I am making wood.I tell
myself, Celie, you are a tree. That's why I know trees fear men.” The novel also highlights
the role of black men in disrupting black women’s struggle for identity, existence and
independence.

Bibliography

The Color Purple, Alice Walker