Alice Malsenior Walker (born February 9, 1944) is an American author, poet, and activist.

She has written both fiction and essays about race and gender. She is best known for the critically acclaimed novel The Color Purple (1982) for which she won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Walker was born in Eatonton, Georgia, the youngest of eight children, to Willie Lee Walker and Minnie Lou Tallulah Grant. Her father, who was, in her words, "wonderful at math but a terrible farmer," earned only $300 a year fromsharecropping and dairy farming. Her mother supplemented the family income by working as a maid. college.
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She worked 11 hours a day for USD $17 per week to help pay for Alice to attend

Living under Jim Crow Laws, Walker's parents resisted landlords who expected the children of black sharecroppers to work the fields at a young age. A white plantation owner said to her that black people had no need for education. Minnie Lou Walker said, "You might have some black children somewhere, but they dont live in this house. Dont you ever come around here again talking about how my children dont need to learn how to read and write. Her mother enrolled Alice in first grade at the age of four.[3] Growing up with an oral tradition, listening to stories from her grandfather (the model for the character of Mr. in The Color Purple), Walker began writing, very privately, when she was eight years old. "With my family, I had to hide things," she said. "And I had to keep a lot in my mind."[4] In 1952, Walker was accidentally wounded in the right eye by a shot from a BB gun fired by one of her brothers. Because the family had no car, the Walkers could not take their daughter to a hospital for immediate treatment. By the time they reached a doctor a week later, she had become permanently blind in that eye. When a layer of scar tissue formed over her wounded eye, Alice became self-conscious and painfully shy. Stared at and sometimes taunted, she felt like an outcast and turned for solace to reading and to writing poetry. When she was 14, the scar tissue was removed. She later became valedictorian and was voted most-popular girl, as well as queen of her senior class, but she realized that her traumatic injury had some value: it allowed her to begin "really to see people and things, really to notice relationships and to learn to be patient enough to care about how they turned out".[1] After high school, Walker went to Spelman College in Atlanta on a full scholarship in 1961 and later transferred to Sarah Lawrence College near New York City, graduating in 1965. Walker became interested in the U.S. civil rights movement in part due to the influence of activist Howard Zinn, who was one of her professors at Spelman College. Continuing the activism that she participated in during her college years, Walker returned to the South where she became involved with voter registration drives, campaigns for welfare rights, and children's programs in Mississippi.
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PLOT SUMMARY Celie, the protagonist and narrator of The Color Purple, is a poor, uneducated, fourteen year-old black girl living in rural Georgia. Celie starts writing letters to God because her father, Alphonso, beats and rapes her. Alphonso has already impregnated Celie once. Celie gave birth to a girl, whom her father stole and presumably killed in the woods. Celie has a second child, a boy, whom her father also steals. Celies mother becomes seriously ill and dies. Alphonso brings home a new wife but continues to abuse Celie.

Celie and her bright, pretty younger sister, Nettie, learn that a man known only as Mr. wants to marry Nettie. Mr. has a mistress named Shug Avery, a sultry lounge singer whose photograph fascinates Celie. Alphonso refuses to let Nettie marry, and instead offers Mr. the "ugly" Celie as a bride. Mr. eventually accepts the offer, and takes Celie into a difficult and joyless married life. Nettie runs away from Alphonso and takes refuge at Celies house. Mr. still desires Nettie, and when he advances on her she flees for her own safety. Never hearing from Nettie again, Celie assumes she is dead. Mr.'s sister Kate feels sorry for Celie, and tells her to fight back against Mr. rather than submit to his abuses. Harpo, Mr.'s son, falls in love with a large, spunky girl named Sofia. Shug Avery comes to town to sing at a local bar, but Celie is not allowed to go see her. Sofia becomes pregnant and marries Harpo. Celie is amazed by Sofias defiance in the face of Harpos and Mr.s attempts to treat Sofia as an inferior. Harpos attempts to beat Sofia into submission consistently fail, as Sofia is by far the physically stronger of the two. Shug falls ill and Mr. takes her into his house. Shug is initially rude to Celie, but the two women become friends as Celie takes charge of nursing Shug. Celie finds herself infatuated with Shug and attracted to her sexually. Frustrated with Harpos consistent attempts to subordinate her, Sofia moves out, taking her children. Several months later, Harpo opens a juke joint where Shug sings nightly. Celie grows confused over her feelings toward Shug. Shug decides to stay when she learns that Mr.beats Celie when Shug is away. Shug and Celies relationship grows intimate, and Shug begins to ask Celie questions about sex. Sofia returns for a visit and promptly gets in a fight with Harpos new girlfriend, Squeak. In town one day, the mayors wife, Miss Millie, asks Sofia to work as her maid. Sofia answers with a sassy "Hell no." When the mayor slaps Sofia for her "insubordination", she returns the blow, knocking the mayor down. Sofia is sent to jail. Squeaks attempts to get Sofia freed are futile. Sofia is sentenced to work for twelve years as the mayors maid. Shug returns with a new husband, Grady. Despite her marriage, Shug instigates a sexual relationship with Celie, and the two frequently share the same bed. One night Shug asks Celie about her sister. Celie assumes Nettie is dead because she had promised to write to Celie, but never did. Shug says she has seen Mr. hide away numerous mysterious letters that have arrived in the mail. Shug manages to get her hands on one of these letters, and they find it is from Nettie. Searching through Mr.'s trunk, Celie and Shug find dozens of letters that Nettie has sent to Celie over the years. Overcome with emotion, Celie reads the letters in order, wondering how to keep herself from killing Mr. The letters indicate that Nettie befriended a missionary couple, Samuel and Corrine, and traveled with them to Africa to do ministry work. Samuel and Corrine have two adopted children, Olivia and Adam. Nettie and Corrine become close friends, but Corrine, noticing that her adopted children resemble Nettie, wonders if Nettie and Samuel have a secret past. Increasingly suspicious, Corrine tries to limit Netties role within her family. Nettie becomes disillusioned with her missionary experience, as she finds the Africans self-centered and obstinate. Corrine becomes ill with a fever. Nettie asks Samuel to tell her how he adopted Olivia and Adam. Based on Samuels story, Nettie realizes that the two children are actually Celies biological children, alive after all. Nettie also learns that Alphonso is really only Nettie and Celies stepfather, not their real father. Their real father was a storeowner whom white men lynched because they resented his success. Alphonso told Celie and Nettie he was their real father because he wanted to inherit the house and property that was once their mothers.

Nettie confesses to Samuel and Corrine that she is in fact their childrens biological aunt. The gravely ill Corrine refuses to believe Nettie. Corrine dies, but accepts Netties story and feels reconciled just before her death. Meanwhile, Celie visits Alphonso, who confirms Netties story, admitting that he is only the womens stepfather. Celie begins to lose some of her faith in God, but Shug tries to get her to reimagine God in her own way, rather than in the traditional image of the old, bearded white man. The mayor releases Sofia from her servitude six months early. At dinner one night, Celie finally releases her pent-up rage, angrily cursing Mr. for his years of abuse. Shug announces that she and Celie are moving to Tennessee, and Squeak decides to go with them. In Tennessee, Celie spends her time designing and sewing individually tailored pairs of pants, eventually turning her hobby into a business. Celie returns to Georgia for a visit, and finds that Mr. has reformed his ways, and Alphonso has died. Alphonsos house and land are now hers, so she moves there. Meanwhile, Nettie and Samuel marry and prepare to return to America. Before they leave, Samuels son, Adam, marries Tashi, a native African girl. Following African tradition, Tashi undergoes the painful rituals of female circumcision and facial scarring. In solidarity, Adam undergoes the same facial scarring ritual. Celie and Mr. reconcile, and begin to genuinely enjoy each others company. Now independent financially, spiritually and emotionally, Celie is no longer bothered by Shugs passing flings with younger men. Sofia remarries Harpo and now works in Celies clothing store. Nettie finally returns to America with Samuel and the children. Emotionally drained but exhilarated by the reunion with her sister, Celie notes that though she and Nettie are now old, she has never in her life felt younger.[2]

SETTING The book begins about 30 years before World War II. It covers the first half of the 20th century, as we follow Celie through thirty or forty years of her life. The setting of Celies story is unmistakably among poor blacks in rural areas of the South. As a poor black woman in the rural south, Celies bad treatment is largely ignored. Having very little exposure to education or the outside world, Celie lives most of her life very isolated and ignorant.

THEME The Power of Narrative and Voice Walker emphasizes throughout the novel that the ability to express ones thoughts and feelings is crucial to developing a sense of self. Initially, Celie is completely unable to resist those who abuse her. Remembering Alphonsos warning that she better not never tell nobody but God about his abuse of her, Celie feels that the only way to persevere is to remain silent and invisible. Celie is essentially an object, an entirely passive party who has no power to assert herself through action or words. Her letters to God, in which she begins to pour out her story, become her only outlet. However, because she is so unaccustomed to articulating her experience, her narrative is initially muddled despite her best efforts at transparency.

Major Characters Celie The main character and protagonist of the novel. She is an African-American woman who is treated badly, especially by men. In spite of the hardships she endures, she maintains a beautiful spirit of perseverance and love. Throughout the book, Celie writes letters to God and to her sister Nettie, revealing all of her struggles and longings. Nettie Celie's sister. She moves with a missionary couple to Africa, where she eventually marries the minister. Nettie and Celie write letters to one another during the years of their separation. Celie truly loves her sister. Fonso Celie and Nettie's father, who turns out to be their stepfather. Shortly after Celie's real father is killed, Fonso marries her mother. He then sexually abuses Celie, gets her pregnant, steals her babies, and gives them away. He also steals Celie and Nettie's inheritance. He marries a variety of very young women. Shug Avery A blues singer who is a lover to both Celie and Albert. She tries to give Celie self esteem. She also gives the novel its title when she tells Celie that God gets angry when people do not stop to admire the color purple. Albert (usually referred to as Mr. ____) The small-time, cruel farmer who Fonso chooses as Celie's husband; he abused Celie and neglected his children. After years of living alone, he comes to recognize the wrongs of his past attitudes and actions and becomes a loving and gentle man. Sofia Butler The wife of Harpo. She is a strong, outspoken woman in spite of the hardships she must endure. She is harassed by the patriarchal mindset of her husband and the racist white authorities of her town. After spending years in prison for a minor infraction, she is forced to work for the mayor's wife. Later, she is reunited with her family. Minor Characters Celie's mother An unnamed woman who dies after the first chapter. She goes crazy when Celie's father is lynched. She soon marries Fonso and is always pregnant and sick. Harpo Sofia's husband, Albert's son, and, for a time, Mary Agnes's lover. Harpo is forced into playing the role of the dominating husband by his father. Later, when he is reunited with Sofia, he takes care of the house and enjoys a more egalitarian relationship with her. May Ellen Fonso's very young second wife whom he marries after Celie's mother dies. Daisy Fonso's last wife. He marries her after May Ellen deserts him. Hetty Daisy and Fonso's cook.

Lucius An infant child of Celie's mother. Miss Beasley Celie and Nettie's schoolteacher. Olivia Celie's daughter, who is sold by Fonso to the minister in town and taken to Africa, where she is raised by Nettie. Celie never sees until years later. Adam Celie's son who is also taken from her and raised in Africa. He marries Tashi.

CHAPTER SUMMARY 1
In Celie's first letter to God, appearing in this first chapter, the reader learns that the main character is a fourteenyear-old girl. She explains to God how she has always been good and, therefore, does not understand why she is being sexually abused. Her mother has refused to engage in sexual activity after bearing another baby; as a result, Celie's father (Fonso) has begun to rape her habitually. When she cries, he chokes her and tells her to get used to it. In addition to the cruel treatment she receives at the hands of her father, Celie is also expected to be the housekeeper, performing all the domestic chores. Celie relates that she feels sick when she does the cooking. Celie writes her second letter to God. She begins by explaining that her mother has died and describing the days before her death. Celie was responsible for handling everyone and everything in the household; she had to care for the other children, her sick and dying mother, and her abusive father. Her mother was demanding, yelling and cursing at Celie while the idle Fonso sat beside her bed crying that he did not want to be left alone. 2 Celie writes that Fonso is beginning to regard her as if she were evil, accusing her of doing bad things. In reality, it is Fonso that is totally evil. Celie has just delivered her second child, a boy. Fonso immediately stole the infant and sold him. As a result, Celie is miserable; her breasts are swollen and dripping milk. Fonso displays disgust towards her about the milk and tells her to dress more decently; unfortunately, the girl has nothing else to wear. She tells God that she hopes Fonso will soon find a woman to marry him, for he is beginning to show interest in Nettie, her little sister. She has promised Nettie that she will protect her. Celie writes to God about Fonso's new wife; she is sixteen, the same age as Celie. Celie knows that her stepmother is overwhelmed with the number of children in the family and the work that must be done to care for them. Although she married Fonso because she was in love with him, she is already becoming disillusioned. 3 Celie explains to God that Fonso has beaten her for winking at a boy, even though she did not wink at anyone. Because of her past, she has no interest in looking at men. She enjoys the company of women because she is scared of them. She explains that even though her mother cursed her, she cared for her and felt sorry for her situation. She believes that Fonso is responsible for her death.

Celie writes to God that Albert asked Fonso if he could marry Nettie. Fonso told him that he cannot marry Nettie because of the scandal surrounding his wife's murder, the number of children he has, and his connection to Shug Avery. Celie asks Fonso's new wife, whom she refers to as their new mammy, if she knows who Shug Avery is. The woman says she is a blues singer; she finds a picture of Shug and shows it to Celie. Both young women think Shug is beautiful. Celie asks if she can keep the picture. When she is told can, she stares at it all night until she falls asleep and dreams about Shug. 4 In this letter Celie informs God that Fonso has been trying to seduce Nettie since his new wife has been sick. Celie has tried diligently to persuade him to take advantage of her instead of her younger sister. She even tried to dress up in feminine clothing in order to attract him and protect Nettie. Fonso's reaction was to beat her and tell her she was dressed like a tramp. She does, however, save Nettie from being raped, even though she must offer up herself as a sexual object to be used and manipulated. Celie tells God that it has taken Albert the entire spring to decide to marry her instead of Nettie. In order to protect her sister, she wants to take Nettie with her to Albert's farm. She knows that Albert would be so enamored with Nettie's presence that she would be able to plan their escape together without being detected. 5 On her wedding day, Celie learns how hard her life on the farm with Albert is going to be, for she is expected to take care of his four children. On her first day, she is attacked by her oldest stepson, who is twelve. His mother died in his arms, and he is upset about being told he has a new mother. He hits her in the head with a rock, and she bleeds profusely. Albert tells the boy not to do it again and does nothing else. 6 In town one day, Celie, sitting in the wagon, spies a child that she is certain is her daughter. The little girl looks just like Celie and Celie's father (who is the child's father and grandfather). She decides that if the girl's name is Olivia, then she is her daughter, for Celie had embroidered that name on infant clothes, which were taken with the baby when she was abducted. Celie decides to follow the child. She gets down from the wagon and goes into the store behind the little girl. As Celie watches her, Olivia behaves disinterestedly while her new mother tells her not to touch anything. Celie notices that Olivia and her new mother are dressed alike. 7 Nettie runs away from home and comes to stay with Celie on the farm. Celie tells her sister that Albert's children are smart, but demanding and mean; she also complains that Albert never helps with them. Nettie immediately begins to help with the children, and Celie notices how patient she is with them. Nettie also shows her patience by again teaching her sister. They study spelling and facts about the world. Nettie also tries to tell Celie she must take charge of the children, not giving into their demands. Nettie encourages her sister to fight, but Celie writes that she does not know how to fight; she only knows how to stay alive. 8 Albert continues to beat his children and wife with a belt, but he does not beat the children nearly as often. When she is hit, Celie tries not to cry by imagining she is a tree. One day Harpo asks Albert why he physically abuses Celie. He responds that he beats her because she is his wife and because she is stubborn. 9 Shug is in town for the weekend. Albert stays away from home until Monday. In contrast, Celie works in the field all weekend wondering about Shug. When he comes home, weak and crying, Celie wants to ask him many questions

about Shug. All he wants to do is go to bed. When he finally wakes, he is so exhausted he can barely hoe. He soon goes back to the house, and Celie follows, thinking he is sick. Albert orders her to return to work in the fields.

10
Harpo courts the girl from church, but her father does not think he is good enough for his daughter. Harpo asks Albert why he is not accepted by others. His father tells him it is because Harpo's mother was murdered by her exboyfriend. As a result, Harpo begins to have nightmares about his mother's death. In his dream he and his mother are running from her boyfriend in a pasture. She tells the boyfriend her place is with her children, but he insists her place is with him. He shoots her and runs away. Harpo holds his dying mother and screams out for her in his sleep, waking the other children. They all cry as if she had just died. Harpo insists that it was not her fault that she died; Celie feels sorry for her stepson and reassures him that it was not his fault. 11 Harpo complains that Sofia does not obey him; he has told her not to go to her sister's house so much, but she still goes. He asks his father how to make his wife mind him. Albert tells Harpo to beat Sofia, theorizing that women need to be punished just like children. Celie is also confused about Sofia's behavior. She does not stop talking when the men walk into the room, and if they ask her where something is, she tells them she does not know. Sofia also looks at Celie with surprise and pity when Celie jumps when her husband calls. As a result, when Harpo asks for Celie's advice concerning Sofia, she also tells him to beat his wife. The next time Celie sees Harpo, he is bruised all over. He claims that he has had an accident with the mule, but Celie knows the bruises have come from Sofia. 12 Celie has trouble sleeping and knows it is because she feels guilty about doing Sofia wrong. She hopes Sofia will not find out what she has told Harpo, but he tells his wife. Angry with Celie, Sofia comes to return the curtains she has made and confronts her. Celie admits she did wrong and tells Sofia that she was jealous because she was brave enough to fight back. Sofia tells Celie not to advise Harpo to beat her anymore unless she wants a dead stepson. 13 Celie writes that Shug Avery is sicker and meaner than Celie's mother when she died. Surprisingly, Albert is nicer than normal. He tells Celie that she should say if she minds having Shug at the farm. She quickly says she wants Shug to stay; her answer comes so rapidly that Albert fears Celie might be thinking of harming Shug. He obviously does not know his wife at all. 14 When Shug asks what is for breakfast, Celie lists many foods, but she asks for things that Celie cannot offer, like coffee and cigarettes. Celie, however, finds a way to get them for Shug. She is totally devoted to this woman and begins to realize that her emotions are somewhat sexual. She knows that "if I don't watch out I'll have hold of her hand, tasting her fingers in my mouth." 15 Albert's father, whom Celie refers to as Old Mr.___, shows up at the farm. He insults Shug and shames Albert for bringing her into his house. Hearing Shug insulted, Celie spits in Old Mr.___'s water before giving it to him. Albert tells his father that he loves Shug and should have married her when he could. His father says he would have been throwing his life away. He claims that Shug does not have a father, that her brothers and sisters are all by different men, that she has a woman's disease, and that her mother takes in white people's clothes. Albert answers that at least all of Shug's children have the same father -- him.

16 Harpo spends the weekend at the farm. He arrives in the middle of the night, crying on the porch. Celie goes to comfort him and sees that his eyes are almost swollen shut. He tries to find a lie, but tells the truth; Sofia has hit him when he tried to beat her for not minding him. He wants Sofia to behave like Celie. She tells him that it is more important that they love each other. She reminds him that Albert loves Shug and that he cannot make Shug mind. She says that when Shug has gained her weight back she might sit on Albert to make him behave. When she brings up the topic of weight, Harpo cries harder. 17 Sofia's sisters, all big and strong, arrive in two wagons to pick up Sofia and her children. Harpo acts like he does not care, but Celie notices a dullness about him. She asks him if he is going to allow Sofia to leave. He does not understand how she can ask him this question when he cannot make his wife do anything. He knows he cannot stop her from going. As Sofia rummages through the house gathering things, one of the daughters asks if their father is coming. Sofia tells her children that he is staying to watch the house. Harpo, to keep busy, changes his baby's diaper even though it is not wet. He dries his wet eyes with the dry diaper. Before Sofia departs, Celie offers the quilt to her. They are then on their way, and Harpo is left standing in the yard. 18 Sofia's sisters, all big and strong, arrive in two wagons to pick up Sofia and her children. Harpo acts like he does not care, but Celie notices a dullness about him. She asks him if he is going to allow Sofia to leave. He does not understand how she can ask him this question when he cannot make his wife do anything. He knows he cannot stop her from going. As Sofia rummages through the house gathering things, one of the daughters asks if their father is coming. Sofia tells her children that he is staying to watch the house. Harpo, to keep busy, changes his baby's diaper even though it is not wet. He dries his wet eyes with the dry diaper. Before Sofia departs, Celie offers the quilt to her. They are then on their way, and Harpo is left standing in the yard. 19 Shug and Albert sleep together almost every night. Shug asks Celie if this upsets her, but Celie does not seem to care. Shug explains that she would have married Albert, but he was too weak and acts like a bully. Celie asks her if she likes sleeping with Albert, and Shug confesses she does, laughing. Celie says that with her Albert just does his business and rolls over. Shug again tells Celie that she is still a virgin since she has not experienced sexual pleasure. She explains to Celie that she has a clitoris that can be stimulated to create great enjoyment. She gives Celie a mirror and tells her to go look at herself. When Celie touches herself, she feels a spurt of pleasure, "enough to tell me this is the right button to push." Celie, however, feels like she has been doing something wrong. Although Celie has told Shug she does not care if she and Albert sleep together, it often makes Celie cry. That night in bed, Celie touches her "button" and cries as she thinks about Shug and Albert. 20 Harpo is moping around, treating Squeak as if she were invisible. Squeak tries to ease his tension but cannot. Celie advises Squeak to ask Harpo to call her by her real name of Mary Agnes if she wants him to acknowledge her. Squeak does not understand, and Celie does not push the issue. Celie knows that Harpo is upset because Sofia is in jail. She is worried about Harpo and finds herself crying for him. 21 The family fears Sofia will not last long under her horrible conditions in jail. They discuss ways to get her out. Harpo wants to break her out of jail, but Albert tells him to shut up. Celie thinks about God and angels and imagines a bunch of white albinos coming down to save Sofia. When everyone finds out that Squeak is the warden's niece, they decide that she can be instrumental in saving Sofia.

22

. When Squeak returns from the visit with her clothing torn, Harpo becomes irate, for he realizes she has been
raped. She tells him to be quiet and listen to her story. After she told the warden what they told her to say, he began asking her about her relations. When she told him that he was her uncle, he took her hat off and instructed her to undo her dress. The warden then raped her. Harpo says he loves her and puts his arms around her. She tells him that her name is Mary Agnes 23 Three years after Sofia had first been jailed, Celie is visiting her at Miz Millie's, the mayor's wife. Sofia's job is to watch Miz Millie's children. A ball rolls to Sofia, and a little boy orders her to throw it to him. She tells him that she is there to watch him, not throw balls. He comes over and tries to kick her leg, but instead catches his foot on a rusty nail. He is bleeding and crying as his mother comes outside, keeping her distance from Sofia. She seems scared of her and asks the little boy if Sofia hurt him. The little girl tells her that he hurt himself trying to kick Sofia. Celie notes how the girl dotes on Sofia, even though she pays her little attention. While they talk, Celie makes Sofia laugh, the first time in three years. Mostly, Sofia speaks of killing people. 24 Celie and Albert are excited that Shug is coming back for a visit. She has written ahead to let them know she is bringing a surprise. Albert thinks she has bought him a car. Celie and Albert are both surprised and disappointed to find that Shug arrives with a husband, whom she introduces as Grady. Sidling up to Celie, she claims that they are "two married ladies now." 25 After Grady and Albert take off in Shug's car, Shug asks Celie to sleep with her because she is cold and lonely without Grady at night. The two women talk. Shug asks Celie about the father of her children. Celie explains that it was her father, and she was only fourteen. He had asked her to cut his hair one day while her mother was out. Before the hair cut was complete, he raped her. He then made her finish cutting his hair while blood dripped down her stockings. Shug puts her arms around Celie, and Celie cries at the pain of remembering it all. Celie then tells Shug how her mother died, how Albert married her to care for his children, and how her sister left. She says no one has ever loved her. Shug tells Celie that she loves her and kisses her, surprising Celie. Celie kisses her back; then they kiss and fondle for a long time. 26 Celie finally receives a letter from Nettie, given to her by Shug. The letter explains how Albert has not allowed her correspondence to go through, but she has continued to write, hoping someday that Celie will get a letter and learn that she is alive and well. Nettie also tells Celie that Olivia and Adam, her two children adopted by the minister, are both doing well. Shug tells Celie that she walked out to the mailbox with Albert and saw him stuff an envelope with funny stamps into his inside coat pocket. She later took the letter, the one written by Nettie, from his coat pocket. 27 Celie realizes that Albert is keeping Nettie's letters in a locked trunk where he stores his private items. Shug is able to sneak the key from Albert, and the two women open the trunk together. Inside they find some of Shug's underwear, nude photos, tobacco, and Nettie's letters, some of them opened. They steam open the envelopes in order to take all the letters out. They then replace the envelopes in the trunk so Albert will not realize the contents are missing. After Shug puts the letters in order, she and Celie sit in Shug's room and read them.

28 In the next letter, Nettie tells Celie how much she misses her, thinking of her constantly. She explains that she is living with the minister and his family; the reverend's name is Samuel, his wife is Corrine, the little girl is Olivia, and the little boy is Adam. They treat her well and include her in many activities, mostly church related. Before she closes the letter, Nettie tells Celie how she thinks "about the time you laid yourself down for me." 29 The next letter explains that Nettie has gone to Africa with Samuel and Corrine. She wrote to Celie every day on the ship, but she tore her letters up, thinking Albert would never pass them on. She acknowledges the fact that Celie writes letters to God, feeling too ashamed to speak directly with Him. Celie's faithfulness in writing letters serves as an example for Nettie to continue writing to Celie, even if she does not receive them. She admits that writing to Celie makes her feel less lonely.

30
This letter from Nettie to Celie is filled with happiness and wonder. She first tells Celie how big and gentle Samuel is and how lucky Corrine is to be his wife. Nettie then writes about her two- week voyage across the Atlantic in a large ship; she and the minister's family first went to England, before departing for Africa. During their stay in Great Britain, they visited missionary societies; Nettie also visited a museum that had many amazing artifacts from countries in Africa. 31 This is another letter to God from Celie. She explains to Him that it takes a long time to read just a few of Nettie's letters, for she and Shug are unfamiliar with many of the words that her sister writes. As they read, Celie finds herself crying, for she misses her sister and she is angry with Albert for having kept the letters from her. Celie and Shug are interrupted when Grady and Albert come home. They carefully put the letters aside. 32 Celie begins to "strut a little" now that she knows Nettie is alive. She dreams about her sister coming home and bringing Olivia and Adam. She worries about the children being conceived from incest, but she loves them anyway. 33 Tashi's mother and father come to speak with Nettie about Olivia's influence on their daughter. They think that under Olivia's guidance, Tashi is changing; she seems unconcerned about becoming a traditional Olinkan woman. Nettie tries to tell them that Tashi can be a teacher or a nurse for the village, but her father says that they have no need for women like that. He further explains that Olinkan men take care of their wives and do not allow them to do as they please. The conversation ends by his declaring that Tashi cannot come over to visit Olivia anymore; Olivia, however, will be allowed to come to their hut "to learn what women are for." Nettie tells Celie how similar the Olinkan men are to their Pa. They never pay attention to what women have to say; they only "listen long enough to issue instructions." 34
Nettie's letter explains how the Olinkas threw a huge feast when the road finally arrives at their village. They naively think that the road has been built exclusively for them and will not go out of the village. They raise an uproar when they discover that the road will continue past them. The chief of the Olinkan tribe even goes to the city to seek reparations and explanations. He finds out that a rubber company in England really owns their land, and if they want to stay in the village, they will have to pay rent. When the chief returns to the village, he finds the Olinkas assisting the road builders in planting rubber trees.

35 Samuel has also believed that Nettie is the birthmother of Olivia and Adam. He thought she had followed her children to his home, which is why he took pity on her and hired her. He also asked her to come along to Africa because he could not bear to take her children from her. Samuel finally asks Nettie who the birthmother is; she responds by asking where he got the children. 36 Celie writes to Nettie and tells her that this is the first time she has wanted to see Fonso. She and Shug dress in their matching floral pants and drive to see her stepfather. They arrive at a fancy two- story house, and Celie thinks it is the wrong address until she sees a particular fig tree. Then, a motorcar pulls up behind them, and Fonso and Daisy, Fonso's fifteen-year-old girlfriend, get out of the car and invite them to the porch. 37 Nettie writes to Celie that she has persisted in trying to get Corrine to remember the encounter at the store that day. Finally, she goes through Corrine's quilts, looking for old fabric that Corrine might have purchased in the store. Corrine sees the correct fabric, recalls Celie, and begins to cry. She remembers how much Olivia looked like the women in the store, which scared her; she was afraid Celie would want her daughter back. 38 Celie, still angry with God, no longer writes letters to Him. She tells Shug, "The God I been praying and writing to is a man. And act just like all the other mens I know. Trifling, forgitful and lowdown." Celie admits that her image of God is an old white man; Shug tells her it is because white people wrote the Bible and drew the "white" pictures in it. Shug further says that God is not a she or a he, but an it. She also tells Celie that she does not have to go to church to please God; God just wants people to enjoy life and the world He has provided. Shug concludes that "it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it." After her discussion with Shug about God, Celie writes to Nettie that she is trying to chase the old white man out of her head. 39 Albert appears as if he does not care if Celie is leaving. Then he tells her that she will soon be back because no one else in the world would have her. In contrast to Shug who has talent and spunk, he claims that she has nothing to offer. He lists her failings by telling her, "You ugly. You skinny. You shape funny. You too scared to open your mouth to people . . . you black, you pore, you a woman. . .you nothing at all." He adds that she isn't even a good cook and that his house has not been cleaned properly since his first wife died. After his tirade, Celie is brave enough to ask Albert if any more letters for her have come. He is shocked into silence by her question; when he recovers, he says if any letters did come, he would not give them to her. 40 Celie tells Nettie that she has hired two women to work for her; they are twins, named Jerene and Darlene. Darlene is trying to teach Celie how to speak standard English, but Celie does not think it is important since she has never been happier in her life. She loves her new life, and her business is making a profit. Shug adds that she does not care how Celie talks. 41 Celie watches Albert walk up to the coffin. His hair is smoothed down, and his skin is clean. Sofia tells her that he now has a job and does housework; Celie can hardly believe her ears. Sofia tells Celie that after she left, Albert at

first acted crazy, locking himself up in his house and not bathing or eating; eventually, Harpo forced his way into the house and took care of him. He also made Albert send all of Nettie's letters to Celie because "meanness kill." 42 When Nettie and her family return home to Africa from England, Adam and Olivia go in search of Tashi. They cannot find her for days and realize she is hiding because she has undergone the initiation ceremony and scarification. When they finally find her, Tashi is listless and cannot hold her head up; her scarred face now has twelve incisions on each cheek. Adam totally rejects her, but Olivia stays to console Tashi. While Tashi is beginning to realize the magnitude of her mistake, Adam is in conflict between the modern and the Olinkan cultures. 43 Celie tells Nettie that Shug has fallen in love with Germaine, a young fellow of nineteen that is in her band. Celie's heart is broken. Shug claims that she only wants one last fling and then intends to spend the rest of her life with Celie. She asks Celie for six months. Celie is hurting worse than she thinks she can endure, but tells Shug that she will love her no matter what; however, she is leaving for Georgia. 44 Celie receives a telegram from the State Department informing her that the ship that Nettie and her family were on has sunk. Celie is devastated. She is also saddened by the fact that most of the letters that she has sent to Nettie are returned to her, undelivered. 45 Without Shug around to encourage her, Celie begins to question herself. She stands naked in front of a mirror and wonders why Shug ever loved her. Even though Shug writes her letters, she does not mention joining Celie in Georgia. The last letter stated that she and Germaine were in Arizona visiting one of her sons and his wife and children. 46 Nettie's next letter to Celie tells about the news of Adam and Tashi. The young man caught up with Tashi and her mother, but they refused to return. As a result, Adam accompanied them to the Mbeles encampment, which he found to be an extraordinary place, set in a huge depression in the earth, where thousands of people lived. The Mbeles now include people from dozens of tribes, who have set up farms, a school, an infirmary, a temple, and a militia that sabotages white plantations. 47 In the last letter, Celie addresses the world, all of creation, and the creator, with whom she has finally made her reconciliation; she ends it with an "amen" as if it were a prayer of thanksgiving. The novel ends with the joyous homecoming of Nettie and her children, followed by a family reunion. The theme of reconciliation and regeneration is now complete. Celie is fully reconciled with herself and her life; she also feels regenerated now that she is selfsufficient and surrounded by the love of her family and Shug. It is truly a happy ending to a book that is filled with challenges and sadness. LESSON.
The moral of "The Color Purple" is Celie goes through life having a hard time noticing the beautiful aspects and appreciating them. She had a difficult life and was abused as an adolescent. The color purple is continually equated with suffering and pain. Sofia's swollen, beaten face is described as the

color of "eggplant." Purple is the color of Celie's private parts: the site of her sexual violation. [4] However, later Shug points out to her that you have to enjoy life. When they were in a field of purple flowers, Shug tells Celie to look at the flowers and embrace their beauty. You must look at all the good and acknowledge them because God placed them all on earth. After learning this, Celie has a better respect for life and everything it has to offer. RELEVANCE

Recognition and Equality in The Color Purple The book, The Color Purple, by Alice Walker is a good example on how over the years women have been making remarkable strides towards achieving success, recognition and equality. From the day they began their closeness to each other, bringing unity in which they never quite used to get in progress of their high quality goal. Their particular goal was against greatest freedom of the mans rights. It was hard to maintain due to them not be able to point to non-equality because they were treated like slaves.... [tags: Color Purple Essays]