How Does Alice Walker Present Celie's Struggles In The Color Purple

The Embarkment of Celie’s Physical, Mental and Emotional Journey to Selfhood
"I don't say nothing. I think bout Nettie, dead. She fight, she run away. What good it do? I don't fight, I stay where I'm told. But I'm alive" (Walker, 29). These desperate words of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple display Celie’s disconsolateness in her life and her submission towards those around her. Nettie, Celie’s sister is a fighter, refusing to allow any man or women to diminish her spirits, hopes, and dreams, at any cost. Whereas Celie, too weak and fearful to defy anyone who demands more than what she desires to offer, suffers through these trials, unable to find her voice. In The Color Purple, Alice Walker analyzes the character, Celie and her personal growth
The two soon become lovers, which results in a multitude of things: a sexual rebirth, sexual desire(for the first time) and feelings of security and love for Celie. As the relationship intensifies, Celie’s and Shug’s desires continue to grow, ultimately leading Celie to the decision to leave with Shug as she continues her singing career. This moment was a huge breakthrough for Celie’s character; it exemplifies her transformation from a neglected and abused object into a strong woman who is subjective to those who demanded from her, which was influenced by Shug and Sofia. Mr._____ observes this difference, attempts to control Celie by not allowing her to leave and reacts the only way he knows how to: abusively. He begins to verbally insult her, however, Celie has finally found her voice and refuses to stay quiet. Celie loses complete control when Mr._____ reaches across the table to slap her by stabbing a knife in his hand. Shug soon interrupts and maintains peace, however in the final days of her residence in his home, he begins to lose his control as well. He portrays the facade that he doesn’t care. He also makes multiple remarks about her appearance, skills, intelligence, race and social status. Celie in response, curses him, claiming that every hit she has suffered, he will suffer twice as much. Until he does right in Celie’s name, he will receive the treatment he gave to Celie. The scene ends with Shug intervening
While she may not be the only character developed, she is the most developed within the storyline. Towards the beginning of the novel, Celie is stripped of all her rights. She has born two children, both of which were taken from her. She was raped multiple times by both her husband and father; she was also physically and mentally abused by both men as well. The environment she was forced to live in has resulted in her lack of self-importance, love and worth and her inability to identify herself as a human being rather than an object. Celie was unable to defend herself because of adaption to her environment; she had learned to survive by not fighting, but by succumbing to the needs being demanded to avoid any type of punishment, physically or mentally. Celie was so trapped in her own suffering, she didn’t even realize the falseness of her survival techniques. Not until she met Sofia and Shug, two very strong female characters of The Color Purple, that lead her to the journey of healing and self-discovery. Without these two women, Celie would not have had any role models of virility, strength, resistance, confidence, etc. Shug and Sofia paved the new way for Celie to recreate herself as a woman. Shug especially assisted in Celie’s sexuality, body appreciation and positivity. With all the skills acquired from Sofia and Shug, Celie eventually broke the hypothetical chains, freeing herself from the