Sexism, Womanism, sexuality and male dominance in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple and By the Light of My Father’s Smile
Sexism, Womanism, sexuality and male dominance in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple and By the Light of My Father’s Smile
Alice walker-a renowned novelist, short story writer, essayist, poet, critic, and author of children’s books-sees the corruption in the world and writes to portray the struggles that African American women encounter. The snags that they have in everyday society are largely copious, however, Alice Walker does wonders writing specifically about racism and sexism. In two of her famous novels, The Color Purple and By the Light of my Father’s Smile, she addresses these two matters along with other topics stemming from them. The most prevalent themes in Alice Walker’s novels, The Color Purple and By the Light in my Father’s Smile are sexism and male dominance; celebrating a person’s sexuality, Womanism, and how the male persona shapes a female’s life. What most people would consider feminism, the advocacy of women 's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men, Alice Walker elaborates and turns into Womanism. More specifically, Walker uses the term Womanist to describe women of color especially women in African culture (Alice Walker 37). Alice Walker goes in further in depth to say that a womanist is
A woman who loves another woman, sexually and/ or non sexually. She appreciates and prefers women 's culture, women 's emotional flexibility... [she] is committed to the survival and wholeness of an entire people, male and female. Not a separatist, except periodically for health... loves the spirit.... loves struggle. Loves herself. Regardless. (LaGrone 10)
This plays a large role in Walker’s novels. She explores the notion of a womanist and rising against male oppression (Alice Walker 66). Walker uses her novels to get rid of the barriers that are set by men and uses the male dominance as power (Alice Walker’s…133). In the beginning of The Color Purple, Celie is treated like an object as are other women in Walker’s
Alice walker-a renowned novelist, short story writer, essayist, poet, critic, and author of children’s books-sees the corruption in the world and writes to portray the struggles that African American women encounter. The snags that they have in everyday society are largely copious, however, Alice Walker does wonders writing specifically about racism and sexism. In two of her famous novels, The Color Purple and By the Light of my Father’s Smile, she addresses these two matters along with other topics stemming from them. The most prevalent themes in Alice Walker’s novels, The Color Purple and By the Light in my Father’s Smile are sexism and male dominance; celebrating a person’s sexuality, Womanism, and how the male persona shapes a female’s life. What most people would consider feminism, the advocacy of women 's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men, Alice Walker elaborates and turns into Womanism. More specifically, Walker uses the term Womanist to describe women of color especially women in African culture (Alice Walker 37). Alice Walker goes in further in depth to say that a womanist is
A woman who loves another woman, sexually and/ or non sexually. She appreciates and prefers women 's culture, women 's emotional flexibility... [she] is committed to the survival and wholeness of an entire people, male and female. Not a separatist, except periodically for health... loves the spirit.... loves struggle. Loves herself. Regardless. (LaGrone 10)
This plays a large role in Walker’s novels. She explores the notion of a womanist and rising against male oppression (Alice Walker 66). Walker uses her novels to get rid of the barriers that are set by men and uses the male dominance as power (Alice Walker’s…133). In the beginning of The Color Purple, Celie is treated like an object as are other women in Walker’s
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