The Portrayal of Woman

The portrayal of women in The Colour Purple has been debateable. Explore the opinions of the two critics and explain your own views of the way Walker presents women in the colour purple. The novel 'The Colour Purple' has conveyed much argument over the way women are presented. Some have argued that it is of the 'struggle of recovery and revenge' while others see the marriage of the novel as going beyond plot and character to protest against oppression. Women in the novel are victims of violence as men are the dominant ones over women in the southern American states. This leads to women bonding together by supporting, talking and protecting one another. Mel Watkins sees "The Colour Purple" as "the friction between the black men and women" we can see from the start of the novel that men are the dominant in the relationship and society with women. Celie says that Pa "beat me today because he say I winked at a boy in church." Women are presented as weaker and they have to totally obey the men, the men assert their power and gain total control. However in the Southern states of America black male were also dominated by a superior race, the whites.

Her singing is also directed to the whites so it is like she has "sold" herself to them, earning no respect from her family and community. Shug has gained independence in the society through her singing for the whites and in the photo when Celie first saw Shug you can see how Shug's world contrasts to Celies. Celie's world is isolated and she doesn't have much experience of the outside world so when she sees this picture of Shug she is fascinated by it. Celies life reflects most of the lives of women in the Southern American states. They don't travel and stay at home to serve the men, whereas Shugs life is different as she has gained the independence that Watkins say that the women in the novel are trying to gain. We can see the independence of Shug as Celie describes her with "furs" showing her wealth and glamorous