Who Is Celie's Liberation In The Color Purple
The Liberation Of Black Women’s In Color Purple by Alice Walker
On October 29st 2012, The Color Purple thoroughly focuses on a life of Celie, an African American woman who is struggling to develop her sense of selfhood. As a black woman growing up in the Deep South during the 1940s, Celie has gone through many difficulties before she could establish herself as an independent woman. All through the story, Celie is presented at the very bottom of the social hierarchy. At the same time with being discriminated against by whites, she is also treated badly from all black men in her life In this case, Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, letters are used by black women to break the silence that is normally imposed upon them. With the threat from her stepfather “[y]ou better not never tell nobody but God. It’d kill your mammy,” Celie appears in the position of powerlessness from the beginning of the story (3). Sexually violated and barely educated, Celie does not have any other way to express her feeling but by writing letters to God. Each letter gives the reader a greater insight into Celie’s life as she desperately explains how her …show more content…
Through her successful business, Celie is able to gain her financial independence from Shug and Mr.______, despite his discouragement: “All you fit to do in Memphis is be Shug’s maid…you nothing at all” (letter:75 page:186-187). As it is believed that women are supposed to rely on men for everything, the fact that Celie is able to make her own money implies that she does not need men anymore. It is through her pants business that Celie attains her full liberation from the patriarchal system. In addition, Celie’s pants business also provides her with a new identity. As a successful entrepreneur, she is no longer seen as a submissive housewife, but she is now a master of something. She does not have to live with men and do what they tell her
On October 29st 2012, The Color Purple thoroughly focuses on a life of Celie, an African American woman who is struggling to develop her sense of selfhood. As a black woman growing up in the Deep South during the 1940s, Celie has gone through many difficulties before she could establish herself as an independent woman. All through the story, Celie is presented at the very bottom of the social hierarchy. At the same time with being discriminated against by whites, she is also treated badly from all black men in her life In this case, Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, letters are used by black women to break the silence that is normally imposed upon them. With the threat from her stepfather “[y]ou better not never tell nobody but God. It’d kill your mammy,” Celie appears in the position of powerlessness from the beginning of the story (3). Sexually violated and barely educated, Celie does not have any other way to express her feeling but by writing letters to God. Each letter gives the reader a greater insight into Celie’s life as she desperately explains how her …show more content…
Through her successful business, Celie is able to gain her financial independence from Shug and Mr.______, despite his discouragement: “All you fit to do in Memphis is be Shug’s maid…you nothing at all” (letter:75 page:186-187). As it is believed that women are supposed to rely on men for everything, the fact that Celie is able to make her own money implies that she does not need men anymore. It is through her pants business that Celie attains her full liberation from the patriarchal system. In addition, Celie’s pants business also provides her with a new identity. As a successful entrepreneur, she is no longer seen as a submissive housewife, but she is now a master of something. She does not have to live with men and do what they tell her