Analysis Of A Black Feminist Criticism In Alice Walker's The Color Purple

Being part of two historically marginalised groups, black women are conceptualised distinctly from black men and white women. Women of Color have to battle not only against white patriarchy and sexism of Black men; they also have to fight against white women’s racism. Shrouded in harmful stereotypes, they are doubly disadvantaged. Because their struggle has been largely different from that of white women and black men, they experience alienation from both groups. Black feminist discourse engages with this alienation and black women’s experience of exploitation and repression. Throughout the 70s and 80s, black feminists worked to define a feminism that was radical and anti-racist. Barbara Smith in her essay, Towards a Black Feminist Criticism’,

It revolves around the life of Celie, a woman living is rural Georgia who is repeated raped by her step father and has her children taken away from her. It deals with male domination, brutality and black women’s struggle for independence and identity. It shows how black women are oppressed into powerlessness and celebrates the resilience of the indomitable female spirit. Alice Walker once said in an interview, “I am preoccupied with spiritual survival, the survival of whole of my people. But beyond that, I am committed to exploring the oppressions, the insanities, the loyalties and the triumphs of black women.” ‘The Color Purple’ seems to have emerged out of this

Arrogant and self-centred, Shug Avery is an empowered woman in an oppressive society. Her first words to Celie are, “You sure is ugly” but as the novel progresses, she assumes the role of Celie’s protector, friend, mother, teacher and ultimately lover. Their relationship leads to the liberation of Celie. Shug Avery is a jazz singer and the object of men’s desire with her ”bright black skin in her tight red dress” and “her feet in little sassy red shoes”. She is tall and skinny. She is the anti-thesis of Celie. She is sensuality