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Book Summary: The Color Purple By Alice Walker

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n the book The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, demonstrates how particular events can shape a person and their life. The book’s main character is Celie, a young black women that is going through many tough situations throughout her life time, and was also uneducated. Some of these events were being raped by the man she thought was he father, her mother and sister dying, and then being cheated on by her husband, which was also her younger sister’s ex-husband. Instead of letting these harsh situations break her, she finds her missing piece, Shug, which she will help her become the woman she was never able to be. In the story, Mr.__ was Nettie’s husband, but after she died Mr.__ forced her older sister, Celie, to become his wife. While Mr.__ and Celie were married she found out that he was being unfaithful to her, but she never mentioned anything about it. The name of Mr.__ mistress was Shug, and Celie grew an …show more content…

Celie ever knew what love was because Celie was mainly used as a way of pleasure for her “father” and Mr.__, and she was thought that she was only useful to have children. “Nobody ever love me, I say”- Celie (117.) to Shug showed Celie love and affection, and soon it sparked a sexual attraction towards Shug. According to Shug “A women who was good with sex was the one who everyone would love. Celie felt a rush of sensation that she never had before having sex with Shug, and this was a reason why they grew closer together. Celie actually enjoyed having sex with Shug and raised her self-confidence to her expectation. Celie never had known the love from her mother, because her mother was ill and too weak to show Celei how much she loved her. Shug was that motherly love that she hardly remembers with her mother, “ Me and Shug sound asleep. Her back to me, my arms around her waist. What it like? Little like Sleeping with momma, only I can’t hardly remember ever sleeping with her”.

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153 Words | 1 Pages

One thing I notice the author emphasize a lot is that you need to express yourself to be somebody. Celie wouldn’t tell anyone because Alphonso told her she better not tell anyone but God, so she listened stayed quiet and never expressed herself. Her only escape were those letters to God, but everyone needs someone to vent to, which is where Shug comes into play. She talks to shug and they solve her problem and everyone is reunited. The symbol that caught my attention was God, she didn't really know who God was or even an image of him to think about.

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1851 Words | 8 Pages

For the entirety of Celie’s youth, she believed that Pa, the father to her two children, was her father. Pa and mammy, Celie’s adopted parents have repetitively engrained in Celie and her sister Nettie that Pa was their father. This is so extreme that Celie did not know Pa’s name until he was dead. Pa knew that Celie thought that they have committed

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1110 Words | 5 Pages

However, even though at this point in the book she believes Nettie is likely dead, she stays in the marriage, thus proving the lack of value she has for herself. In this marriage, along with the beatings and rapes, Mr.____ doesn’t like to allow Celie to go places. When Shug is going to perform at Harpo’s juke- joint, Mr.____ doesn’t want Celie to come, saying, “Wives don’t go to places like that.” (Walker 73). Even though Celie has been dying to hear Shug perform, she does not argue with him.

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736 Words | 3 Pages

Once Shug is able to feel acquainted with Celie they find themselves doing everything together. Shug teaches Celies about herself mentally, spiritually, and physically with her body. The book captures the feelings held between the Celie and Shug with vibrant words and sentences between the two characters. ¨She say, I love you, Miss Celie. And then she haul off and kiss me on the mouth (Walker, 1982).¨

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1015 Words | 5 Pages

The problem of Mr. ____ gets taken care of when Shug and her discover the letters that Mr. ____ has been withholding. Shug can see that he does not care for Celie at all, and that Celie has to get away from him. After reading the letters, they just lie together and for the first time since Nettie, she has a family member. She calls Shug her sister.

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554 Words | 3 Pages

Shug helps Celie find the letters her sister had been sending over the years since Albert made Nettie leave. Albert had hide the letters from Celie in a box under the floorboards in the closet. Shug showed Celie the love she had been lacking in her life. Near the end of the story Celie finally acquires enough courage to stand up to Albert at the dinner table. Celie defends herself and says the things she’s been holding back.

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561 Words | 3 Pages

He brought her to his house. Her and Celie at first did not get along; they were rude and mean with each other. Later, they became friends and they were also interested in each other sexually. When Shug was at their house, Mister would not beat Celie, but when she had left he continued to be brutal to her. Later, Shug had returned with her new husband, Grady.

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1035 Words | 5 Pages

There’s rape, death, and many other aspects covered in the book. In this first page, readers are immediately met with a rape scene. While this is shocking to many, Celie recovers and gets through it. She was born with all odds against her, but she is a strong and selfless woman. Celie becomes prosperous and content, and the book executes a joyful end that is satisfying.

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755 Words | 4 Pages

In the book Celie is a young girl near 20 when she gets married. She is writing letters to God and going through her emotions, thoughts, and feelings on the way. By the end with knowing Shug Avery and Sofia she learns to embrace her womanhood and stands up to Mister. In the end she states, “And us so happy. Matter of fact, I think this the youngest I ever felt.”

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1483 Words | 6 Pages

The conversation takes place in letter seventy-three where Celie learns that Shug had also believed in a conventional stereotyped God at one point in her life but had since advanced and developed a pantheist belief. This reassured Celie greatly and gave her a focus to her

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1796 Words | 8 Pages

Mr.___, her husband originally asked their father for her sister Nette’s hand in marriage, however he declined and she is told that she is ugly by her husband, her father as well as her husband’s mistress, Sug Avery. Through verbal and physical abuse Celie does not perceive

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682 Words | 3 Pages

Literary Analysis: The Color Purple Every individual learns something new or different every day, whether it is somebody’s favorite color or learning something new about yourself. Many people can either learn from their hardships and past experiences, while others may learn from other people’s past through stories or guidance. Throughout the novel, The Color Purple written by Alice Walker, the main character, Celie, learned how to love herself, that everyone makes mistakes, and face her fears.

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1218 Words | 5 Pages

"The color purple" is a reflection of reality in 20th century. The African American women isolated from the white society as Walker in The color purple talks about racism and discrimination of society in 20the century. Celie, the heroine was born in Rural Georgia where is known as a harsh place for poor and uneducated black women who were servants to their husbands and fathers. Throughout the novel, Celie tries to overcome her psychological anger and becomes independent. At the beginning of the novel, Celie appears like other women 20th century as they oppressed by men and lived under men 's dominance and violence.

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1417 Words | 6 Pages

For example, Celie becomes socially, economically and spiritually free, she sins love, dignity, and respect. This paper has analyzed how the characters in The Color Purple arouse their self-consciousness, through sisterhood and encouragement, love and help from their partners. The author demonstrates how the characters escape degradation caused by mistreatment by men and finally win dignity. The paper recognizes that Celie utilizes sisterhood to gain liberation, sexual identity independence, and freedom.   Works Cited Thyreen, Jeannine. "

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2066 Words | 9 Pages

There are elements of realism intricately woven within the fabric of the novel. Its depiction of sexuality is a positive portrayal of lesbian love, both sexual and non-sexual love. While Celie compares male sex organs to frogs, Sofia is tired of Harpo’s mechanical lovemaking. On the other hand, Celie’s act of lovemaking with Shug is devoid of any guilt and is liberating. Further, it is a powerful ‘womanist’ text showing productive and strong bonds between women characters and their work culture which together combat the elephantine patriarchal exploitation.

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