How are the characters of Celie and Sofia developed in the novel, and how are they used to explore the theme of strength or survival? bong = review word/sentence Celie and Sofia and their experiences are both developed throughout The Color Purple, and the themes of strength and survival are explored with their developing experiences/circumstances. Celie goes through a series of major changes throughout the story, growing up in early 1900s Georgia as a young, weak, and submissive black girl, and eventually evolving into a confident and self-reliant/independent woman. Sofia does not experience a change as significant as Celie, but is forced to alter her personality in response to certain situations. Both characters give the reader a …show more content…
The reader first meets Sofia when Harpo introduces her to his father. She is immediately distinguishable from Celie in the way that she speaks and acts. She is tenacious and bold, almost a complete opposite of/to Celie. When Mr. _____ insults her, she laughs in his face, and when he refuses to let Harpo and Sofia marry, she says “What I need to marry Harpo for? He still living here with you. What food and clothes he git, you buy.” (30) The reader can already appreciate Sofia’s strength in the first brief encounter with her. Celie uses the words “big” and “strong” to describe Sofia multiple times, giving the reader an image of a tough and powerful character. This impression of Sofia as independent and outspoken is consistent in the story and we only see a change when Sofia is jailed for hitting the mayor and talking back to his wife. When Celie, Mr. _____, Harpo and Shug visit Sofia in jail, they ask her “How you manage?” (78) and she replies “Every time they ast me to do something, Miss Celie, I act like I’m you. I jump right up and do just what they say.” (78) This is an abrupt change, and shows that Sofia has adapted to her situation, perhaps finally understanding the consequences of her impulsivity. The reader does not get much insight into Sofia’s situation and her thoughts because of the mostly monologic epistolary form. Celie thoughts are the only narration and the reader only knows what Celie does. The reader only ever views Sofia through Celie’s eyes and therefore has a consistent perspective of Sofia as a personification of