The Color Purple
Alice Walker
Sexuality/ Discovering One's Sexual Identity
Although Celie is married to Mister, they were never in love. Mister treated Celie poorly. He would beat her and tell her how ugly and useless she is. Celie has never loved Mister but it took her many years to realize that she didn't like men at all. "Take off they pants, I say, and men look like frogs to me. No matter how you kiss 'em, as far I'm concern, frogs is what they stay" (Walker 254) After discovering her own sexuality, Celie soon realized that she loved with Shug.
Racism/ Transcending Racial Stereotypes
Mister was cruel to Celie. Not only did he beat her physically, he beat her up verbally. "Who you think you is? he say. You can't curse nobody. Look at you. You black, you pore, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, he say, you nothing at all" (Walker 206.) In the beginning of the book, Celie was not happy with herself. As time went on she began to stick up for herself. The more time Celie spent with Shug the more confident she became. By the end of the book, Celie was making her own clothes and was happy with the life that she was living on her own. "I'm pore, I''m black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here" (Walker 207).
The Power of Female Friendship
Sexism/ Transcending Gender Stereotypes
Works Cited
Blough, J. "Frog closeup." Photograph. Flickr. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2012. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/jblough/207534144/>.
Center, Kheel. Woman Sewing. Photograph. Flickr. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/kheelcenter/5279516562/sizes/m/in/photostream/>.
Hadi, Hasan. "Outcast." Photograph. Flickr. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/67439060@N00/5150610853/>.
Romel. "Holding Hands." Photograph. Flickr. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfsoul/1352149315/>.
Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. N.p.: n.p., 1982. Print.