Character Changes In Celie By Alice Walker

Shug helps Celie with self-identification. A bondage that Celie faces is the discovery of Nettie’s letters that Albert has hidden from her. She has regained bondage with her sister whom she thought was no longer alive. She bonded with Shug to find the letters and with the help of Shug she was advised not to kill Albert even though it was tough for Celie to accept this for the love

Celie dreams of Shug Avery--she does not see her as a woman with poor morals, who dresses provocatively and has contracted a “nasty woman disease” (45) as she is seen by others throughout the novel. She reminds Celie of her mother, but unlike her mammy, Shug has not been suppressed by the male dominant society. When Shug is first taken into Celie’s home, she treats Celie as she had been treated her whole life: “You sure is ugly, she say, like she ain’t believed it” (48). Despite Shug’s original perception, she shows warmth and compassion towards Celie and ultimately becomes her lover and protector. When Shug learns that Mr._____ beats Celie, she remains at their home to defend her, portraying a motherly figure.

Shug Avery is not only a friend to Celie but also a lover. It is by being a lover that Celie learns self-respect and a little happiness in her life. Like when Shug Avery showed Celie how to enjoy herself. Listen she say, right down there in your … is a little button that gits real hot when you do you know what with somebody. It get hotter and hotter and then it melt. That the good part. But other parts good too, she say… (P. 79). I found this real important as it showed Celie she can enjoy herself and there is more to her then just being a slave to Mister.

Shug has the same tenacity as Sofia. She does not subject to will of others and is able to for her own identity. Unlike the relationship between Celie and Sofia, this relationship is based more of physical attraction, something that Celie has not experience before. The first time she “got the full sight of Shug

She learns that a person does not have to be extraordinary to be loved, in fact people can be very ordinary, like herself, and deserve to be loved just the same. During this time in the novel Celie also finds the courage to stand up to Mr.___ and leave him. This action takes a great deal of self-respect because here for the first time the reader sees that Celie knows she deserves better than Mr.___. Celie is set over the edge when it is discover that Mr.___ has been deliberately separating Celie from her sister Nettie for many years. When Celie finds all Nettie’s letters Mr.___ has been hiding it set her into a spiraling rage that Shug calm her down from. Celie tells Mr.___, “Until you do right by me, everything you touch will crumble” (intext). The only way Celie can cope without killing Mr.___ is by making pants. The pants of course were Shug’s idea and Shug funds Celie so she can make as many pants as her heart desires. Later in the novel Celie has moved out of Mr.___’s house and made so many pants that she is something of a master. She opens her own store to sell her popular pants and finally is self sufficient. At this time Celie also was able to mend old bridges. When Shug left her for a younger man Celie found good company in Mr.___. Celie also was able to fully love Shug and do what was best for her even if it hurt Celie. (quote about loving shug) With all

As Nettie receives opportunities Celie could never fathom, their relationship comes to a halt. Celie stops receiving letters from her sister and is left to take care of her husband’s obnoxious children from a previous marriage, and is verbally/physically abused on a daily basis by both her husband and his children. Celie’s husband has a torrent affair with Shug Avery, a blues singer with a practical mentality who does not endure any mistreatment from anyone, regardless of their gender. When Shug Avery falls into Celie’s care, Shug Avery teaches Celie a thing or two about self-confidence and the strength she must find within herself to stand up to her husband. Towards the end of the novel, Shug Avery encourages Celie to leave her husband and move with her to Memphis, where she can escape the pain of her past and for once in her life be happy.

Shug arrives in the summer 1916 and Celie’s first real love is born. Mister’s name, Albert, is discovered during Shug’s first day at the farm. Celie watches Albert, with child-like amusement and curiosity, as he fumbles through trying to impress Shug by making her breakfast. In an effort to win over Shug, who previously declared Celie as “ugly,” she prepares an award winning breakfast that even Shug couldn’t turn away. Over time, a relationship begins to form between Shug and Celie, leading Shug to write and sing a song dedicated to her at the jook joint, filling Celie with an unknown type approval and love. Celie shows us that her capacity to love and to be loved is blooming during the scene of her first kiss with Shug.

The book focuses mainly on a woman named Celie, who has lived a hard life already when, at the age of 14 she begins

Early in the book, Celie states how Shug Avery was “like a queen” (pg.22) to her. Already the indication of her influence shows up strong. Celie admires her and would follow her behavior and so when she comes to visit, that's exactly what starts happening. Shug Avery also makes her husband weak. When they learn of her coming to town, he actually asks Celie, after she told him he looks nice, “You think so?” (pg. 25). Celie mentions how it's the first time he has asked her anything and it leaves her stunned. Sofia is the first

Celie practically struggled for happiness her whole existence. Her father sold her to a man who had no intent of loving or caring for her. Celies’ husband whom she refers to as Mr. physically and verbally abused her. Mr. felt that the only way to keep a woman in check was to beat her and he did just that throughout the movie. Like any woman would though the abuse Celie lost herself and respect for herself. Living with Mr. was a life full of darkness and hatred. Life with her husband was no better life than life with her stepfather. It took years for Celie to become brave enough to fight back for what she accept as true and gain understanding of how to convey amusement and have little outlook on life. After years of abuse, Celie no longer was afraid of Mr. She no longer cared for her husband or the

Celie's transformation from Mr. ____'s slave into an independent women is successful thanks to two strong women that become role models for Celie in her everyday life; Shug Avery and Sofia. Sofia is a role model in a more unconscious way for Celie then Shug is. Sofia's whole appearance and behaviour is proud, she lets no one sit on her and Celie is, at first, jealous of Sofia's self-confidence and tries to destroy it by giving her husband Harpo the advice to beat her to make her obedient; "I think about this when Harpo ast me what he ought to do to make her mind. [---] I think bout how every time I jump when Mr. _____ call me, she [Sofia] look surprise. And like she pity me. Beat her. I say"2. When this does not work, Celie realises that Sofia is someone to become more alike, not someone to destroy.

     Shug is a woman who does whatever she wants whenever she wants. She is a free spirit but she does have values and is a major contributor in the transformation of Celie. Shug enjoys her life and tries to spread the happiness to those around her. She is aware of her own physical beauty and uses it to control men. For women like Celie, it isn't that easy. Celie's father tells Albert, 'She ugly. She ain't smart either.'; (9). This is where Celie develops her low self esteem. Shug tries to make Celie realize that she is a beautiful person by getting to know her and loving her.

To begin, throughout the novel the arc of character of Shug Avery develops From being an arrogant and selfish person to being a loving and spiritual humble being. In Fact, Shug refuses to be kind to Celie the first time, Celie and Shug meet (Walker, 34). For example, once Shug arrives at Mr’s House and Celie helps fix up a room for Shug, Shug looks up from her spot on the bed and comments “ She looks me over from head to foot. Then she cackle. Sound like a death rattle. You sure is ugly, she say, like she ain’t believed it ” (Walker, 46). A flashy Jazz singer,can describe Shug Avery who is not only self centered but

Shug Avery is someone Celie admired from a young age. Shug’s exuberance and charm with people are qualities Celie never dreamed of having herself until Shug walks into her life and Celie does more with her life by actually overcoming the abuse and becomes someone more. “I ast her to give me the picture. An all night long I stare at it. An now when I dream, I dream of Shug Avery.” (Walker 7). Shug comes into Celie’s life as her husband’s mistress who was very ill but not lacking in character. She treats Celie with disrespect at first, but after living with her for some time and being nursed back to health by her Shug gains a respect for her. She teaches Celie how to speak for herself and to defend herself against Mr. Shug is the one who helps Celie escape by taking her on her tour where Celie learns how to expertly sew pants. This is another major step towards independence because Celie is no longer financially dependent on anyone but herself because she creates a successful business by making pants. Upon her return to her home, she inherits her father’s home thereby completely separating her from the men who held control over her. She can now receive her sister’s letters and make her own money. The people who love her surround her and her personality develops unhindered by abuse. Celie’s idol came through to set her free and now idolizes her to an extent.

Love has sometimes been mistaken for this beautiful thing that only requires two people to effortlessly put their devotion and hearts into one another. But many have not associated love with setbacks, irrational thoughts, and the actions of not prioritizing one another. In The Color Purple, Celie and Shug Avery had a type of love that some would not even consider a true, meaningful love, because of their lack of knowing what realistic and non-idealized love truly is. Though this love that was shared between them may have seemed to be like it was only for the benefit of Shug and not Celie, Shug impacted Celie in a way that caused her to progress as a person and grow out of the shell she had been hiding in throughout her life. Through Shug’s influential impact on Celie’s life, Celie gained independence, a new outlook on God, and a sense of importance within herself.