Color Purple Discussion Questions

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.

The Color Purple main character is a fourteen-year-old black girl, who talks to God through letting him know everything that is going on with her. Celie was a very bright young person. She grew up very quickly, because she had to help her father with the other children around the house. Celie was never treated equally to the others. Her father made her the woman of the house and even the mother. Celie’s dad was raping her, and he told her not to tell her mother. Celie's texts are born when she is raped and silenced; the epigraph to The Color Purple consists of an unattributed, pervasive threat against speech. These stark words initiate the entire text: "You better not tell nobody but God. It'd kill your mammy" (Weisenburger).

Shug is the first person that Celie verbally confides in. Celie expresses her emotions to Shug saying that ''Nobody ever love me'' (pg.112) in which Shug replies ''I love you, Miss Celie.'' (pg.113) This conversation allows Celie to be emotionally vulnerable therefore being able to heal from the emotional abuse. Celie's romantic pursuit of Shug introduces her to a new emotion: jealousy. ''

Celie initially imagines “God” as an older white man, as she has been raised to believe through interactions with men and white people who oppress and control her like a higher power might do, “Okay, I say. He big and old and tall and gray-bearded and white. He wear white robes and go barefooted” (pg. 193). God is at first a controlling force, practically akin to Celie's father whom she is afraid of, “She ast me bout the first one Whose it is? I say God’s.” (pg. 2) However, as Celie’s view of herself changes, this view of god changes as well. Shug influences this view by saying, “Here’s the thing, say Shug. The thing I believe. God is inside you and inside everybody else. You come into the world with God. But only them that search for it inside find it.” (pg. 196). Religion and spirituality as a theme in The Color Purple emphasizes the will of each individual to believe and interpret the world as they want, as Celie eventually does. In doing so Celie gains control of her own life and feeling, something she was unable to do for many

In the novel, A Color Purple, that was written by Alice Walker, She writes about a relationship that started off mean, but then it got better and stronger with time. The characters Shug Avery and Celie are the two main female characters in the novel because they help each other’s into becoming a better person. Celie and Shug were very troubled characters. Shug was stuck in the image of what everyone thought of her, and she thought that was the way she was supposed to act, however Celie was troubled by her low self-esteem and her lack of caring. Shug has never been able to become what she wants to be which is a part of a loving family that she never had, and this is shown by the quote on page 125, ‘’Mama never love to do nothing had to do with

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.

As a result of not receiving parental love, Celie lacks self-confidence and rejects herself. After being seperated from her sister and befriending Shug, Celie slowly develops practical skills. She learns how to clean a house, manage children, and work

The color purple in the book The Color Purple can be interpreted in many different ways, but one way that can be supported strongly by the book is that it represents everything that God has created for men and women to enjoy. Initially, Celie can be perceived as the person who ignores the color purple when Shug states “I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it.” Celie has lived a life of vain and says herself that “all I know how to do is stay alive.” . There isn’t any part of Celie that wants to enjoy life because life has been cruel to her from the very beginning. The color purple in a field is for people to enjoy, and Celie ignores it in almost every applicable way possible, which essentially

Ever since Celie was young, she has been abused emotionally, physically, and sexually which has caused her to become numb to life and it has caused her to become distant from people. Celie explains to Shug that “every time [she] gets mad or start[s] to feel mad, [she] got sick… Then [she] starts to feel nothing at all” (Walker 42). That means that her continuous mistreatment has caused her to feel nothing emotionally. It also caused her to lose her self-worth and her self-confidence. She even talks about how “Nobody loves [her]” (Walker 112). That means Celie has never felt love and has never loved anyone except her sister. That is, until she meets Shug Avery. Shug taught her how to be strong and independent, but she also taught her how to love and how to enjoy the little things in life. When Celie describes why she loves Shug, she says it’s “ Hard not to love Shug… She know how to love somebody back” (Walker 282). As Celie begins to learn to love others, she starts to be loved by others. As she starts to find herself, her self-confidence improves. She even gets into an argument with her husband! When he attempts to oppress her, she retorts, “I’m pore, I’m black, I may be ugly and can’t cook… But I’m here” (Walker 207). That is a huge improvement for Celie considering she used to be very passive. After all the adversity that Celie had to experience and overcome, she came out a strong, independent, loving

At the beginning of her life, Celie has barely any purple in her life because she is surviving. Through trying to survive, Celie dies emotionally, and she cannot see the good in anything. Shug Avery points out purple to Celie; Shug shows Celie that purple is a manifestation of God because the color seems rare in nature. She tells Celie that purple is the way the world tries to “please us back.” According to Shug, the beauty of God’s creation includes all creation because God expresses his/her love through giving life pleasure.

This changes, however, when she finds herself alone with Shug Avery. “He beat me when you not here, I say” (75). Celie showed a point of vulnerability when she confided in Shug Avery, attempting to make her stay. In this point of vulnerability, she fundamentally summed up her relationship with her

In ‘The Color Purple’, Shug Avery is an attractive, self-reliant woman who utilises her sensuality to persuade men into having an affair with her. After Shug and Celie’s meeting, Shug encourages Celie to be liberated from the patriarchy that she has been held under for several years. Shug is also rather persistent to put an end to Mr. ______’s constant abuse. This shows that when two women work together, they can learn from each other, become stronger, and therefore accomplish many big things. This is shown when Celie announces, “But I’m here”.

Celie’s life is a result of the environment in which she has been surrounded by. Throughout the entire novel, Celie is treated as a lesser human being by all of the men in her life. However during this time period, the Declaration of Independence stated that “all men are created equal”. Celie is not treated this way. She is not even allowed to make any basic decisions about her life. The life that is described for Celie in the novel demonstrates the life that women were forced to live in the real world during the early-mid 1900s. Women’s inequality had been a problem since the United States first became a nation. Women’s inequality is something women had fought for since the founding of the United States, however, it is an issue that can still be seen today. During the early 1900s women’s inequality could be viewed through the Cult of Domesticity. This “cult” held a belief system that women should only work in the home, not outside of it, they should dress a certain way, and they should behave a certain way (Haemker). As time went on, women began to fight against these rights, and resist the inequality. One major turning point for women’s inequality was the Women’s Rights Movement. This movement changed the lives of many women. As stated by the Women’s Social Reforms Reference Library, “... the social restrictions placed on women loosened a bit. This change resulted from a variety of factors, including the newfound right to vote, in addition, the experience of working outside the home, or for some, going to college gave women a greater sense of freedom and higher expectations” (“The Women’s Rights”). Women were able to change their views on the world and change their actions following the Women’s Rights Movement. As women began to feel more empowered, they were able to

Celie is in awe of Shug and Sophia. Both women show spirit and strength of character. Shug is infamous in the area, particularly due to her long-standing relationship with the married Albert, Until the arrival of Shug, Celie lived in fear of Albert (understandably considering the basis of their marriage) and she is amazed to see the effect Shug has on Albert, reducing him almost into a little boy. When Celie and Shug become friends, Celie’s life improves dramatically. Not only does she now have a close female friend but Shug is able to use her influence and discourage Albert from beating Celie. Towards the end of the novel, the relationship that Albert and Celie both have with Shug draws them together and although Albert asks Celie to marry him again, she declines. Sexually she has no interest in men but is happy to remain friends. At the end of The Color Purple Celie and Albert manage to form a friendship that they didn’t have when they were married. Celie stood up to Albert and had the courage to leave him.

The Color Purple is a period drama, and takes place in rural Georgia. The main character in this film is Celie, and film starts off from Celie’s 14-year-old perspective. From a very young age Celie experienced multiple forms of abuse. First from her father, who had raped and verbally abused her. At the beginning of the film, Celie gives birth to her second child, conceived by her and her father (Alphonso). He took her child same as he did the first, and whisper to her “better not never tell nobody but God”. A little later in the film, a suitor by the name MR appears. He comes to Alphonso, looking to get Celie’s younger sister Nettie’s hand in Marriage. Alphonso turns him down, and instead offers