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Ethos In The Color Purple

Decent Essays

The Color Purple is an honest emotional story about love, trust, respect, separation, friendships, and the bond between sisters. It was published back in 1982 by Alice Walker. Walker is a huge activist, and even participated in the 1960’s Civil Rights Movements in Mississippi. Throughout her novel she uses excellent rhetoric to convey her strong emotions. The Color Purple uses ethos to show you how horrible abuse is, logos to help give the characters confidence, and pathos to convey the pain.
Throughout the Color Purple Walker uses ethos to show the harshness of abuse, both mentally and physically. Especially, Shug’s relationships with just about everyone. Mr. ___ says it best on page 287: “All I ever wanted in life was Shug Avery, he …show more content…

For example, on page 210 when Celie is fighting with Mr. ___: “I’m pore, I’m black, I may be ugly and can’t cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I’m here.” Logically Celie doesn’t have much going for her, but she completely acknowledges that. By doing so she gives herself the confidence to change her fate. Nothing worse could happen to her then what already has. Also, there’s logos when Nettie is talking to the Olinka mothers: “Why, she said the mother of his children. But I am not the mother of anybody’s children, I said, and I am something.” This is extremely logical, and a great comeback, because Nettie is something. She might just be a black missionary, but she is something. Therefore, it isn’t fair to limit the poor girls of their education just so they can be a full time wife. In addition, this statement gives Nettie lots of confidence that she can succeed as a women, missionary, black, and in a completely different country. By recognizing the logical realness of their lives the characters were able to build up their confidence to persevere.
Throughout the Color Purple Walker uses pathos to convey the pain that the characters feel. For instance, on pages 287-288 when Mr. ____ makes a speech about asking himself questions after Shug left him: “I start to wonder why us need love. Why us suffer. Why us black…...The more I wonder, he say, the morel love.” During the speech there’s even repetition when he begins each sentence with why us. By dragging

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