The Role Of Domestic Violence In Alice Walker's The Color Purple

Shug Avery is Mr. Albert’s long lost love and she comes in to move in with Mr. Albert’s family since she had gotten very sick and needed the support. The minute Celie saw a picture of Shug she had fallen for her, finding her very beautiful. Shug has supported Celie in every possible way after she realized that when Celie puts her full effort in helping her even though she was rude to her when they had first met. Shug helps Celie with self-identity, which help builds her confidence. “She say my name again. She say this song I’m bout to sing is call Miss Celie’s song. Cause she scratched it out of my head when I was sick.” (Walker, 73). In this quote Celie recognizes that someone has done something for her, they have valued her enough to do something sweet as this. Celie realizes that she has one more person who cares and loves for her. This leads Celie to believe in herself be able to take control, since she is aware that she has someone next to her. Shug also has the effect on Celie to take control when Celie confronts Mr. Albert telling him that she is leaving him, “You bitch, he say. What will people say, you running off to Memphis like you don’t have a house to look after?” said by Mr. Albert who was referring to Celie. This is a big step for Celie because she is going to be living the life she wants with the person she loves, Shug Avery. Celie has wanted for so long to get out of the

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.

While the pair are caught up in the moment of the sweet sound, the audience begins to understand the depth of Shug and Celie’s relationship. Celie cares about Shug so much because she is the first person to show her love and care since she was taken away from her.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker is the story of a poor black woman living in the south between World War 1 and World War 2. This was at a time when, although slavery had ended,many women were still virtually in bondage, and had to put up with many conditions that was reminiscent of the days of slavery. The problem was that they had to endure being treated like an inferior being by their own families sometimes, as well as from the white people that lived there. It was a life that was filled with misery for many black women, and they felt helpless to do anything about their situations.

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 has Shug Avery to help overcome fear. Shug Avery teaches Celie to be confident and love herself for who she is. Throughout the film Celie tends to cover her mouth while smiling or laughing because she finds her smile and teeth unpleasant. One day, both women sat and talked for a while. Shug Avery told Celie to look in the mirror and smile without covering her mouth.

     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.

“Us sleep like sisters, me and Shug.” The author uses dramatic irony to show the love Shug has for Celie and what Celie sees in Shug. Celie does not notice the love Shug has for her until Shug tells her she loves her and kisses her entire face including her lips. She is always there for Celie and comforts her when she is in need of it. She has never had anyone love her only Nettie but Nettie was taken away from her. This is something different for Celie, but a good different. Something that excites her. Shug is a role model, mother, sister, lover, best friend and teacher to Celie. She sees how empowered she is and at time wishes to have that power. Little does Celie know Shug will soon teach her how to become strong and confident. She will open her eyes to new

Shug shows Celie to think of God as a force all people carry inside of them but few seem to recognize. “God is everything…. Everything that is or ever was or ever will be” Shug sees god just like most would, as the center of the universe, all things happen through God. Celie writes to God, hoping he will read or hear her voice, because will all of the pain she has endured, Celie is still trying to find her voice. Shug has found her voice with God within her, she is only trying to get Celie to see it the same way so that she may focus on the small good things in her life and fade away all the bad. With God within her, Shug, invites Celie to understand the Power if the spoken word. That she too has a voice. That she has to stand up for herself and not allow anyone, man or woman, to continue taking her for granted. Celie later stands up for herself and demands that Mr… stops beating her and treats her as an

Similarly, Celie becomes independent and embarks on a spiritual journey. Her spiritual journey begins when Shug Avery comes to live with Celie and Mr.__ because is she is sick. After becoming involved in a romantic relationship, Shug challenges Celie’s interpretation of God. Celie’s describes Him as "[…] big and old and tall and graybearded and white. . . He wear white robes and go barefooted “(Walker 201). But Shug negates this version of

In response to The Color Purple, critic Charles L. Proudfit alludes to the significance Celie’s female friends in shaping her identity. He explains that by bonding with the more outspoken and independent women, she learns to rely on herself and grow as a person. In the novel, Shug Avery comes into the scene and automatically draw towards Celie. Although they are polar opposites in every nature, they become fast friends. Shug begins to teach Celie about herself while questioning Celie’s choices. For example, Shug complains that “It’s scandless, the way you look out there plowing in a dress” (146). When Celie explained that Mr. _____ would not let her wear them, Shug points out that he was excited when she wore pants. Changing to a pair of pants was the turning point for Celie becoming an independent woman.

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.

After many years in Mister's household, Shug, one of Misters ex-lovers comes to stay because she is sick. Eventually, Celie has the opportunity to become closer with this woman whom she loves dearly and finally learns how to fight back and make her voice heard. By choosing to have Celie is the narrator for herself, Walker enables her to express herself in a very strong way. Celie discovers that Mister has been hiding every letter from her sister Nettie, and Celie is extremely upset. Instead of not expressing her emotions, like she would have most likely done in the past she cries asks Shug, "How I'm gon keep from killing

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

In Alice Walker's The Color Purple, she explores the thin grey line that stands between survival and living. Through her protagonist, Celie, she examines the dramatic shifts of empowerment; focusing on the young black girl in the 1850’s.