Through the characterization of Celie, Alice Walker demonstrates the societal limitations placed on those who are uneducated. Unfortunately, during Celie’s time, the education of women, especially colored women, was not a necessity. Instead of receiving an adequate education, Celie is left uneducated, with an undeveloped sense of individuality and self confidence. Today, the American education of all children is no longer an option but a requirement. Modern education, although seemingly limited by its somewhat formal structure, is what allows children to develop their own sense of self worth as well as develop their own individual interests and life views.
Serving at Govans Elementary School has allowed me to view the successes of this modernized system of education, or the profound influences the school has on the young children of different social classes, races, and sexes. Beginning with their appearances, the required school uniforms might seem to limit the creative expression of each student- although this is not necessarily true, because most students, even the kindergarteners, find their own ways to personalize their uniform-, but actually contribute to the idea of equality and the emphasis on the real person rather than one’s outward appearance. Already, Govans’ uniform policy offers the possibility of a fair education, an education that is not based on the style of one’s dress or price of one’s appearance and therefore offers the students a neutral atmosphere that does not conflict with the learning process. The uniforms remove some societal stresses (fear of judgment or alienation) and allow to shine through the individual student.
The teachers, although human and therefore prone to impatience with some of the younger children, all generally promote individual ideas and class participation. On the days that I serve in the classroom at Govans, I witness a brief lesson on numbers, the alphabet, or common manners (they are only kindergarteners) but then get to partake in the group “centering” period. This pretty lengthy period of time, when the students can choose to play with whatever toys they prefer, is when their true personalities really come out. This is also the time when I am allowed to “center”, or to freely interact and play with the students. The teacher presents the children with a variety of toys, ranging from Legos to dolls to puzzles to toy trucks to Mr. Potato Heads, and allows the students to act and play upon their own interests rather than the interests of the teacher herself or the other students. I love when I see a boy feeding and clothing a baby doll, or when I see a girl racing her toy truck around a group of boys, or when I see a group of both boys and girls working on a large alphabet puzzle together, all of which prove that these students do not feel limited by their sex or by societal norms. I do not know if it is their young age or naivety that promotes such a sense of individuality mixed with equality, but I do find it interesting to watch the students interact without a sense of self inadequacy. I hope that this young sense of self worth is a representation of an overall change in society and education, especially from the time of The Color Purple; I hope that the students do not lose this individualism with age.
Because a majority of the Govans students are of a colored background, it is great to see that the opportunities and future possibilities of these students are no longer hindered by race and class. Their education from Govans proves that these children and students are capable, regardless of the historical backgrounds of their races, of pursuing their own destinies and becoming their own individuals. The kindergarteners may struggle to mentally acquire the range of new materials presented before them, but their presence in the classroom is most important.
The Color Purple presents the differences between the uneducated and the educated in showing the major differences between the lives and letters of the main character Celie and her sister Nettie. From the beginning, Celie’s lack of education leads to her lack of self-confidence and self-understanding; she is regarded, mostly by males, as another hand to clean, cook, work, and be tossed around. Celie does not see the beauty of her individual self because others see her as an object and do not consider her a person of feelings and perspective: “She ain’t smart either, and I’ll just be fair, you have to watch her or she’ll give away everything you own. But she can work like a man” (8). Celie’s own Pa takes advantage of her, takes away her education, and asks another man to take her off of his hands, prohibiting Celie from making her own decisions and therefore silencing her voice. Because Celie does not have the advantage of an education, she cannot readily stand up for herself and her individualism; her opportunities appear limited if not non-existent.
Nettie, the educated sister of the two, develops a confidence in her own abilities and in the abilities of her older sister Celie. She is the one who recognizes early on Celie’s intellectual and emotional capabilities and tries to aid Celie in her education. Nettie is also the sister that embarks upon a missionary journey to teach and promote individualism in an economically clueless African village, where she continues to stress the importance of teaching children, both female and male. Nettie, like the teachers and founders of Govans Elementary school (among many other schools) does not want the children to grow up with a feeling of inferiority or without their own personal beliefs; she readily understands the importance of education. And Nettie’s influence has a wonderful effect on the children of Samuel and Corrine, or rather the children of Celie, in that both of these children embrace the power of their individual perspectives, experiences, and educations. Without the help of Nettie, Adam, and Olivia, Tashi never would have agreed to marrying Adam and establishing her own identity separate from the dying village’s identity. Tashi, Adam, and Olivia are models of the endless possibilities of the educated youth.
Celie’s eventual self-appreciation and realization stems from the education gained through her life experiences. So although The Color Purple emphasizes the importance of childhood education, it also offers the idea that not all is lost for those who do not have access to such forms of schooling. Celie learns through the different people she meets and the love that she feels from people like Shug and Nettie, the women that trust in her abilities. She struggles through her upbringing with Pa and her marriage to Alfred but eventually moves on from this past to establish herself as an independent pants maker; she works with the simple, hands on knowledge that she is accustomed to. However, if it were not for the influence of the educated women in her life, she probably would not have thought that she could stand up to those who doubt her or even succeed in her own doings. Celie’s secondhand education enhances the large significance of her sister’s firsthand education as well as Shug’s influential individuality, stressing the idea that her life could have fared much more easily if she much earlier had access to a source of education and self-confidence.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Old Celie vs. New Celie
The main character of The Color Purple, Celie, undergoes a complete transformation of self as the novel progresses. Not only does she come to terms with her sexuality and start her own business, but she also reconciles many of the daunting clouds of her past that hung over her head for the majority of the story. Initially such a wounded and violated young girl, how does she grow into the confident and happy woman we see at the end of the novel? What is the cause for this new found self-esteem and comfort? In my opinion, Shug Avery is the number one catalyst for Celie's personal transformations.
Firstly, Shug carries herself as a confident and independent figure. Her presence is captivating to Celie and the other characters all throughout the novel because she radiates with charisma. "Shug Avery is standing upside a piano, elbow crook, hand on her hip. She wearing a hat like Indian Chiefs. He rmouth open showing all her teef and don't nothing seem to be troubling her mind. Come one, come all, it say. The Queen Honeybee is back in town." As Celie continues to describe Shug's intoxicating effects on those who see her, she says, "Lord, I wants to go so bad. Not to dance. Not to drink. Not to play card. Not even to hear Shug Avery sing. I Just be thankful to lay eyes on her" (25). The blazing confidence of Shug Avery not only captivates Celie, leaving her spellbound by Shug's effervescent charm, but also serves as a model for the secure sense of self Celie would like to grasp and call her own.
When Shug Avery gets sick and stays at Celie and Mr. __________'s house, she initially treats Celie poorly, but eventually, she starts to fight to end Celie's abuse. "If you was my wife, she say, I'd cover you up with kisses instead of licks, and work hard for you too" (109). It starts out as a friendly relationship between the two women, but it quickly becomes romantic in nature. When the two go to visit Celie's stepfather, the transformation becomes very apparent. In the words of Celie in one of her infamous letters to God, she recounts simply "Shug say, Us each other's peoples now, and kiss me" (183). This is one of the moments where we can tell that Celie is growing comfortable with her homosexuality, and also, she is beginning to feel romantically loved by another for the first time in her life. These, in my opinion, are milestones in Celie's journey to self-discovery.
Finally, I believe that Shug influences the religious attitude Celie employs at the end of the novel, because of the discussion they have about God's will that begins on page 192. In this dialogue, Celie questions God's goodness because of all of the darkness in her life. Shug responds to Celie's doubts by saying, "Here's the thing... 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. And sometimes it just manifest itself even if you not looking, or don't know what you looking for. Trouble do it for most folks, I think. Sorrow..." Shug understands why Celie feels disheartened by her emotional pain, but she goes on to explain her optimistic mentality."But one day when I was sitting quiet and feeling like a motherless child, which I was, it come to me: that feeling of being part of everything, not separate at all." This attitude is reflected in Celie's behavior later on when she is with Harpo and Sofia. "Harpo go look out the window. Nothing out there, he say. Humming say UMMMMMM. I think I know what it is, I say. They say, What? I say, Everything" (221). Celie begins to see the big picture and the fruitfulness in her life, and starts to revel in it.
At the end of the novel, Celie is reunited with Nettie, the children, and most importantly, Shug--finally, she is transformed; revived, content. I believe that, without Shug, Celie would not have been able to realize her sexuality. Shug, being the inherently confident figure she is, helped to strengthen Celie and bring her out of the dark. Shug also shows Celie her first romantic love, whereas Celie only knows abusive relationships men. She introduced Celie to a new way of life, which Celie slowly adopts and grows to believe in. In the words of Shug, Celie realizes that "You can just relax, go with everything that's going, and praise God by liking what you like" (221).
Firstly, Shug carries herself as a confident and independent figure. Her presence is captivating to Celie and the other characters all throughout the novel because she radiates with charisma. "Shug Avery is standing upside a piano, elbow crook, hand on her hip. She wearing a hat like Indian Chiefs. He rmouth open showing all her teef and don't nothing seem to be troubling her mind. Come one, come all, it say. The Queen Honeybee is back in town." As Celie continues to describe Shug's intoxicating effects on those who see her, she says, "Lord, I wants to go so bad. Not to dance. Not to drink. Not to play card. Not even to hear Shug Avery sing. I Just be thankful to lay eyes on her" (25). The blazing confidence of Shug Avery not only captivates Celie, leaving her spellbound by Shug's effervescent charm, but also serves as a model for the secure sense of self Celie would like to grasp and call her own.
When Shug Avery gets sick and stays at Celie and Mr. __________'s house, she initially treats Celie poorly, but eventually, she starts to fight to end Celie's abuse. "If you was my wife, she say, I'd cover you up with kisses instead of licks, and work hard for you too" (109). It starts out as a friendly relationship between the two women, but it quickly becomes romantic in nature. When the two go to visit Celie's stepfather, the transformation becomes very apparent. In the words of Celie in one of her infamous letters to God, she recounts simply "Shug say, Us each other's peoples now, and kiss me" (183). This is one of the moments where we can tell that Celie is growing comfortable with her homosexuality, and also, she is beginning to feel romantically loved by another for the first time in her life. These, in my opinion, are milestones in Celie's journey to self-discovery.
Finally, I believe that Shug influences the religious attitude Celie employs at the end of the novel, because of the discussion they have about God's will that begins on page 192. In this dialogue, Celie questions God's goodness because of all of the darkness in her life. Shug responds to Celie's doubts by saying, "Here's the thing... 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. And sometimes it just manifest itself even if you not looking, or don't know what you looking for. Trouble do it for most folks, I think. Sorrow..." Shug understands why Celie feels disheartened by her emotional pain, but she goes on to explain her optimistic mentality."But one day when I was sitting quiet and feeling like a motherless child, which I was, it come to me: that feeling of being part of everything, not separate at all." This attitude is reflected in Celie's behavior later on when she is with Harpo and Sofia. "Harpo go look out the window. Nothing out there, he say. Humming say UMMMMMM. I think I know what it is, I say. They say, What? I say, Everything" (221). Celie begins to see the big picture and the fruitfulness in her life, and starts to revel in it.
At the end of the novel, Celie is reunited with Nettie, the children, and most importantly, Shug--finally, she is transformed; revived, content. I believe that, without Shug, Celie would not have been able to realize her sexuality. Shug, being the inherently confident figure she is, helped to strengthen Celie and bring her out of the dark. Shug also shows Celie her first romantic love, whereas Celie only knows abusive relationships men. She introduced Celie to a new way of life, which Celie slowly adopts and grows to believe in. In the words of Shug, Celie realizes that "You can just relax, go with everything that's going, and praise God by liking what you like" (221).
the Olinka in The Color Purple
As I made my way through this novel, I encountered numerous moments worthy of attention, but the stories Nettie writes of her life in Africa particularly resonate throughout the work for me. The life Nettie, Samuel, Olivia, and Adam (and Corinne for a while as well) live during their time in Africa and with the Olinka touches upon the effects of imperialism as well as cross cultural exchange or contact. That Nettie and her family are Christian missionaries leaves me somewhat suspicious. This is in no way saying that their intentions are dishonorable, but regardless, the nature of such a visit and the fact of their presence amidst the Olinka inherently poses a ‘threat’ to the culture and traditions of the Olinka people.
In her earlier letters, life in Africa seems wonderful. Nettie is happy, the children are doing well, the family embrace the life of the Olinka, and all is, for the most part, well; however, as time goes on, and more intrusions come upon the people and the culture, the reader quickly feels uneasy. The arrival of white, English rubber tree workers ultimately devastates and wipes out the Olinka culture as it had been before. The presence of the missionaries in the tribe was seen with indifference, they were outsiders. The arrival of the road builders was somewhat different. The missionaries lived in and with the Olinka, the builders did not. At first, the Olinka people did not think of these builders as a threat and thought the road was being built for them (168). But it quickly becomes clear that this land is not that of the Olinka. The roofleaf is plowed and the workers force the Olinka people to purchase tin for their roofs instead (227). The land is cleared and the culture is not only changed forever, but eventually undone by these foreign intruders.
One of the more heart breaking moments for me was when the younger members of the Olinka people wanted to acquire the possessions of the English rubber manufacturers. They want to be like them. Others go off and join the mbeles. Tashi and then Adam literally scar their faces.
It is also note worthy to recognize Tashi’s reluctance to enter the unfamiliar, foreign environment of the US right before the family leaves for home. She comes forth with her reasons, “…because of the scarification marks on her cheeks Americans would look down on her as a savage and shun her…she had seen the magazines we receive from home and that it was very clear to her that black people did not truly admire blackskinned black people like herself, and especially did not admire blackskinned black women” (278-279). She comes from another culture yes, but she is conscious of her face now as well. She is worried as to how she is to be received.
When Samuel was telling Nettie about the stories of his and Corinne’s aunts, he mentioned a school whose motto he thought ought to have been “our community covers the world” (235). If the world is a community, which I believe it is, I think many people do not understand or consider this in relation to their actions or in their thinking. The interactions between the Olinka people and the English rubber manufacturers suggest how we do not think of the world as a whole or oneness. This motto would then be a great indicator of our short comings as a people overall.
I can still remember vividly a memory from my early childhood. I had just begun to read and had a book on the rainforest. I loved this book and must have read it or looked at it several times a day because the pictures were colorful and the animals interested me. If you turned the pages, you could place an image from the previous page on the following one or uncover something that was hidden; I particularly liked the page with the leopard. And although I must have been around the age of five, I still have the memory of how I felt once I reached the last page. I was surprised and, at the time, a little confused and afraid.
The second to last page asked a question about the biggest threat to the rainforest. While the previous pages had essentially showed the different relationships between the animals and who is a threat to this one and so forth, the very last page said that it was us, human beings. The picture was of a green rainforest with the trees being cut down and a big, yellow construction truck that must have been a bulldozer or some other vehicle like it. I was shocked because I had not been expecting this answer. I remember feeling uncomfortable, but I also felt as though I was not a part of the ‘us’. I felt that the ‘us’, the human beings were separate from me and the fact that I was a human being myself. I guess this is because I was a kid, but I remember viewing the workers on the last page as a threat to not only the rainforest, but to myself as well.
History is filled with imperialism and colonization, with oppression and plight. Whether it is the rainforest, a people, a country, a race, a sex, a people of a particular sexuality, there is still this oppression today, this intrusion. I think The Color Purple and Alice Walker are meaning to make a statement, amongst others, by including the Olinka people in this story.
In her earlier letters, life in Africa seems wonderful. Nettie is happy, the children are doing well, the family embrace the life of the Olinka, and all is, for the most part, well; however, as time goes on, and more intrusions come upon the people and the culture, the reader quickly feels uneasy. The arrival of white, English rubber tree workers ultimately devastates and wipes out the Olinka culture as it had been before. The presence of the missionaries in the tribe was seen with indifference, they were outsiders. The arrival of the road builders was somewhat different. The missionaries lived in and with the Olinka, the builders did not. At first, the Olinka people did not think of these builders as a threat and thought the road was being built for them (168). But it quickly becomes clear that this land is not that of the Olinka. The roofleaf is plowed and the workers force the Olinka people to purchase tin for their roofs instead (227). The land is cleared and the culture is not only changed forever, but eventually undone by these foreign intruders.
One of the more heart breaking moments for me was when the younger members of the Olinka people wanted to acquire the possessions of the English rubber manufacturers. They want to be like them. Others go off and join the mbeles. Tashi and then Adam literally scar their faces.
It is also note worthy to recognize Tashi’s reluctance to enter the unfamiliar, foreign environment of the US right before the family leaves for home. She comes forth with her reasons, “…because of the scarification marks on her cheeks Americans would look down on her as a savage and shun her…she had seen the magazines we receive from home and that it was very clear to her that black people did not truly admire blackskinned black people like herself, and especially did not admire blackskinned black women” (278-279). She comes from another culture yes, but she is conscious of her face now as well. She is worried as to how she is to be received.
When Samuel was telling Nettie about the stories of his and Corinne’s aunts, he mentioned a school whose motto he thought ought to have been “our community covers the world” (235). If the world is a community, which I believe it is, I think many people do not understand or consider this in relation to their actions or in their thinking. The interactions between the Olinka people and the English rubber manufacturers suggest how we do not think of the world as a whole or oneness. This motto would then be a great indicator of our short comings as a people overall.
I can still remember vividly a memory from my early childhood. I had just begun to read and had a book on the rainforest. I loved this book and must have read it or looked at it several times a day because the pictures were colorful and the animals interested me. If you turned the pages, you could place an image from the previous page on the following one or uncover something that was hidden; I particularly liked the page with the leopard. And although I must have been around the age of five, I still have the memory of how I felt once I reached the last page. I was surprised and, at the time, a little confused and afraid.
The second to last page asked a question about the biggest threat to the rainforest. While the previous pages had essentially showed the different relationships between the animals and who is a threat to this one and so forth, the very last page said that it was us, human beings. The picture was of a green rainforest with the trees being cut down and a big, yellow construction truck that must have been a bulldozer or some other vehicle like it. I was shocked because I had not been expecting this answer. I remember feeling uncomfortable, but I also felt as though I was not a part of the ‘us’. I felt that the ‘us’, the human beings were separate from me and the fact that I was a human being myself. I guess this is because I was a kid, but I remember viewing the workers on the last page as a threat to not only the rainforest, but to myself as well.
History is filled with imperialism and colonization, with oppression and plight. Whether it is the rainforest, a people, a country, a race, a sex, a people of a particular sexuality, there is still this oppression today, this intrusion. I think The Color Purple and Alice Walker are meaning to make a statement, amongst others, by including the Olinka people in this story.
The Power of an Education
As I read through Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, I saw the apparent theme of education intertwined with Celie’s story. As Celie states “Us both be hitting Nettie’s schoolbooks pretty hard, cause us know we got to be smart to git away” (9). Here, the concept of an education serves as a ticket into a better life, an escape from a brutal reality. As Celie points out the importance of an education she also notes that she enjoys learning. Celie understands the power of an education and we as readers see her transform into a more knowledgeable woman by the end of the novel.
It is important to realize that without her education the novel would not exist, because we are reading her direct words. Celie seems to hold her own, and as readers we can see an improvement with her writing. The novel starts off with Celie just stating events and not really analyzing these experiences, but as we travel with Celie we are viewing her life through the words and descriptions she provides us with.
After finding Nettie’s letters Celie’s writing seems to have improved demonstrating the power of literature as a tool of an education. Even though Nettie is not directly present, her presence within the letter helps educate Celie. This mere fact demonstrates how effective literature can be on a person’s education and the restrictions that come into play. With regards to Pa’s rules, on not allowing Celie to go to school, this could have affected the overall tone of the story. With Celie’s limited education, as readers we are able to watch her develop into a more skilled person with her ambition and drive to “git away” (9).
Celie’s letters demonstrate a sense of power because during her time with her “Pa” she seems to be voiceless. However these writings help reveal Celie’s inner voice, demonstrating a sense of power within the expression of her voice by making use of her education. These letters also serve as a learning tool for the readers, demonstrating Celie's powerful presence as a teacher.
The Color Purple really resonated with me, especially after my service learning at Govans last Monday. Last week we had an incident with a hateful note. The note was written after one of the younger girls had gotten into a fight with her white “friend”. The issue of racism was a hand, but more importantly the concept that Celie possessed during the whole novel, was present. What I saw was an expression of feelings, anger so apparent it could not be ignored.
This experience really made me think back to The Color Purple because the one girl in the class got so angry that she wrote meaningless words. I didn’t see that emotion portrayed in this novel, demonstrating the separation of Celie’s emotions with her writing. I saw Celie as a very passive, calm, and collected woman. She seemed to only write with intention to tell her story. This made me question if her education restricted her from telling her complete story. Could she not include certain aspects of the story because she didn’t know how to formulate her feelings? Or did she leave them out purposefully?
My service-learning really came into play with this novel because the two demonstrated the role of limitations. In The Color Purple, the limitation being education based and at Govans the limitation involving emotions and the effect on writing.
Gender in The Color Purple
In The Color Purple, Sofia succinctly sums up one of the novel’s major themes regarding marriage: “He don’t want a wife, he want a dog” (64). Here, she exposes the root of the problem and her conclusion is dead-on. Just a couple of pages earlier, Harpo proclaims “I want her to do what I say, like you do for Pa” (62). That is, he wants Sophia to obey him as a dog would. Yet I’m not entirely convinced that Harpo actually knows what he wants. He does not seem to recognize that his marriage to Sophia is far more fulfilling than his father’s marriage to Celie, and he thus doesn’t bother to question why. If he paused for a moment to reflect, he might realize that it is Sophia’s strength and her ability to challenge him that makes their marriage satisfying. Instead, however, his idea of a “good” marriage is based on the warped marriages that surround him – including his father’s – and this ultimately leads to the demise of his and Sophia’s relationship.
What truly interests me is the apparent role reversal that makes Sophia and Harpo’s relationship functional in the first quarter of the novel. Indeed, Sophia is portrayed as relatively masculine, while Harpo is somewhat feminized. In a telling passage, Sofia says “To tell the truth, he love that part of housekeeping a heap more ‘en me. I rather be out in the fields or fooling with the animals … But he love cooking and cleaning and doing little things round the house” (59). The inclination in each toward tasks generally associated with the opposite gender allows the two, however subconsciously, to be more sympathetic toward one another. Though the typical gender roles are perverted, in comparison with Celie and Harpo’s father’s conventional marriage, this perversion proves rather positive. The catch, however, is that it only functions within male ignorance. While Sophia seems aware of the reversal from the start, once Harpo becomes aware of it and attempts to “fix” it, their marriage begins to fall apart.
Another component of this role reversal includes Sophia’s ability to fight. In an important conversation with Celie, Sophia tells her “I loves Harpo … But I’ll kill him dead before I let him beat me” (40). This is the major difference between Celie and Sophia: Sophia fights where Celie does not. Sophia’s ability to fight allows her to preserve her dignity; once Harpo starts to abuse her, Sophia stands up for herself and, ultimately, leaves. She refuses to be subordinated to Harpo. Yet the fact that Sophia ends up in jail reveals that such behavior was viewed as a threat to society at that time.
That Sophia’s mentality is much more modern is clear. Today, girls are taught to fight back against boys. They are taught that “anything boys can do girls can do better.” At Guilford, I’ve noticed that the girls who are “starters” on the National Academic League team are the girls who challenge the boys; the girls who aren’t afraid to make their voices heard. The other day I was quizzing one of the girls when a boy interjected and provided the answer: “Boise is the capital of Idaho, duh.” I then sat back and fought a smile as she delivered a formidable lecture on manners. She told the boy in less-than-polite terms that just because she didn’t answer right away didn’t mean she didn’t know the answer, and there was no need for him to be so rude. The boy crossed his arms and began to sulk. Inwardly, I was cheering her on; outwardly, I had to break up their fight. Though my role forced me to be diplomatic, this incident left me confident that the status of women has improved since the time in which The Color Purple was set.
What truly interests me is the apparent role reversal that makes Sophia and Harpo’s relationship functional in the first quarter of the novel. Indeed, Sophia is portrayed as relatively masculine, while Harpo is somewhat feminized. In a telling passage, Sofia says “To tell the truth, he love that part of housekeeping a heap more ‘en me. I rather be out in the fields or fooling with the animals … But he love cooking and cleaning and doing little things round the house” (59). The inclination in each toward tasks generally associated with the opposite gender allows the two, however subconsciously, to be more sympathetic toward one another. Though the typical gender roles are perverted, in comparison with Celie and Harpo’s father’s conventional marriage, this perversion proves rather positive. The catch, however, is that it only functions within male ignorance. While Sophia seems aware of the reversal from the start, once Harpo becomes aware of it and attempts to “fix” it, their marriage begins to fall apart.
Another component of this role reversal includes Sophia’s ability to fight. In an important conversation with Celie, Sophia tells her “I loves Harpo … But I’ll kill him dead before I let him beat me” (40). This is the major difference between Celie and Sophia: Sophia fights where Celie does not. Sophia’s ability to fight allows her to preserve her dignity; once Harpo starts to abuse her, Sophia stands up for herself and, ultimately, leaves. She refuses to be subordinated to Harpo. Yet the fact that Sophia ends up in jail reveals that such behavior was viewed as a threat to society at that time.
That Sophia’s mentality is much more modern is clear. Today, girls are taught to fight back against boys. They are taught that “anything boys can do girls can do better.” At Guilford, I’ve noticed that the girls who are “starters” on the National Academic League team are the girls who challenge the boys; the girls who aren’t afraid to make their voices heard. The other day I was quizzing one of the girls when a boy interjected and provided the answer: “Boise is the capital of Idaho, duh.” I then sat back and fought a smile as she delivered a formidable lecture on manners. She told the boy in less-than-polite terms that just because she didn’t answer right away didn’t mean she didn’t know the answer, and there was no need for him to be so rude. The boy crossed his arms and began to sulk. Inwardly, I was cheering her on; outwardly, I had to break up their fight. Though my role forced me to be diplomatic, this incident left me confident that the status of women has improved since the time in which The Color Purple was set.
Violence Against Women and the Power of Voice
In The Color Purple, one can’t help but sympathize with Celie who has experienced abuse from a very young age without any means of escape as the man she knows as her father repeatedly rapes and beats her while her mother is sick. Meanwhile Celie’s focus is always on protecting her sister from the abuse while holding higher hopes for her younger sister than she holds for herself.
And despite all of this, Celie remains strong in her faith in God, and despite her meager education, she still holds an insightful voice when writing to God about her struggles, her life, and her beliefs. Thus in a life where she is powerless, she finds a great power in her writing where she is able to get angry at the men who abuse her and she can honestly reconcile her life without fear and without any filter.
In one of her letters she writes, “Harpo ast his daddy why he beat me. Mr. say, Cause she my wife. Plus, she stubborn. All women good for—he don’t finish. He just tuck his chin over the paper like he do. Remind me of Pa. Harpo ast me, How come you stubborn? He don’t ast How come you his wife? Nobody ast that.” (Walker, 22). These observations reveal the psyche of Mr. who finds his brutality justifiable only because it is a wife’s place to be subordinate and because of this lower stature he can beat her.
Not only does this reveal the twisted logic of the abuser, this quote also shows how men develop that attitude with Harpo asking why at first. This shows that abuse is cyclical and is often passed from generation to generation as Harpo tries to beat his own wife not long after this conversation. In the face of this sad reality, Celie shows her defiance again in her letter to God. She knows that she did not choose this marriage and that she never would have. Unfortunately “choice” was an intangible ideal for Celie at this point in her life.
Before Mr. reforms himself, Celie leaves with Shug for Tennessee and she finally speaks her outrage rather than just writing it down when she says, “You a lowdown dog is what’s wrong, I say. It’s time to leave you and enter into the Creation. And your dead body just the welcome mat I need” (Walker, 199). Celie who in life remained silent and only had spoken the truth in writing now has gained the agency to tell her husband that she will not stay anymore with the support of Shug who gave her the strength to not only say “no more”, but put those words into action. This is Celie’s great catharsis as she finally lets go of the burdens that weighed on her soul for so many years.
It’s sad to say that there are so many examples of domestic abuse in the real world. One much publicized example of violence against women is that of international pop star Rihanna who was a victim of abuse at the hands of her equally famous former boyfriend, Chris Brown. Rihanna is a strong, independent woman who has sold millions of CDs and is one of the most successful female singers of recent memory. Last February, the night before the Grammys, she and Chris Brown got into a verbal argument that escalated into his violent attack on her.
This past week, Rihanna bravely talked about her experience with Diane Sawyer. She was calm, collected, and she discussed the incident with dignity and wisdom. She initially went back with Chris after he beat her but she soon realized that she was only lying to herself and she was afraid of what might happen to a fan if they followed her example. She said, “When I realized that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed, I could not be easy with that part. I couldn't be responsible for that. Even if Chris never hit me again, who's to say their boyfriend won't? Who's to say they won't kill these girls? I didn't realize how much of an impact I had on these girls' lives until that happened."
I think that both Rihanna and Celie are incredibly strong women who were put into a terrible situation where anyone could feel powerless. My one great concern for Celie is that she ultimately went back with Mr. . Even though he reformed himself, I would refer to the quote from Rihanna in that, even if Mr. never hit Celie again, who’s to say that if Celie’s daughter would get into an abusive relationship, that her partner would stop? That piece of the ending did not sit well with me.
And despite all of this, Celie remains strong in her faith in God, and despite her meager education, she still holds an insightful voice when writing to God about her struggles, her life, and her beliefs. Thus in a life where she is powerless, she finds a great power in her writing where she is able to get angry at the men who abuse her and she can honestly reconcile her life without fear and without any filter.
In one of her letters she writes, “Harpo ast his daddy why he beat me. Mr. say, Cause she my wife. Plus, she stubborn. All women good for—he don’t finish. He just tuck his chin over the paper like he do. Remind me of Pa. Harpo ast me, How come you stubborn? He don’t ast How come you his wife? Nobody ast that.” (Walker, 22). These observations reveal the psyche of Mr. who finds his brutality justifiable only because it is a wife’s place to be subordinate and because of this lower stature he can beat her.
Not only does this reveal the twisted logic of the abuser, this quote also shows how men develop that attitude with Harpo asking why at first. This shows that abuse is cyclical and is often passed from generation to generation as Harpo tries to beat his own wife not long after this conversation. In the face of this sad reality, Celie shows her defiance again in her letter to God. She knows that she did not choose this marriage and that she never would have. Unfortunately “choice” was an intangible ideal for Celie at this point in her life.
Before Mr. reforms himself, Celie leaves with Shug for Tennessee and she finally speaks her outrage rather than just writing it down when she says, “You a lowdown dog is what’s wrong, I say. It’s time to leave you and enter into the Creation. And your dead body just the welcome mat I need” (Walker, 199). Celie who in life remained silent and only had spoken the truth in writing now has gained the agency to tell her husband that she will not stay anymore with the support of Shug who gave her the strength to not only say “no more”, but put those words into action. This is Celie’s great catharsis as she finally lets go of the burdens that weighed on her soul for so many years.
It’s sad to say that there are so many examples of domestic abuse in the real world. One much publicized example of violence against women is that of international pop star Rihanna who was a victim of abuse at the hands of her equally famous former boyfriend, Chris Brown. Rihanna is a strong, independent woman who has sold millions of CDs and is one of the most successful female singers of recent memory. Last February, the night before the Grammys, she and Chris Brown got into a verbal argument that escalated into his violent attack on her.
This past week, Rihanna bravely talked about her experience with Diane Sawyer. She was calm, collected, and she discussed the incident with dignity and wisdom. She initially went back with Chris after he beat her but she soon realized that she was only lying to herself and she was afraid of what might happen to a fan if they followed her example. She said, “When I realized that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed, I could not be easy with that part. I couldn't be responsible for that. Even if Chris never hit me again, who's to say their boyfriend won't? Who's to say they won't kill these girls? I didn't realize how much of an impact I had on these girls' lives until that happened."
I think that both Rihanna and Celie are incredibly strong women who were put into a terrible situation where anyone could feel powerless. My one great concern for Celie is that she ultimately went back with Mr. . Even though he reformed himself, I would refer to the quote from Rihanna in that, even if Mr. never hit Celie again, who’s to say that if Celie’s daughter would get into an abusive relationship, that her partner would stop? That piece of the ending did not sit well with me.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
"Feelings, Nothing More Than Feelings..."
After reading The Color Purple, I honestly don't have any idea what to write about. I was so overwhelmed by different feelings throughout my reading of this novel that I can't pin down one specifically. So I'm going to attempt to relate them the best I can.
Overall, this novel greatly upset me. I generally had an unsettling feeling from the first page until the very last, despite the book's somewhat uplifting ending. At first my unease was partially because I have just read Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye in another class, and I had the feeling of "oh no, another one!" For the first quarter or so of the book, I equated Celie with Pecola Breedlove, (she's 'ugly', dumb, poor etc. etc.) and basically saw them as the same type of character. When Celie finally stood up for herself, I then realized she was no Pecola Breedlove. However, as we often mention in this class, the "happy ending" certainly did not negate all that came before, especially in this case.
I'm still trying to identify the source of my unease. Obviously I was upset by the various horrors that happened to Celie throughout her life, but I was truly bothered by the story Sofia tells about the holiday she spends, or more like the 15 minutes she spends, with her family "courtesy" of Miss Millie. I think it was the forward racism of the Mayor's wife, and how Sofia accepted it (by getting back in the car and driving home with Millie) that made me feel sick to my stomach. The moments in the novel that made me feel worst, I think, were the ones where racism was obviously present, and that prejudice was actually acknowledged and accepted by Sofia and Celie's community. It wasn't the fact that it was present, it was the fact that it was present and not challenged.
The focus of The Color Purple is obviously on Celie and her life. But I think the reason I felt little resolution at the end of the novel was that throughout the novel, Celie and Sofia and even Nettie were subjected mainly to familial problems or problems within their community. At the end of the novel, Celie had defended herself (finally) by walking out on her husband, and Nettie had stood up to Corrine to defend her reputation. Sofia, earlier in the novel, would fight back against her husband Harpo, since physically she could overpower him. However, these women do not fight back against the racism present against their community. Sofia was the one who directly encountered this; though she attempted to fight back by punching a "white superior", she was inevitably helpless and went to jail. Despite her initial protests, she still ended up being the caretaker of the Mayor's children. Also, Nettie leaves Africa in part because she feels the African community there are just as uppity (or something along those lines) as the "white" community is at home in America.
I felt some positive feelings (I might equate it more with 'relief' than with 'happiness') when Sofia confronted Eleanor Jane toward the end of the novel, but it still wasn't enough. I wanted the white people to stop objectifying Sofia and Celie's community, and they never did.
I truly was happy for Celie and her triumph at the end of this novel. However, I think The Color Purple as a whole transcends her story, and in that way it can both be a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, Celie was an example of a woman who rose above the opression she was encountering within the community at that time. However, I feel there is definitely a danger that this novel can be read as specific to the black population, which is absolutely false. The dialect and voice Walker uses for Celie, Nettie and others, as well as the events plain and simple, may make some readers think that these problems (such as gender opression, physical and verbal abuse, poverty, racism, rape, incest, etc. etc.) were a result of the era in history (post-civil war-ish), the area of the country it was happening in (the conservative south) and as previously mentioned, the race of the novel's main characters (African American, mixed race (Squeak), and white).
What is most important to remember is that these things may have happened in all these contexts, but it does not make them exclusive to these conditions. Spousal abuse still happens in our culture today. Women still don't get paid as much as men in similar job positions. And racism especially still exists today, sometimes in a completely opposite way than history portrays.
As we discussed in our class last week, Katie S. had to deal with a particularly difficult situation at the elementary school where we both volunteer. The only non-black student in the fourth grade had a nasty note written about her by some of her supposed friends. I will not go into details, but racially specific comments were made. Though Katie talked to the students and the girls responsible claimed that the note was not racially motivated (they got into a fight about something completley different and then wrote the note), I wondered "Where are they learning this stuff??" Seriously, if you're going to make a racist comment about someone, even if you don't know what you're saying, that racist comment has to have an origin somewhere.
What I think I'm trying to say here is that The Color Purple should not be read as a black woman's account of rising up against her oppressors, but as an oppressed person's account of rising up against his or her oppressors. Like I said earlier, this novel has a danger of being read in that way, when in fact it should be able to speak to all peoples in oppressive situations, no matter their race, gender, economic "class", or country of residence. Those scenes with Sofia upset me most because (though there was slight resolution with Eleanor Jane toward the end) the "white superiors" in the novel who oppressed this black community from the start were never brought to justice. If the oppressors, in any case, are brought to justice, then those they oppress would never have to be subject to horrors (such as physical abuse) in the first place.
What bothered me most is the acceptance in this novel. How it made me feel was the most memorable part of this novel for me, not the plot. Though Celie finds peace and happiness, I still can only see it as one tiny frustrating step in the right direction.
Overall, this novel greatly upset me. I generally had an unsettling feeling from the first page until the very last, despite the book's somewhat uplifting ending. At first my unease was partially because I have just read Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye in another class, and I had the feeling of "oh no, another one!" For the first quarter or so of the book, I equated Celie with Pecola Breedlove, (she's 'ugly', dumb, poor etc. etc.) and basically saw them as the same type of character. When Celie finally stood up for herself, I then realized she was no Pecola Breedlove. However, as we often mention in this class, the "happy ending" certainly did not negate all that came before, especially in this case.
I'm still trying to identify the source of my unease. Obviously I was upset by the various horrors that happened to Celie throughout her life, but I was truly bothered by the story Sofia tells about the holiday she spends, or more like the 15 minutes she spends, with her family "courtesy" of Miss Millie. I think it was the forward racism of the Mayor's wife, and how Sofia accepted it (by getting back in the car and driving home with Millie) that made me feel sick to my stomach. The moments in the novel that made me feel worst, I think, were the ones where racism was obviously present, and that prejudice was actually acknowledged and accepted by Sofia and Celie's community. It wasn't the fact that it was present, it was the fact that it was present and not challenged.
The focus of The Color Purple is obviously on Celie and her life. But I think the reason I felt little resolution at the end of the novel was that throughout the novel, Celie and Sofia and even Nettie were subjected mainly to familial problems or problems within their community. At the end of the novel, Celie had defended herself (finally) by walking out on her husband, and Nettie had stood up to Corrine to defend her reputation. Sofia, earlier in the novel, would fight back against her husband Harpo, since physically she could overpower him. However, these women do not fight back against the racism present against their community. Sofia was the one who directly encountered this; though she attempted to fight back by punching a "white superior", she was inevitably helpless and went to jail. Despite her initial protests, she still ended up being the caretaker of the Mayor's children. Also, Nettie leaves Africa in part because she feels the African community there are just as uppity (or something along those lines) as the "white" community is at home in America.
I felt some positive feelings (I might equate it more with 'relief' than with 'happiness') when Sofia confronted Eleanor Jane toward the end of the novel, but it still wasn't enough. I wanted the white people to stop objectifying Sofia and Celie's community, and they never did.
I truly was happy for Celie and her triumph at the end of this novel. However, I think The Color Purple as a whole transcends her story, and in that way it can both be a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, Celie was an example of a woman who rose above the opression she was encountering within the community at that time. However, I feel there is definitely a danger that this novel can be read as specific to the black population, which is absolutely false. The dialect and voice Walker uses for Celie, Nettie and others, as well as the events plain and simple, may make some readers think that these problems (such as gender opression, physical and verbal abuse, poverty, racism, rape, incest, etc. etc.) were a result of the era in history (post-civil war-ish), the area of the country it was happening in (the conservative south) and as previously mentioned, the race of the novel's main characters (African American, mixed race (Squeak), and white).
What is most important to remember is that these things may have happened in all these contexts, but it does not make them exclusive to these conditions. Spousal abuse still happens in our culture today. Women still don't get paid as much as men in similar job positions. And racism especially still exists today, sometimes in a completely opposite way than history portrays.
As we discussed in our class last week, Katie S. had to deal with a particularly difficult situation at the elementary school where we both volunteer. The only non-black student in the fourth grade had a nasty note written about her by some of her supposed friends. I will not go into details, but racially specific comments were made. Though Katie talked to the students and the girls responsible claimed that the note was not racially motivated (they got into a fight about something completley different and then wrote the note), I wondered "Where are they learning this stuff??" Seriously, if you're going to make a racist comment about someone, even if you don't know what you're saying, that racist comment has to have an origin somewhere.
What I think I'm trying to say here is that The Color Purple should not be read as a black woman's account of rising up against her oppressors, but as an oppressed person's account of rising up against his or her oppressors. Like I said earlier, this novel has a danger of being read in that way, when in fact it should be able to speak to all peoples in oppressive situations, no matter their race, gender, economic "class", or country of residence. Those scenes with Sofia upset me most because (though there was slight resolution with Eleanor Jane toward the end) the "white superiors" in the novel who oppressed this black community from the start were never brought to justice. If the oppressors, in any case, are brought to justice, then those they oppress would never have to be subject to horrors (such as physical abuse) in the first place.
What bothered me most is the acceptance in this novel. How it made me feel was the most memorable part of this novel for me, not the plot. Though Celie finds peace and happiness, I still can only see it as one tiny frustrating step in the right direction.
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