color purple

Alice Walker's novel, The Color Purple, follows Celie down the winding road of her life. As a poor black girl living in the South, Celie endures and overcomes many hardships. As the novel opens, the readers learn that she has been raped repeatedly by her father, then later is forced into a loveless marriage with a man who treats her like a slave. Celie does not stand up for herself, and therefore gets taken advantage …

…from the beginning. She taught Celie how to stand up for herself, how to gain self-worth, and most importantly, how to love. Without Shug there to guide and support Celie, she would have been lost, in a world full of hate. But because of Shug and these other women, Celie was transformed, into a confident women. "Celie's salvation is found within the refuge of female love and support. There she gains confidence and self-respect" (King 121).