The Color Purple

The story of The Color Purple begins with a fourteen year old girl named Celie who was raped repeatedly by her step-father. The only one she was told to speak to was God, so she did this by writing him daily letters. The book starts out in the first letter with Celie describing how and why she is pregnant with her second child. This child was the result of her getting raped by her step-father, Alphonso. At the time, Celie believes that Alphonso is her real father because

that is what her mother has always told her. Her mother ends up dying shortly after, and her step-father brings home a new wife. Although he has a new wife, he continues to abuse and rape Celie.

Celie never saw her children for they were taken away from her by Alphonso and given to the wife of a missionary who couldn't have children. After the acts of rape Celie hated and feared men, but she didn't fear women. Celie's younger sister, Nettie, was incredibly smart and more educated than her, but they loved each other deeply. Soon after Celie had her children, she was then married off to a man who loved Nettie.

When Nettie finally got the chance to get out and make something of herself, she took advantage of this by running away to Celie's house. Any place was better than at her step-father's, where everyone would get beaten or raped. However, Nettie soon realized that Celie is always cleaning, cooking, working the fields, or getting beaten by her husband, Mr._____, which wasn't any better than where they grew up at. After Nettie lived with Celie for awhile, she was kicked out by Mr._____, also known as Albert, because she wouldn't sleep with him. Celie told Nettie to go to Samuel, the pastor and missionary, because he was the only one Celie had ever seen who had money and helped people. Nettie promised to write everyday, but when Celie had not heard from her sister in years, all she could do was think of the worst.

Harpo is the son of Albert, and he belonged to his father's first marriage. Harpo tries to beat his wife, Sofia, so that she will be as obedient as Celie. However, he soon learns that Sofia is a strong woman and won't take any beating from anyone. She leaves Harpo, takes their children, and goes to live with her sister. To Celie, Sofia is just another hero who can speak for herself and not be afraid of any man.

After many long months with no word from Sofia, Harpo knows she isn't coming back home. He decides to move on with his life by turning their house into a saloon and asks Shug, who is a talented popular singer, to come sing for him. The saloon does well and everyone seems to be happy. Harpo found another girl by the name of Mary Agnes, but goes by Squeak.

One day while Sofia was in town the mayor's wife starts making small talk with Sofia about coming to work for her as a maid, which was the wrong thing to say. She fights back and gets put in jail for sassing the mayor's wife, and for knocking the mayor down. Being in jail breaks Sofia's spirit and she would've died if her friends had not figured out a way to get her out. They got her a job working as a maid in a white woman's house. This was exactly what she never wanted to become, a white woman's maid. She regains her health, but her spirit is still broken.

Celie and Albert didn't love each other, they'd married for convenience, or at least Albert had; Celie had no choice. Then Albert's ex-lover, Shug Avery, came to live with them. Shug was extremely sick, but soon got better under Celie's care. Celie wasn't jealous that Shug had come to live with them because she was infatuated with Shug. She cared nothing for her husband. Celie first learned what love was with Shug; they needed each other mutually for love and respect. It was Shug who found the