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Gender Roles In The Color Purple

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Chapter 1: Highlights of the research/introduction to the novel The Novel: The Color Purple: Walker integrated characters and their relations from The Color Purple into two of her other novels: The Temple of My Familiar (1989) and Possessing the Secret of Joy (1992), which earned great critical praise and caused some controversy for its exploration of the practice of female genital mutilation which wasn’t popularly liked by the readers and critics. Introduction To the book:The Color Purple is a 1982 epistolary novel by afro American author Alice Walker. Taking place mostly in the rural setting at Georgia, the story focuses on the life of African-American women in the southern United States in the 1930s, addressing numerous issues including …show more content…

The women were the housekeepers in the novel and they ordered to everything the men asked of them. The men were the ones that held the power. Sophia and Shug had an impact on Celie. Celie was inspired by Shug and wanted to be like her. Celie is fascinated by Shug's confidence and security. Celie presents herself as weak and insecure. Throughout the novel, Shug teaches Celie how to become and independent women. Celie becomes more confident and prideful. As Celie and Shug's relationship progressed daily, Celie learned how to stand up for herself. Celie showed the new side of her at dinner one night. She yelled at Mr. _ and told him she was leaving with Shug and not coming back. This proves that Celie has grown respect for herself. Mr. _ admits that the only reason he abuses her is because she is a woman. Also The gender base oppression of women emerges as a powerful thing of the novel as the powerless women are being suppressed by equally powerless men. The device men use to control women is rape such is Celie's case she is strongly with the team of a black missionary and has an opportunity to understand the African culture and her own people. Alice Walker use many theme and motifs in the Color

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