Examine the depiction of the Black male in Walker’s novel.
Some critics consider the portrayal of Black men “The Color Purple as unnecessarily harsh and brutal. Examine the depiction of the Black male in Walker’s novel. “The Color Purple” was written by the author Alice Walker, she won a Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award for the novel. The novel describes that the American South during the first half of the twentieth century at a time when the South was segregated and women were limited in what choices they were able to make for themselves. Celie starts the novel by erasing herself from the present when she writes “I am”, and attempts to build herself up from this “site of negation”, a burden shared by women who try to forge an identity refusing cultural scripts of gender and sexuality entrenched in patriarchy and manifested through a man made language. (Abbandonato, 1991)
Alphonso who Celie believed to be her father, uses her for his own sexual gratification and tells her if she does not be quiet it would kill her Mother. Alphonso’s words to Celie are, “You better not never tell nobody but God. It'd kill your mammy”. He intimidates Celie into keeping his abuse quiet by threatening her and telling her to only ever tell God. Alphonso rapes Celie repeatedly until he impregnates her twice and sells the children to a local missionary. Alphonso never tells Celie what has happened to her children so initially Celie thinks that Alphonso has killed them. Alphonso seems to have a sexual appetite for young girls as he goes on to marry a fifteen year old girl called Daisy.”This Daisy, he say. My new wife. Why, say Shug, you don’t look more than fifteen. I ain’t say Daisy.” Black fathers and father figures are viewed as being immoral, sexually unrestrained. (Washington, J.C) Later on in the novel Celie learns that Alphonso is not her real father, her real father had been lynched years before by a white mob. “Your daddy didn’t know how to git along, he say. White – folks lynch him”.
Albert also known as Mr___ is a
Alphonso who Celie believed to be her father, uses her for his own sexual gratification and tells her if she does not be quiet it would kill her Mother. Alphonso’s words to Celie are, “You better not never tell nobody but God. It'd kill your mammy”. He intimidates Celie into keeping his abuse quiet by threatening her and telling her to only ever tell God. Alphonso rapes Celie repeatedly until he impregnates her twice and sells the children to a local missionary. Alphonso never tells Celie what has happened to her children so initially Celie thinks that Alphonso has killed them. Alphonso seems to have a sexual appetite for young girls as he goes on to marry a fifteen year old girl called Daisy.”This Daisy, he say. My new wife. Why, say Shug, you don’t look more than fifteen. I ain’t say Daisy.” Black fathers and father figures are viewed as being immoral, sexually unrestrained. (Washington, J.C) Later on in the novel Celie learns that Alphonso is not her real father, her real father had been lynched years before by a white mob. “Your daddy didn’t know how to git along, he say. White – folks lynch him”.
Albert also known as Mr___ is a