The Color Purple Letters 1-11 Reading Response
In The Color Purple, Celie (the protagonist of the novel) writes letters to God in order to write out how she feels. She writes in her “diary” because she doesn’t really have anyone to talk to. Celie is a strong woman for putting up with everything that has happened to her, including being beat by her stepfather and her husband. In the novel, Mr. ______ (Celie’s husband) wanted to marry Nettie (Celie’s sister), but Alphonso (Celie’s stepfather) didn’t want to give up Nettie so he let Mr. ______ take Celie (Walker). The main idea of this first selection is the idea that the characters are in an era where it is okay for men to beat their wives and children. In this case we see the struggles that Celie goes through each and everyday. “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.” (Walker 23). The part where Mr. _____ reminds Celie of her “Pa” makes me extremely sad. I would hope that a girl who has gone through so much with her stepfather would find a husband who treats her right. I choose this quote because it shows just how ruthless and non-caring the men of this time were. I think this is most significant because at this current moment Celie is not defending herself. I write this because I think that in due time with help from Nettie, Kate, Sofia, and Shug Avery, Celie will find inner strength to defend and stand up for herself.
In the beginning of the novel Celie explains how her father raped her. She wrote, “First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thingy inside my pussy. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it” (Walker 1-2). In a later letter she wrote, “Sometime he still be looking at Nettie, but I always git in his light” (Walker 6). Light is defined as “a particular aspect or appearance
In the beginning of the novel Celie explains how her father raped her. She wrote, “First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thingy inside my pussy. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it” (Walker 1-2). In a later letter she wrote, “Sometime he still be looking at Nettie, but I always git in his light” (Walker 6). Light is defined as “a particular aspect or appearance
Cited: Walker, A. The Color Purple. Orlando. Harcourt. 1992. 1-42. Print. Webster’s Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Copyright 2012. Web. February 25, 2013