The Color Purple Masculinity Analysis

Many readers and critics have criticised Walker’s representation of African-American men. Why do you think this is? How might you defend Walker’s treatment of masculinity in TheColor Purple?

In Walkers novel 'The Color Purple' she discusses the issues of racism, domestic abuse, sexuality, tradition, gender roles, family, love and spirituality in the 20th century African American culture, drawing on personal experience from her own life and understanding. Through the eyes of Celie, a poor, barely educated, 14 year old black girl, we are introduced to this past community and through Celies interpretations we gain a better understanding of it. A major theme in the novel is the topic of masculinity. Walkers portrayel of masculinity becomes controversial when it is projected to us through the characters of Mr., Harpo, Celies father and Mr's. father. These characters are all african american men and are revealed to us as essentialy weak, abusive men, without understanding of the emotional needs and struggles of the women with whom they share their lives with. These men are made to represent all of the african american men of this time period.
Many people were outraged by the contents of the book for the representation of african
american men, a portrayel they considered untrue and unjust. Historicaly the release of the book was during a time in which african americans were still asserting themselves as citizens of the same status as the white people in the country, therefore by the release of a book from an african american women denouncing the black male, the book would seem to serve as a true representation for white people, encouraging stereotypes and reasons to behave negtively towards black people. The difference between the book (written by a black woman) and the film (directed by a white man) was often forgotten in the rage of the people. In contrast with reading the book in the privacy of your own home and reflecting upon it personally, when watching the movie you experience it with other people and are affected by their reactions toward it, their reactions toward you. The people were not mad simply because of how african american men were described, but the humiliation they had to endure because of it ; after fighting the w ar of ignorance for so long walkers interpretations felt like a step back in the ongoing struggle.
Walker was called a « traitor » and accused of cospiring with « white hollywood » to mal-represent the black man, defaming him and increasing his struggles for acceptance.
It is not to say that these interpretations of Walkers novel are particulary accurate nor that they are well thought through, simply that they are the snap judgements of a struggling community attempting to assert themselves, left to feel betrayed by « one of their own ». This is also not to say that Walker was entirely incorrect.
Walkers portrayel of african american men is indeed one of abuse and forced dominance, Mr. Imposes himself upon Nettie and Celie, treating them cruely and without any form of empathy towards their situations. Mr. believes that this form of dominance is the only way he can control his his household and keep himself in the position of authority 'the king of the castle' if you will « He beat me like he beat the children » . He gained this belief through his father and he then passes it onto his son Harpo who then attempts to physically apply this belief onto his wife Sofia, resulting in a rapid dissolve of the relationship. Mr. father came to live by this ideal from personam experience as a victim of discriminisation and abuse at the hands of white domination. At this point in time the poeple of the south were living under Jim Crowe law, they were called « boys », treated like dirt and forced to feel as less-than-men. This demasculinisation was intentional and effective. It created a complex for the black men of the south, making them believe they could never truly be men, shaming their more sensitive emotions usually associated with femeninity and creating the belief that it should be despised. Alberts victimisation of Celie and Nettie is not purely evil for evils sake, it is a transfer of unresolved insecurities and complexes left to fester in his psyche.
Albert is the representation of abuse and of what the abused can become:abusers.
By way of this walker is giving us the tools to a new perspective a perspective in which the mans rôle is not so different from the females, like her he is the victim and indeed throught the novel the roles of gender stereotypes are challenged. This comparison and blending of gender is an important theme to the novel as walker is trying to make us understand that the differences between the man and the woman are not as abvious as you would initially believe they are. Most major characters throughout the novel disregard the stereotype(or learn to) and therefore grow as people, shrugging off the expectations set on them thriving within and without
themselves.
Eventually none of the characters are what would be considered femenine or masculine (Albert admits to an enjoyment of cooking and cleaning and Celie starts a pants making buissness) they flourish as individuals unburdened by expectations.
Celie and Albert both come to represent self awareness and personal growth on two sides of the spectrum ; Albert learns redemption and self acceptance whilst Celie learns forgiveness and spiritual awareness.
By presenting the african american man to us as she did Walker has attempted to teach us a lesson of acceptance « What happens with most of us is, that if it's hard, we'd just rather not deal with it... We'd rather push it away, forget about it. But actually we could learn a lot that would help us go on with greater courage and fortitude if we did honor the difficult by acknowledging that it was difficult » Acceptance of history is important to any society in order to grow, Walkers contribution to her community was not a book on their « failures »(Tony Browns description of The Color Purple motion picture in his book Carolina Peacemaker) but of their difficult history, her contribution was a lesson in moving on.