Oppression In The Color Purple

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The whole human race has to face the fact of struggle, oppression, and the challenge of being who you wish to be in a world full of people just as desperate, taking their desperation out on those who have the courage to try to have their own, unique voice. The Color Purple by Alice Walker is the ultimate story of life’s losses, struggles, and suffering with the hope of overcoming these things, and, ultimately being happy. The symbols and themes throughout this novel and film are innumerable and also beautifully construed in a masterfully-worked tapestry of literature. However, three themes stand out: Social injustice, oppression faced with hope, and the ideal of breaking free and transcending society. Social injustice threaded with reality…show more content…
Shug is Celie’s light and hope which brings her from lifelessness in the midst of such subjugation. Celie lived her whole life in compliance, submission, fear, and silence. She lived the life of a slave who was not legally or illegally a slave. She could do nothing to stop the men in her life from raping her, taking advantage of her, threatening her life, beating her, and forcing her to be their personal hand-servant. As a child and teenager, the man she believed to be her father, Pa, molested her, beat her, and married her off without her permission. Not only was she subject to extensive physical and sexual abuse, but Celie also had to deal with extensive emotional abuse. She was constantly told she wasn’t good enough, she was “spoiled,” she was ugly, stupid, too thin, and good-for-nothing. The subject of all this abuse, it is no wonder Celie became rather lifeless and subdued what otherwise might have been a colorful, strong, defiant and kind spirit. She did not give in, but she did what she must to survive. Shug gave Celie hope again, and even love. Shug caused Celie to feel worthy, and Shug clearly symbolizes those particular things and people who give us light in the darkness—whose own happiness and boldness inspire us and dare us to be bold and happy as well. So was Shug to Celie, and Celie’s hope grew until she finally fought back against her

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