Abstract：As a masterpiece of the famous Afro-American women writer, Alice Walker, the Color Purple presents female black life in the 1930s in the southern American. This paper gives an analysis of the four female characters，including the appalling oppression and stifling discrimination they suffered and different ways of awakening and emancipation they experienced from the perspective of womanism. It is concluded that the Color Purple, especially the emancipation of the four females not only inspires the black women at that time but also has great influence on modern women.
Key words：the Color Purple; womanism; the four female characters
Introduction
Over the past years, numerous studies on the Color Purple from different perspectives have emerged, among which most attention is given to the analysis based on feminism, symbolism, and narrative approach. However, it appears that few studies looked into the fate of the black women from the perspective of womanism which mainly focuses on the black women and other people of color. Thus, the emphasis of this paper is to analyze the four black females, namely, Celie, Shug, Sophia and Nettie in the Color Purple from the perspective of womanism. In this paper, two major sections are considered with section one illustrating the theory of womanism and section two analyzing the sufferings and awaking of the four black females based on womanism approach.
1.The theory of womanism
1.1Definition of womanism
In her book titled in the Search of Our Mother’s Gardens: Womanist Prose published in 1983, Alice Walker initiated “womansim” to differ “feminism”, stating that “womanist is to feminist as purple to lavender” (Walker, 1983: v) and defining a womanist as “a black feminist or feminist of color” and “a woman who loves other women, sexually or nonsexually and appreciates and prefers women""s culture” and “is committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female” (Walker, 1983: xi).
1.2Features of womanism
According to Alice Walker, womanism features anti-sexism, anti-racism, Afracentrism and humanism. Afracentrism refers to the review of Afro-American history and culture while humanism emphasizes on love and forgiveness to both friends and enemies.
2.An analysis of the four female characters from the perspective of womanism
2.1Celie’s constant letter-writing
Celie is treated as “the mule of the world” (Walker, 1983) and suffer from both racial discrimination and sexual abuse. At the beginning of the Color Purple, Celie’s father says, “you better not never tell nobody but god.” (Walker, 1982: 1) Being deprived of the speech right, Celie turns her inner feelings to letters where she can express herself freely.
Writing letters is a way for Celie to keep dignity. Compared to writing diaries, writing letters indicates her aspiration to be read, known and answered, reflecting her pursuit for selfhood and wholeness as a human. Through these letters, she recognizes her oppression from men, laying foundation for her later resistance and awakening.
Writing letters is a process for Celie to restructure self. The letters becomes longer and more complicated, indicating the maturity of her thoughts. Besides, the shift of the recipient from god to her sister denotes her growth as an independent woman who believes in something alive and real instead of something imaginary and unreliable. Her belief for god results from her loneness while her writing to Nettie is because of love.
2.2Shug’s rebellious role as a blues singer
Shug is a charming and rebellious character “in short skirt, smoking cigarettes, drinking gin, singing for money and talking about slut, hussy, heifer and street cleaner”(Walker, 1982:49).
According to Alice Walker, Womanists are who loves music, loves dance, loves the spirit, loves love and loves herself. It appears that Shug is a womanist who expresses her real concerns in the songs and firmly believes the blues themes of love, sexuality and freedom. The Blues, as a part of African-American culture, especially of the rural south in the 1920s is commonly recognized by the audience and significantly influences the audience. Some ideas of Shug’s songs are considered as sinful for the Christians, but they inspire people. Even Celie is encouraged and comforted by Shug’s songs. It is the blues songs that convey black women’s aspiration for freedom and selfhood. Moreover, Shug’s pursuit of the blues reflects the appreciation of the African culture.
2.3Sophia’s life-time fight against men
Sophia is a strong and courageous black woman. She dares to beat her husband and challenge her father-in-law. She loves her children and family.
“All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my brothers. I had to fight my cousins and my uncles. A girl child ain’t safe in a family of men. But I never thought I’d have to fight in my own house…But I’ll kill him dead before I let him beat me.”(Walker, 1982:40) Sofia ruins the conventional female image featuring obedience, tolerance, and silence. Instead, she is agile and brave. She has the courage to challenge the patriarchy or the authority of men.
2.4Nettie’s innovative journey to Africa
Nettie is the ideal female character with knowledge, sense of responsibility and humanitarian spirit. She uses the weapon of knowledge to disperse the darkness of different oppressions.
Once Afro-Americans entered the United States, they lost their identity. They have no culture, no friends, and no relatives in the new land. Thus, womanists advocate Afracentrism which implies the review of Afro-American history and culture, especially slavery culture and regression to African culture and tradition, according to Alice Walker. Apparently, Nettie’s journey to Africa indicates her search of the lost black identity and culture.
Nettie told Celie that at the sight of the land where their mothers and fathers cried and lived and died, something struck in her soul like a large bell. “They are so black, Celie, they shine…try to imagine a city full of these shining, blueblack people wearing brilliant blue robes with designs like fancy quilt patterns.” (Walker, 1982: 126) Nettie is excited to find her root and is proud of the black and the black culture, just as all the womanists.
Conclusion
To sum up, despite their different personalities and different ways of emancipation, the four female characters share the spirit of womanism since they are “committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female” and their sisterhood builds up strength and courage to fight for a better future for all black women and seek a harmonious coexistence between men and women. Even in modern times, the spirit of womanism reflected by the four females is of great importance and significance for women still in suffering, especially for those of color, for this spirit conveys hope, enhances strength and inspires action for a better life.
Bibliography :
[1]Walker, A. (1982). The color purple. United States: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
[2]Walker, A. (1983). In search of our mothers"" gardens: Womanist prose. United States: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
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