NIVEDITA DOGRA

2PSENG

1313239

THE COLOR PURPLE

THEME: SISTERHOOD

“SISTERHOOD IS NOT ALWAYS BLOOD. IT IS THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE WHO WANT YOU IN THEIR’S; THE ONES WHO ACCEPT YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE. THE ONES WHO WOULD DO ANYTHING TO SEE YOU SMILE AND LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT”

 African American Literature is rooted in America by writers of African descent. The primary origin of this genre has been traced in eighteenth century writers like  Olaudah Equiano, Philips Whitely as they have reached high points with Harlem Renaissance and the slave narratives. Today the African American Literature has been continued by the authors such as Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Walter Mosley, Maya Angelo who have been marked as the top writers of America. This genre is accepted as integral part of American literature. This kind of literature mostly focuses on the life and history of the blacks and female dominance in the united state

Alice Walker’s The Color Purple looks over the lives of African-American women Taking place mostly in the deep rural Georgia, the novel portrays the conditions and issues of the women at that time, especially their exceptionally low status in the social culture. Walker tells us the story of two sisters, Celie and Nettie, through a series of letters and diary entries .Celie the protagonist and an uneducated poor woman has been raped by the person whom she calls her father and later is married to an abusive widower and becomes the caretaker of his unruly children. Contrary to Celie , Nettie escapes the evil motives of his so called father and Celie’s husband and becomes an educated and travelled missionary. Sisterhood is defined as a “congenial relationship or the companionship among women; mutual female concern, esteem, or support.” At  the end of the novel, it is  sisterhood that surrounds Celie, and  the hope Nettie supplies through her letters that allows Celie to escape her dominant husband and embrace her own identity.

Celie and Nettie have  been separated from each other after Celie is married to Mr. -.when the two were children they were supporting each other in every aspect of life. Nettie used to help her sister for studies even though Celie was really slow. Celie on the other hand supported her sister by defending her from their so called father, who was looking at Nettie strangely after the death of their mother and wanted to rape her like he raped Celie.

Working in the farm is really hard and difficult and even the man of the house agrees to this. After a  quarrel between Celie and Sofia(Harpo’s wife), the two woman get  close to each other and help each other in the difficult and trying work of the farm. Celie by knitting helps Sofia in her house  and by providing  her curtain for the house.  In the letter thirty-six, when Harpo begins to "slow drag" with  Sofia, he asks his girlfriend Squeak, "Can’t a man dance with his own wife?"  As a result, Squeak is jealous but then pays for it by having her two side teeth knocked out , even though these differences between the two ladies  Squeak  got herself rapped so that Sofia could be out of the prison. This is another example which shows sisterhood between women even though in the past they might have had fought against each other.

Sisterhood is not only about retaliating against males. As some people think this novel is all about retaliation, which is not true. Good example is Celie as she "drop a little spit in Old Mr. _______ water." Instead, sisterhood is all about  removing  away the "razors" and empowering  and supporting other women. Such cases are Shug Avery, as she liberates Mary Agnes by offering to "bring her before the crowd" . Even Celie has been emancipated from her  morose  life she leads  in the company of Mr. ______.  Shug's major support  to Celie was when she liberated  her from her depressed  married life by taking her  with Grady  to their house. There she supported Celie to become an individual woman. She asked her, "how much money you need this week," before aiding her  to set her "on her way" and give her economic independence. This shows the bond between women even though they have not  known each other for  long . Mr. _______ too, towards the end of the novel confesses to Celie, "I never understood how you and Shug got along so well together." These words show the difficulty towards men to understand the relationship between two women .

 In Africa we still find Sisterhood. This is seen little between Corrine and Nettie. Corrine asks Nettie to call her “sister”. This shows that how Corrine keeps distance she not only continually accuses Nettie and Samuel of an affair but at the same time wants to be in a relation with Nettie. The Chief in Africa marries many wives. They work "like donkeys" but at the end of the day are "honoured" to be the Chief's wife. They support one another in everyday affair and live peacefully and happily with one another understanding one another. Thus strengthening their bond with one another and showing deep sisterhood.

 Thus the novel tries to tell us that we are connected, as women. It's like a spider web. Even if one part of that web vibrates, if there is trouble, we all know it, but most of the time we're just too scared, or selfish, or insecure to help. But if we don't help each other, who will?” thus being women we all should stand for one another and break all chains that holds our spirit we all should be one this is what is called sisterhood

Reference:

Novel: the color purple by Alice Walker

 www.studymode.com