FREE ESSAY ON COLOR PURPLE

COLOR PURPLE

The book called The Color Purple shows many of the topics discussed in class, but for the
purpose of this paper I would like to discuss three aspects that are the most concerning
and disturbing. The concept of the body, reproduction, and violence shown through the
novel are the most prominent and key concerns seen in this literature selection that I
would like to analyze in this expository essay.
Beginning with the concept of the body, The Color Purple portrays a very graphic
portrayal from the first pages. "She ugly" (Walker, 9). This gives the feel that the men
have high standards of the women that are seen in this story of Black Southern Women.
This also can be seen when Celie (the main character) holds on to a picture of Shug Avery
(the woman she lets her husband have an affair with) because she is so beautiful. These
are ideals seen in our culture as a whole. Women holding onto pictures of women in
magazines and posters lead to the idea that the airbrushed picture is attainable and that
is what the women of the world need to look like. The forerunner of this is visualized
when this is what the men look at in their magazines. The view that men have of women is
one of this sexual being waiting to be had. Celie holding onto this picture is the same
as a woman today buying a magazine that appeals to her inferior parts. "I'm not as pretty
or as smart"(10) is played on throughout the book as well as in our culture. Women of the
world today need to be attractive to be someone, or so it seems. The same way Celie is a
barefoot and pregnant housewife living her fantasy of a singer that is attractive. The
epitome of the quotes that shows the sexuality associated with a women's body is "right
down there in your *censored* is a little button that gits real hot when you do you know
what with somebody" (81). This allows the feeling of vulgarity in someone's mind today,
because talk of this sort is discounted. Through this following quote it continues with
other vulgarities that society does not accept "I kiss her back…Then us touch each
other" (118). Mainly, because female sexuality as a whole is discounted and seen as a
negative portrayal of our home lives. And your home life makes you what you are in a
public eye. So lesbian acts are deemed unmentionable as well. This is what the body is
portrayed like in our society for a women, you can look, just don't touch it.
Reproduction is the second factor that is a touchy concept in today's world as well as in
the novel. "…But the thought of anybody gitting pregnant make me want to cry" (261)
is a choice that shows how women in the novel perceive their lives as mothers. That's all
they have going for them. The women stay home and care for children while the men
provide. This is republican motherhood all over again. This just is not acceptable in the
modern world, but it happens through fear and trough violence (discussed in the latter
part of this paper). "What is it like? He git up on you, heist your nightgown round your
waist, plunge in. Most times I pretend I ain't there. He never know the difference"
(Walker). This also allows for a chance to see again how women are used not just for
their bodies, but the assumption is made that he is always on her to help promote his
genes in the race, since he has two children and she has another. Just do your business
and leave that happens to be a big stereotype of men in our culture today. Men date women
to get what they want and then leave. Bang and Bail as my male friends like to classify
it. It is a main stream idea to have men be sexually promiscuous and women be sexually
passive. Give the man what he wants and do not bother him the rest of the time. These are
all cliches that have probably been shared as jokes, but have now become part of our
major understanding of the world as we know it. The Color Purple as well as these main
stream ideas leave no morals for the families any longer. Besides a woman is pregnant
with a man's child, but he wants someone else because his genes are being passed on, why
stay with a soiled woman. Again reproduction is tied to sexuality that leads to the body,
but it can also lead to violence as often seen in the novel. 
The violence aspect is done in a variety of ways, all in which I would like to address.
The first is in rape itself. The book opens with this image, which just eludes you to the
rest of the book when it states plainly " …he grab hold of my titties. Then he push
his thing inside my *censored*. When that hurt I cry…You better shut up and git
used to it" (1-2). Compelling and appalling is the first act of this play. This is a
scene where there is violence against women. This is probably why she lies there and
takes sex; it is what a man can have when he wants it. Why get choked or beat for
resisting, just give in and survive. This goes along with the modern world where women
are raped by someone they know. Celie being raped is by her stepfather in the opening as
are many girls growing up in a broken home. Another form of violence is blatant hitting.
The men tend to hit the women. It is sad when a woman is afraid of her own children. The
novel gives hints at this with "…oldest boy. He twelve…He pick up a rock and
laid my head open. The blood…" (13). Violence by men against women is also seen
when a woman can not defend herself against her abuser "I don't know how to fight" (18).
This is seen time and time again, because women play with dolls while guys go out and
fight, play football, and wrestle. The social norms are skewed in favor towards men when
it comes to violence because we are told it is okay for boys to hit, and women turn the
other cheek. The reason for beating in this is because Celie is the wife. The wife is the
one to get beat, and can not leave. Why? Because more danger is asserted and then more
beatings follow. Just take the beatings and role with the punches is what the feel comes
out of pop culture, because you do something about the beatings, and the women is
imprisoned. The last form of violence is the emotional kind. Through all the prior
mentioned information you can see how some is emotionally torn up and is so due to her
husband/male figures in her life. It makes a woman feel in general that all men are scum
as noticeable with the quote "And act just like all other mens I know. Trifling,
forgitful and lowdown" (199). This can be through a series of physical abuses, from
multiple men, giving a negative take on life. As a society nowadays this also has
validity. Men are jerks, arrogant, sex fiends. These are ideals that come about when the
same abuses come from multiple men portraying the same qualities. 
In conclusion the paper that is presented compares the trials and tribualtions of one
woman to a whole male dominated society. She is raped, beaten, abused, neglected
etc… just to be told to shut up and take it. This is what happens in our culture as
well. Alice Walker's portrayal of a women is not far from the reality of the modern
world. The Color Purple has an awesome plot that follows a women's delimas and choices
through a life that is doomed from her youth, to have a portrayal of survival by going
with the flow.