A Womanist Reading of The Color Purple

张诗雨

【Abstract】This thesis ， based on the theories of womanism， and from the harmony of the two sexes， gives a deep and thoroughly discussion about black womens constant pursuit of self-identity and emancipation in the patriarchal society， and further points out the ultimate goal of womanism-survival whole.

【Key words】 Womanism； The Color Purple； Harmonny

1. Harmonious Love between Black Women

Black womens mutual understanding plays an important role in fighting against the double oppression. Celie and Nettie are connected with each other by letters， Celie and Sofia are connected by quilts， and Celie and Shug by resisting the oppression together.In the novel， Celie and Netties sisterhood makes up the main content. Nettie offers Celie a special weapon-a pen， using which Celie could releases the mourning inn her heart. In the family， Celie doesnt forget to protect her younger sister Netttie. She does everything she could to keep Nettie safe from their step-fathers harm. Nettie， in return， not only teaches her sister to read， but also encourages her to revolt against violence and injustice. Later， after Nettie is driven away， Celies only spiritual sustenance becomes missing and writing letters to her sister. The love between Celie and Sophia also is important to the harmonious love between black women in the novel. Sophia sets a fine example for Celie to fight back oppressions. She says： “All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my brother. I had to fight my cousins and my uncles. A girl child aint safe in a family.”（Walker 40） It is Sophia who makes Celie aware what relationship between couples should be like. By making quilts with Sophia， Celie gets the chance to communicate with Sophia， developing a friendship between them， learning the rebellious spirit from her.Love between Celie and Shug also contributes to the process of black womens harmony. Shug helps Celie find self-confidence and self-identidy. Facing Celies tender affection， Shug also has her response， she writes a song a names it after Celie， which gives Celie the first shine of warmth and personal dignity. Soon， they are in love with each other. When Shug knows that Mr._ often beats Celie， she protects her. She teaches Celie to understand her own body. She even breaks Celies blind worship towards God and Patriarchy.

2. Harmonious Love between White People and Black People

Alice Walker deems that the blacks and the whites should also be in mutual understanding and get along with each other harmoniously. After living in the house of the mayors for ten years， Sophia gets respect from the mayors daughter， Eleanor Jane. They get rid of racial prejudice and become friends. In the end of the novel， the fact that the mayors wife gives Sophia freedom indicates that the contradiction and confrontation between the whits and the blacks can be solved.Nettie and Samuel meet with a white woman on their ship to England. She is a white female missionary. And when she says that the black boy is her grandson， all the people in the ship are surprised. Then she relates the whole story of her adoption of the boy in Africa. She herself gets along with Africans for twenty years.All these described above show Walkers hope that the whits and the blacks could live together with harmony. Walker puts her hope in the flower of womanism， and it includes different races. In the end， all pains， misunderstandings and conflicts will disappear. Celies last letter begins with： “Dear God. Dear stars， dear trees， dear sky，dear peoples. Dear everything. Dear God.”（Walker 291）

CONCLUSION

After all the pains and conflicts， she sets up a harmonious kingdom and guides all the people to pursue it. The perfect ending of the story not only brings courage， confidence and strength， but also offers a way for black women to achieve world-wide freedom， equality and independence.

Reference：

[1]Bloom，Harold.Modern Critical Views：Alice Walker.New York：Chelsea House Publishers，1989.

[2]Maroula，Joannou.Contemporary Womens Writing：From the Golden Notebook to the Color Purple.Manchester：Manchester University Press，2000.

[3]Walker，Alice.The Color Purple.New York：Random House Press，Inc，1992.

[4]Williams，Chris.A Close Reading Into The Color Purple.New York：Penguin，2007.

[5]Sundqvist，Sofial.The Emancipation of Celie：The Color Purple as a womanist Bildungsroman.New York：Crown Publishers，1996.