A theological work? How grim

Walker juxtaposes the contradiction of the theological explanation of the text in the preface with the religious references within The color Purple itself. Walker establishes The color Purple as a "theological work" (preface) and refers to her utilization of "the transformation of God from patriarchal male supremacists into trees, stars, wind" (preface). Thus she sets up the reader to expect a separation between God and the construct of the male-dominated culture. within the novel, however, god is associated expressly with patriarchal figures. This is illustrated by the instance when Celie's mother inquires about the origin of her illegitimate child, "She ast me bout the first one Whose it is? I say God's." (Walker 2). Thus Walker sets a tone of connection of God with the patriarchal figure from the start of the novel. In addition, each chapter is headed with "dear God," in the beginning of the novel which further reinforces the idea that Celie does not escape from patriarchy and oppression in God, as Walker has eluded to in the preface. In fact, it is after she diverts from her theological diary of sorts and begins writing to her sister, Nettie, that we see the shift in Celie's character to one who is empowered and liberated from the cage of her world of oppression.

 At this point we must considered this discrepancy between the authors intent and the evidence within the novel. To start, the phrase Walker employs when describing her theological work, The color Purple, is "the pagan transformation of God" (preface). Herein she alludes to the fact that she masks her theological themes within motifs of nature, such as the continual allusion to the strength of wood in describing Celie in her oppressed environment. The novel serves as sort of anti-theological text in reality. Celie comes to be empowered and find solace in a word where she is free to live in harmony with the left over symbolic figures of her oppression, specifically Mr.__,  and the dominance of her own empowerment and that of other strong female characters. Therefore it is evident that Celie has made a transformation to become the master of her own life as reflected by the world around her falling into place, just so. The problem that remains though, despite this victory and reversal of fortune for Women, is that of the theological theme in The color Purple. For it is not some sort of communion with nature that gives Celie the strength to overturn the patriarchal construct in her own life, but rather, her connections and relationships with other strong female characters. Thus in the preface Walker would have been truer to her novel to speak of a transformation of God from a male figure to a female one. But she does not do so. This leaves the reader to beg the question "Why?". In what way has Walker fulfilled her promise in the preface and if not, are we to believe that she has so little a grasp upon the implications of her statement or of the course of the The color Purple.