The Color Purple Commentary on the sexes

Larena Gonzales            

               The novel "The Color Purple" gives very obvious statements about the power divide of man and woman. For example, at the very beginning of the novel, Celie is overpowered by her "father", "You gonna do what your mammy wouldn't... When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it" (Walker 1). This part in the novel portrays the establishment of the man's dominance over the woman because of how her father overpowers her while inserting himself within her. This is also symbolic for a man to their farm animals. He is "leaving his mark" on Celie and therefore, Celie is his. Another example male dominance is when Celie gives advice to Harpo about Sofia. "Sofia think too much of herself anyway, he say. She need to be taken down a peg... Beat her. I say" (Walker 35-36). When Celie (a woman) said this, I was revealed with the impression that women during this time period knew that this was the norm and that all women should be beat by either their fathers or their husbands. However, there are women in this time/novel that don't obey that norm and are independent; an example of this woman is Shug Avery. "One reason is she say whatever come to mind, forgit about polite" (Walker 72). If any woman were to say whatever she wanted, she would have been beaten. However, Shug doesn't have to wory about such things. She is able to do whatever, whenever she wants and not have to worry about the consequences. Male dominance over women has been established within the sontent of the novel. The novel also reveals how some women are breaking the norm and becoming independent for themselves and their children.