COLOR PURPLE FEMALE SOLIDARITY

Color Purple Female Solidarity

Abstract

Alice Walker's The Colour Purple is undeniably a tasteful art of woman literature. Going against the conventional stereotypical representations of genders, Walker creates a powerful female voice in her novel to educate her readers about the multiple oppressions faced by the female African Americans and how the power of narrative and voice can be used to overturn this phenomenon. This essay will discuss how the idea of 'female voice' is weaved into the form and content of the novel.

Color Purple Female Solidarity

Thesis statement

A major symbol that reoccurs throughout the novel 'The Color Purple' is the practice of sewing, a symbol of sisterhood

and initially for Celie…

Introduction

A major symbol that reoccurs throughout the novel 'The Color Purple' is the practice of sewing. This activity is one that several of the characters participate in, and for Celie it represents a way of channelling her energy and anger. It also allows her to bond with other females, creating strong relationships and giving her a sense of freedom and independence from the male dominance that has clouded a large section of her life. The quilt, an ongoing pursuit for Celie, is one of two main examples of sewing in the text, the other being the eventually profitable vocation of making pants. It is this supposedly marginal and unimportant labour of women that is representative of Celie's spiritual and emotional development - as she grows as a person so does the quilt, and what she creates become more substantial in size (Darnton, 1987). This parallel between the act of sewing and Celie's personal growth can additionally be compared to the epistolary form of the novel and how this too relates back to sewing in the text, the letters become more extensive as Celie develops as a person, similar to the size of the quilt. The overall significance of this practice upon the 'The Color Purple' is that it acts as an outlet for Celie's frustration; it allows her control and power over something whereas, before she has always been the subordinate, it encourages her independence and opens up channels to her to form solid relationships with others.

Theme of the novel

The significance of the quilt in the novel 'The Color Purple' is that it is a symbol of sisterhood, with the most profound element of this activity being the promise of creating unity amongst inconsistent elements by establishing connections and bonds in the midst of despair and destruction. This element of quilting in the text is also of further importance as it credits its historical value. During the earlier part of the 20th century (1900's to the 1940's) where 'The Color Purple's' timeframe is centred, the practice of quilting was becoming invigorated with new life in America due the Arts and Craft movement that was born in Europe and soon began to influence America as well. This movement was in contrast to the Victorian era with its overly busy and ornate décor and encouraged a return to ...