A Struggling Hero

I first read The Color Purple my junior year in high school. Before I read the book, I read literary criticism over Alice Walker's work in the PLCs. Five themes emerged from my research--Sexism, Transformation, Surviving, Faith, and Personal Identity. From my reading, I feel that Celie can be considered a heroine through her struggles. Living a life filled with abuse and struggle and without much affirmation from others, Celie's strength and survival is admirable.

Unlike previous heroes we've read about this semester (Gawain, Pecola, Woman Warrior), Celie's struggle is unique. The abuse she faced from her father and Mr._____ is heartwrentching, and Celie's remarkable story of survival and overcoming oppression gives readers a feeling of inspiration at the end of the book. I feel that the homosexual love between Celie and Shug plays a crucial role in helping Celie transform from her passive state to independence. Her writing has evolved over the course of the novel. Celie writes, "Here us is, I thought, two old fools love over from love, keeping each other company under the stars" (Walker 271). Celie has become more confident about herself.

Additionally, Celie is a unique hero because she has overcome tremendous obstacles. At the beginning of the novel, Celie can only turn to God or It for help. However, upon the realization that God is not helping or giving her any strength, Celie turns to writing to her sister, Nettie. I feel that this change is vital in proving Celie's strength. Her last letter to God is on Pg. 177, and she ends that letter abruptly, "You must be sleep" (Walker 177). Suddenly, after this, Celie begins to write to Nettie. This change reflects a change in thought process and a determination for survival. For most people, God is their rock and their foundation. God is the last please for help. However, Celie is not dependent on one idea but instead, looks in multiple places for survival and strength. Though her writing skills are not the best, writing helps Celie keep her sanity and give her a reason for living. By changing who she addresses the letter to, Celie is signifying a change in faith and a change in the strength. Regardless, this strength never fails her.

I feel that Celie is a hero that we can all learn from. Celie never gives up hope and never accepts her struggles. She keeps her head high and ultimately gets the courage to be independent and not accept the abuse she receives from others. Celie's determination and willpower is something we can all learn from. "I know you on your way home and you may not git here till I'm ninety, but one of these days I do expect to see your face" (Walker 280). This steadfast belief in herself and hope for the future is what makes Celie a hero for everyone. Whenever we feel like our life is tough and we have nobody to turn to, we can remember Celie's struggle and learn that we can overcome anything that life throws at us.