Although both protagonists endure abusive marriages and reside in an environment that compels them to be repressed, they are able to seek out their individual voices and create strong bonds with characters that are more affectionate than their initial spouses. Both protagonists live in an environment where women were obligated to be submissive and abuse was a regular occurrence of marriage, as displayed by both Janie and Cellie's marriages. Through out the course of the novel, Janie has to endure two abusive marriages where her spouses neglect her feelings entirely and attempt to suppress her individuality.
