Alice Walker’s The Color Purple – the Dissolution and Disillusionment of the Patriarchy and its Economy.
The Color Purple, herein referred to as TCP, authored by Alice Walker is written from the point of view of female protagonist, Celie, structured in letters to God, and then to her sister, Nettie. This discussion however focusses on the passage beginning “Dear Nettie, my heart broke…” on page 223 of the 2004 Phoenix (Onion Books Ltd.) edition and ending “… Pray for me, your sister, Celie.” on page 227. In this passage, the theme of the dissolution of the patriarchal economy is developed as we see the establishment of a female economy. We see protagonist Celie become empowered as the veil of the patriarchy which shrouded her has begun to lift. This occurs as Celie identifies what makes women, on the collective, unique. It is also in this passage that patriarchal power becomes disillusioned as female kinship is explored.
These themes are demonstrated and developed through point of view, word choice/language and the context of this passage. Nonetheless, it should also be noted that at this point in the novel, and made palpable in this passage, …show more content…
First of all, Celie is now writing to Nettie, not God. God is the head of the patriarchal hierarchy and Celie, with the help of Shug, has now become disillusioned by Him. By writing to Nettie instead, Celie is forming a sisterly bond, one which was never allowed by Mr ----, as he kept Nettie’s letters from Celie. This was because, as stated earlier, female kinship is threatening to patriarchal power. Not only this, but it seems that Celie has identified unconditional love, as what makes women, on the collective, different from men. Celie is heartbroken as Shug is asking Celie to let her have just six months with Germaine, the nineteen year old boy whom she has fallen in love with. Celie
The Color Purple, herein referred to as TCP, authored by Alice Walker is written from the point of view of female protagonist, Celie, structured in letters to God, and then to her sister, Nettie. This discussion however focusses on the passage beginning “Dear Nettie, my heart broke…” on page 223 of the 2004 Phoenix (Onion Books Ltd.) edition and ending “… Pray for me, your sister, Celie.” on page 227. In this passage, the theme of the dissolution of the patriarchal economy is developed as we see the establishment of a female economy. We see protagonist Celie become empowered as the veil of the patriarchy which shrouded her has begun to lift. This occurs as Celie identifies what makes women, on the collective, unique. It is also in this passage that patriarchal power becomes disillusioned as female kinship is explored.
These themes are demonstrated and developed through point of view, word choice/language and the context of this passage. Nonetheless, it should also be noted that at this point in the novel, and made palpable in this passage, …show more content…
First of all, Celie is now writing to Nettie, not God. God is the head of the patriarchal hierarchy and Celie, with the help of Shug, has now become disillusioned by Him. By writing to Nettie instead, Celie is forming a sisterly bond, one which was never allowed by Mr ----, as he kept Nettie’s letters from Celie. This was because, as stated earlier, female kinship is threatening to patriarchal power. Not only this, but it seems that Celie has identified unconditional love, as what makes women, on the collective, different from men. Celie is heartbroken as Shug is asking Celie to let her have just six months with Germaine, the nineteen year old boy whom she has fallen in love with. Celie