Celie

1) The setting of this book takes place in rural Georgia in the first half of the 20th Century. This novel highlights the struggle of several black women during a time when equal rights weren’t shared and the African-American race was typically discriminated. This is proven in the novel as Celie, the main character is “constantly subjected to abuse and discrimination for being ugly.” (spark notes) She does little to change this and in the beginning of the novel, she struggles fight back Alfonso, who frequently abuses her. This is a common theme in the first half of the twentieth Century.

2) The main character and narrator of this book is a 14-year-old girl named Celie. “Celie is a poor uneducated black woman who has a sad personal history.” …show more content…
Celie latches onto Shug, who is described as a lovely independent woman. Shug is considered as a role model to Celie. When Shug Avery moves into Celie and Mr.’s household, Celie has the chance to befriend Shug Avery and to finally learn to fight back. As the novel progresses, Shug Avery’s relationship with Celie develops, Shug fills the role of “mother, lover, sister, teacher, and friend too Celie”. This relationship supports Celie’s development which allows her to recover her own sexuality, beliefs and voice, all of which was in inexistent during her time with Mr. …show more content…
These letters outline the struggles of women as they “face constant oppression from men as well as the struggles of African American women in the first half of the 20th Century” ( www.gradesaver.com). This is very significant in the novel as it outlines the plot of the novel, as well as contributes to Celie’s development as she recovers her voice. This also contributes to the idea of oppression against black women and how equal rights was inexistent at the time and place of the