SISTERHOOD, SPIRITUALITY, AND THE CULTURAL IDENTITY OF FEMALE CHARACTERS IN ALICE WALKER’S THE COLOR OF PURPLE
Keywords:
sisterhood, spirituality, women’s alliance, womanism, pantheismAbstract
Alice Walker (1944) is a prominent African-American writer, who received the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1983 for her novel The Color Purple. The novel portrays the life of African-American women, addressing sexism, racism, and poverty, which make life a struggle, but it also depicts aspects of life in which family, sisterhood, and women’s spirituality play a key role in this struggle. Sisterhood in this novel appears as spiritual and maternal support, or assistance among women. It is a strong bond in which women find support for all their hardships and burdens. It is an alliance of women in which, through mutual help, they become aware of their values and gain the strength and means to resist male dominance. The theme of sisterhood in the novel is also important, which results in the 107 awakening of the self of the protagonist. It is observed that the characters in the novel develop the theme of sisterhood, which is more important and powerful compared to the bond that the female characters develop with the male characters in the novel. Sisterhood is observed in the association between Celie and Nettie, Celie and Sofia, and Celie and Shug. Through the association with Shug, fundamental changes take place in the self of the protagonist that results in the awakening of the self of the protagonist. Through the association with Shug, the protagonist comes out of the domination of the patriarchal society and develops the need to love and be loved. Shug also helps her find her own sexuality and learn anew the true meaning of love, which she thought she had lost with her sister Nettie. Celie’s self-discovery is a result of the support, motivation, and love she received from Shug, Sofia, and Nettie. Shug teaches her about the pantheistic, transcendentalist view of God. Once she understands that God is in her, she is able to overcome her fears and guilt to become a woman who is not afraid to live life.
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