The Color Purple Character Analysis

The main character of this book is a lady named Celie. She doesn't really state that this is her name but during the few times she is referred to this is what they call her. She starts off at the age of 14 in the book, but the book progresses through many years at a time. Celie writes the whole book in letters to God. Celie was raped constantly by what was assume was her father. Whoever the man that raped her was father to two of her children. Celie was never considered to be the pretty one she was always the somewhat average girl but constantly was told she was uglier than Nettie. She never referred to any of the men in her life whether it is her husband or her father, she always referred to them as Mr. _______. Celie being the oldest sister has always been over-protective of her younger sister Nettie. She, in exchange for her beautiful sister is given to a man to be married. She then becomes step-mother to his children who are not very fond of her at first. Her new husband mistreated her just as much as her father did and treated her more like she was a slave than a person. Celie learns how to live with the man but never really experiences love for him in her life. Then one day the one true love that Mr. _____ ever had is brought into the picture. When Shug Avery is in town playing in a show she gets quite sick. Mr. _____ sees this and brings her back to the house to stay Shug is a real head turner and even miss Celie notices her. Celie falls head over heels in love with Shug and is very pleased to find out that Shug has fallen for her also. Although Shug can not love one person for too long, she always moves on. When Shug moves on to a man she met on the road Celie is heartbroken.

Celie's sister Nettie is the one true friend Celie has. She comes to the farm to stay for a while but is just as mistreated by Celie's husband as Celie is. Celie feels she must send her sister away for her benefit to avoid mistreatment from Mr. _____. Celie then looses all contact with her and Mr. _____ convinces her that she is dead. One day Shug finds all the letters that Nettie had sent Celie. They then spend time every day reading letters and sewing dresses. Shug convinces her to start making pants and they start to be quite a sensation everywhere.

When Celie's "father" dies she soon finds out that he was not really her father all along. She still inherits his house and all his belongings. She moves