The Colour Purple (film)

The changes that Celie and Shug go through…

Albert’s old flame, the jazz Singer Shug Avery, for whom Albert has carried a torch for many years, comes to live with him and Celie. Delirious with sickness, Shug initially insult Celie by saying “you sure is ugly” on their first meeting, but they eventually become close friends and Shug helps Celie begin to see her worth as human being. They also entertain a lesbian affair is only hinted in the film.
Nettie meanwhile, has been living with missionaries in Africa and writing to Celie often. Without telling Celie, Albert confiscates Nettie’s letter and telling Celie that she will never hear from her sister again. During a visit from Shug and her new husband, Celie and Shug discover many years worth of Nettie’s correspondence. Reconnecting with her sister and the assurance that she is still alive helps give Celie the strength to stand up to Albert, threatening his life and then leaving him permanently. For example, in the scene at the table when they have their meals and Celie said that she want to go with Shug to build her new life.
Shug also got courage from Celie to continue her life. After she becomes friend with Celie, she realises about her life and wants to improve it. For instance, at the scene when Albert brought Shug at his house. At that time, she is in bad condition like drunk. Then, after she met with Celie she become more cheerful and learns something from kindness that showed by Celie.



The roles of women as portrayed in the film…

. The film tells the story of a young African American girl named Celie and shows the problems faced by African American women during the early 1900s, including poverty, racism and sex discrimination. The character Celie is transformed as she finds her self-worth through the help of two strong female companions her.
Women portrayed as someone whose abuse and slaves of sex. Celie suffers sexual abuse from her stepfather. Celie begins being abuse and raped by her stepfather when she is young. By the time she is fourteen, she has already had two children (Olivia and Adam) by stepfather, who takes them away from her at childbirth and forces Celie to marry local widower whom she calls “Mister”, but his name is Albert Johnson. Then, Albert, who did his eyes on Celie’s younger and more attractive sister, Nettie is showed in the scene where Nettie is on her way to go to her school. Suddenly, Albert follow her by rides his horse then he tried to raped Nettie but unfortunately Nettie get survive from him.
Besides that, women portrayed as someone that should follow the man order like doing housework instead of socialize with other people. Celie is physically abused by her husband. For instance, Albert treats Celie like a slave, making her clean up his disorderly household and take care of his unruly children. Albert treats and rapes her often, intimidating Celie into near silence and submission. Albert also didn’t allowed Celie to contact with her sister, Nettie even through the letter.
Other than that, woman portrayed as being discriminates. For example, Celie has been discriminate by her stepfather. Her stepfather gives more attention to her sister Nettie rather than her by send Nettie to school while she is stay at home doing the housework and what so ever. Another example is discrimination towards Sofia. She was arrested by police because she being rude to the white people. After she released from the prison, she also still need to be servant to the white people to redeem her mistake toward white people.