A Summary Of The Color Purple Essay

, Research Paper

The novel begins with the rape of a young black girl named Celie by her father, Fonso. Her mother gies of mental illness and Celie gives birth to 2 children. Fonso leads Celie to believe he had them killed. Then, one day in town she sees her daughter with another woman. It is at this time that her sister, Nettie gains a boyfriend named Mr.______. He seeks Nettie’s hand in marriage but is refused by Fonso. Instead, Fonso offers Celie. Mr.______ acceots and she lives with him and his children miserably. He beats her. It is during this time that Celie learns of Shug Avery, a former flame of Mr.______. Celie finds strength through her picture of Shug Avery to endure her struggles. Then, Nettie runs away from Fonso and lives with Celie and Mr.______ until Mr.______ forces her to leave. Nettie promises she’ll write but Celie never receives a letter. During this time, Shug becomes sick and moves in with Mr.______ and Celie. Celie nurses her back to health and they become very good friends. Then, Mr.______’s oldest son gets married to Sofia. Harpo tries to beat her to force her to be obedient but they end up separating. After this, Harpo opens a jukejoint and Shug sings there. Harpo finds

a girlfriend nicknamed Squeak. Sofia returns with a husband named Henry Broadnax. It is at this time that Sofia mouths off to the mayor’s wife and is thrown in jail. Squeak, Celie, and Shug hatch a scheme to get Sofia out of prison. Sofia ends up working for the mayor’s wife as her maid for many years. Her spirit is broken. Shug leaves to go make money and returns later with a new husband, Grady. While Mr.______ and Grady are away, Shug and Celie find letters from Nettie that Mr.______ had been hiding. Celie is enraged and wants to kill him. She finds more letters from Nettie. Nettie writes of the family that took her in and of her trip to Africa as a missionary. After this discovery, Celie goes to live with Shug Avery in Memphis, TN. Celie continues to receive letters from Nettie and responds. Then, she receives word that Nettie has died and she is devastated. Then, Celie starts her own pant-maiking business in her hometown in Georgia. She inherits her old house when her father, Fonso (who is found to only be her stepfather), dies. Shug breaks Celie’s heart when she runs off wth a 19-year-old. One day, Celie is sitting on the porch with Mr.______ and she sees her sister and children approach and she rejoices.