Vices & Virtues

Many claim the color purple to be an incredibly sad book. Sometimes I even have to put it down mid-page because I am so disgusted by the peoples’ treatment of Celie. Yet, while still talking about rape, racism, poverty and sexism, there is an optimistic feel to it. While reading A Streetcar Named Desire or Book of Negroes I would think “I hate our society” and then put down the book. With the Color Purple, I would feel that way on occasion, but then something would happen that would make me feel as the human race isn’t completely doomed for misery.

This is by far the most vulgar book I have ever read, so why am I not miserable reading it?

Nearing the last few pages of the novel, I have stumbled upon my answer.

First, I am going to go through the virtues and vices of the main characters, and then illustrate why this has anything to do with anything…

CELIE

Virtues: Understanding, kind, compassionate, clear-sighted.

Vices: Little drive, lack of love, little hope for future, low self-esteem.

MR. ________

Virtues: Hardworker, on occasion loving and soft-hearted, determined

Vices: Cruel to Celie, “weak” (stated by Shug on pg. 104), narrow-minded.

SHUG

Virtues: Charismatic, loveable, confident.

Vices: Somewhat insensitive, rash, harsh.

 

I’ve noticed that all of the characters have been developing. Near the end of the novel, Mr. ______ and Celie are now able to communicate due to Celie’s increased drive and confidence and Mr. ______’s thoughtfulness and awareness. Shug’s character has also been developed beautifully throughout the novel; her connection to Celie has taught her to care for others sensitivities and emotions more intently.

Even Adam has become more open-minded towards Tashi’s tribal scarring, and out of love, he scarred himself. At first these tribal rituals horrified him, which was what stood in the way of the progression of Adam and Tashi’s relationship.

I think Alice Walker was trying to show how human relationships and others’ impression can benefit us. I find that I learn the most about myself from other people; they bring out values or dimensions of my character I perhaps would never know existed without them.

One of my favourite parts of the novel is when Celie and Shug are speaking about God. Celie (a deeply religious person) had always thought of God as an old white man, and was feeling incredibly disappointed because she’s rarely treated well by white people or by men.

  “I believe God is everything” (p. 167) said Shug. “Everything that is or ever was or ever will be. And when you can feel that, and be happy to feel that, you’ve found It.” (p. 167) 

This brings out a realization in Celie,

“Well, us talk and talk bout God, but I’m still adrift. Trying to chase that old white man out of my head. I been so bust think bout him that I never truly notice nothing God make. Not a blade of corn (how it do that?) not the color purple (where it come from?). Not the little wildflowers. Nothing.

Now that my eyes opening, I feel like a fool. Next to any little shrub of bush in my yard, Mr. _______’s evil sort of shrink.” (p. 168)

In one conversation, Shug was able to reveal to Celie a whole new view on God, as well as a positive outlook on life. I believe this optimistic, conscious state has been rooted in Celie’s existence, she just needed Shug to pull it out of her.

This contrasts the belief of Lord Henry, a character in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray that I have recently started reading (it's really good),

“To influence a person is to give him one’s own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts, or burn with his natural passions. His virtues are not real to him. His sins, if there are such things as sins, are borrowed. He becomes an echo of someone else’s music, an actor of a part that has not been written for him. (p. 58)

 So was Shug’s influence on Celie muffling Celie’s soul or was her influence giving it room to breath? What about the influence the missionary had on the Olinka people? These novels have pushed the question: by influencing people, are we taking away from their true identity or are we helping them find it?