Reflection of America and American Values in "The Color Purple"
The American culture comprises various ethnic communities which participated in
various activities, such as World War II and the Civil war, to make it the nation that it is today.
According to research, literature regarding the issue of the American culture embodies racial,
ethnic, and socioeconomic and gender factors that have for many years been employed in discriminating against people belonging to different nationalities (Turner 199). Most of the literature primarily focuses on issues such as slavery which served a major role in defining the boundaries between white people and those from other cultures. Moreover, research accentuates the hardships and torture people from different cultures underwent before recognition as equal humans under the Constitution. For instance, in the book, The Color Purple, the author narrates the story of a young African American girl who grew up in the Southern part of the United States during the reconstruction period. The narrator, Celie, describes the traumatic events she experienced as a child which range from sexual abuse to the achievement of success and wealth through adulthood (Turner 200). The essence of this paper entails reflecting the American culture and values based on the events and characters in the book, The Color Purple. The achievement of this reflection will occur through the emphasis on the themes employed throughout the book.
According to modern literature, Alice Walker has played an important role in portraying the values of America and the people living there. In the book, Alice embraces various issues, such as the discrimination and abuse of African Americans, particularly women, through sexual harassment. For instance, she states that "Just say you gonna do what your mammy wouldn't. You better shut up and get used to it," (Walker 1). Nonetheless, determination towards this issue undergoes a transformation into the universal advocacy for survival for all humans. In fact, her ambitions focus on the welfare of all people living in America, which would be achieved through amenities such as civil rights and movements aimed at uniting individuals. Most importantly, she brings out the theme of unity through the propagation of saving lives by changing and redemption (Turner 200). Regardless of the problems she encountered as a child, Alice, through the character Celie, focuses on love as the essential component to bring about change among the people and society as a whole.
Furthermore, the book indicates the transformatio...
