The Color Purple

1) How does Celie use language to distinguish between different kinds of sexual experiences?

In this letter Celie is able to distinguish between pleasurable love with intimacy and affection, which she experiences with Shug. This is her first experience of sexual pleasure. However, before now Celie has only ever experienced love making without intimacy and any pleasure as it has basically always been rape as she has never wanted it. After experiencing this pleasure of love making with someone she loves, Celie is able to describe her past experiences of her rape.

There is a direct contrast between the language used on page 103 when her and Shug are enjoying the pleasures of sex, this is shown when she says: “Us kiss and kiss till us cant hardly kiss no more” this shows how much she is enjoying the experience as she is actually getting involved whereas before she has just let herself be abused throughout sex. At the beginning of page 102, Shug mentions the word “fuck” which Celie adopts by the end of letter 47. At first she describes the rape from her father, she has never admitted this experience and as she describes it the reader realises how hurt and scared she. Celie says “”he grab hold of me and cram me up tween his legs” this is quite violent imagery and the words she uses such as “grab” and “cram” and very sharp and aggressive which shock the reader. Celie then goes on to describe her love making with Mr ___, which is when she adopts the word “fuck”, this is significant to Celie as she now has a way of portraying no emotion through the sex with Albert and her father. These experiences are a complete contrast between her experience with Shug, as with Shug she actually enjoys herself.

2) What is the significance of Celie’s description of her rape at the beginning of this letter?

The significance of Celie describing her rape in letter 47 is that she has never spoke about it to anyone before. Celie feels comfortable talking about her rape because of Shug’s role in her life, she is the only real friend she has ever had but has evolved into a lover/councillor/educator, without her it seems impossible for Celie to admit her past and recover from it. Shug helps Celie on this journey of realisation. Shug asks one question: “How was it with your children daddy?” and Celie feels comfortable to express her emotions and release them which is almost cathartic as she is cleansing herself from the experience by talking about it. Celie gives a long detailed account including her emotions, which before now she has never really admitted to but feels confident to confide in Shug. Celie explains everything that happened and how she felt which is significant, as now she has released it she is able to move on. Shug’s response to this description is very significant because Celie has someone sympathising with her and understands her, which she has never had before. Structurally the placement of this description is very significant also because the rape at the beginning has been clarified now and the graphic beginning of the book is now over and Celie is at a turning point of her life and development. Her innocence has been lost but in a positive way because her turning point has brought a nee love with Shug.

3) What effect does Celie’s reference to her “little lost babies” have?

This quote could be viewed in three different perspectives, the first being how Celie sees Shug as almost a motherly figure in her life because of the guidance she has given her through understanding and listening to her when she needed her to, this also helped Celie develop and understand her emotions of her past experiences. This also shows how Shug has brought empowerment to her life as she can now dominate her experiences. This gives a positive effect to the reader because they can sympathise with her and are proud of her ability to overcome the horrific experiences which many people wouldn’t be able to do.

A second perspective to this quote could be how Celie is portraying herself to be innocent, such like a “little baby”, which is ironic to the reader because she isn’t at all because of everything that has happened to her. However now she feels innocent because she has admitted to her rape etc and can move on with her life and the innocence comes with that, it is like regaining her virginity. Although Celie has been through a lot she has the ability to overcome these experiences and almost start a new life which is what the reader admires and envies about her.

Lastly, the final perspective that this quote entails is the part of it about being lost. Celie is lost because of her emotions, she has felt hatred and despair but now love for Shug which disorientates her and makes her feel lost. She has released all of her emotions and let them go which is a major turning point in her life and she is overwhelmed by it, she has never had freedom before as she has always been controlled and downtrodden but now she sees the potential for so much more. This makes the reader want her to embrace her new life because she deserves it and wishes no one to hold her back as she always has been before now.