Theme and Author's Purpose

            After finishing The Color Purple by Alice Walker, I can confidently say that there were multiple themes within this book. One major theme is that people can be strong and stand up for what they believe in no matter what gender they are. This is mostly illustrated through the change that takes place in Celie over the course of this book. At the beginning, Celie is meek and goes along with what anyone tells her because growing up she was beaten if she didn’t. “I don’t fight. I stay where I’m told. But I’m alive,” (22). That is Celie’s attitude in life, that men will kill a woman who doesn’t obey. Then Shug comes along, and Celie sees a woman doesn’t necessarily have to obey a man. That knowledge, along with support from Shug, gave Celie the confidence to stand up for herself and change her life.