Background
Among the most noteworthy books on oppression is The Color Purple by Alice Walker. The novel follows Celie as she grows and develops as an individual while observing the experiences of other female characters, such as Squeak and Sofia. The characters of Celie, Sofia, and Squeak have distinct approaches to dealing with oppression, but eventually all become self-determining women.
Squeak
Between Squeak, Sofia, and Celie, the former has the weakest personality. Squeak is portrayed as somewhat childish and unconfident, and does whatever Harpo says (Walker, 2011). As the story progresses, she begins drawing inspiration from others.
For example, Squeak follows Celie’s advice and has Harpo call her by her real name. Moreover, Squeak is motivated by Shug to start singing and is even empowered by Sofia’s character (Walker, 2011). However, Squeak is sidetracked with Grady for some time as the two start a marijuana farm. Nonetheless, Squeak does not want to be constantly stoned and leaves him (Walker, 2011). Accordingly, Squeak changes from being insecure into a self-assured woman.
Sofia
Sofia has the strongest personality from the moment she is introduced in the story. For instance, she easily defeats Harpo by refusing to let him beat her or command her (Walker, 2011). Nevertheless, Sofia becomes weak once she is in jail. While being used to fighting all her life, Sofia is submissive in prison and begins looking sickly (Walker, 2011).
Sofia is also shown to be oppressed by other characters in the novel. First, Miss Millie tries to diminish Sofia to prevent them from becoming equals. Second, Sofia is constantly bothered by Eleanor Jane’s attempt to manipulate her (Walker, 2011). Sofia eventually asserts herself to Eleanor Jane by standing up for herself (Walker, 2011). Overall, while facing many troubles, Sofia manages to remain strong.
Celie
Of the three women, Celie undergoes the most heroic transformation. She changes from a young, traumatized girl who cannot fight for herself into a confident individual (Walker, 2011). Her drawing motivation from others can explain Celie’s shift. For example, her obsession with Shug appears to be empowering, and she learns much from her distinctions with Sofia (Walker, 2011). As a result, Celie becomes an inspiration to other women as she confronts societal norms, for instance, by leaving her husband (Walker, 2011). Consequently, Celie’s character undergoes a substantial transformation toward independence.
References
Walker, A. (2011). The color purple. Open Road Integrated Media.