The Glass Castle: Symbols, Quotes Explained, Characters, Themes, Author Information

OLD AP QUESTION:

In some works of literature, childhood and adolescence are portrayed as times graced by innocence and a sense of wonder; in other works, they are depicted as times of tribulation and terror. Focusing on a single novel or play, explain how its representation of childhood or adolescence shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.

Historical background:
Was written in 2005. She got her inspiration from her childhood, this story was fiction.

Symbols:

Fire:

Jeanette's first encounter with fire was when she was burned whilecooking hot dogs at the age of three. Though she suffers extreme injuries, firebecomes a fixation for Jeannette, who cannot keep herself from playing with itand watching it. It is the inability to let go of this obsession with fire thathelps and hurts Jeanette. All of her problems begin with fire, butare solved with fire as well. It is as though fire is barrier, it lets Jeanettegain things, but takes away things. At the ed of the novel you realize theimportance of fire throughout the entire novel. 

Mountain Goat:

Mountain Goat is what Jeanette's father nicknamed her,due to her endurance in the face of trouble. No matter how hard the struggleis, Jeanette always overcomes it exceptional. Jeanette is the favorite child ofRex and because of it, the reader is able to distinguished a closeknit relationship with her father for Jeanette. No other child was able to havesuch a trust and love for each other like they did. Due to Jeanette' strongcharacter, she is the sibling willing to fight for her other siblingslivelihood. Although it breaks the heart of the parentsto watch their children leave, they know it must be doneand under the wing of Jeanette they expect great things. The nicknamemountain does not only help describe Jeanette as what she is on the outside,but personality wise as well. She is rough and stubborn like a mountaingoat which is why she is able to achieve so much and fightfor what she believes to be true.

Characters:

Jeanette Walls She is the narrator and maincharacter of the story. She is the one who explains the dailytroubles and happening of her life. Although her parents arequite neglectful, they have always given Jeanettethe love she deserves andso Jeanette feels obligation to mouth them as wonderfulparents. Jeanette feels no guilt , rather she feels sympathy andguilt, because she left them out there with nothing, when she couldhave helped. Jeanette is the rebel child in the family, even Lori who is theoldest respects what Jeanette has to say or follow her wishes. 

Rex Walls He is Jeannette’s alcoholicfather who manipulates and uses his wife and his children for his own needs andyet never stops loving them and hoping they love him. he is the reason why theWall's family is unable to stay in one place. His inability to keep a jobforces bis family to flee alongside with him in search of another job. Whatis interesting is that even though he is the one to make the mostmistakes, the rest of the family all follow.

Rose Mary Walls She is the selfish mother ofthe family who brings her own needs first before anyone else and is aburden to have while traveling  She may love her family, but heraction exemplify otherwise. Rose May feels the best way to run a  householdis to be able to maned around everything the way she wantsor plans it to go out. She is the type of person that thins must bedone her way or no way at all. She has a firm character, but is neglectfuland even influences her children to steal. 

Lori Walls She is the oldest child ofthe family, but isn't the one who dominates. She is smart and loving,but without Jeannette, hasn't the courage to escape the life shehates. Lori is the one who should be willing to maketough decisions for the betterment of the family, however, Jeanetteis the one who is willing to stick up for what she believes in, so she is able to give a little bit of calm mentality to ensure no angersessions and concealment of emotions at all times. 

Brian Walls He is the boy of the Wallssiblings and learns very young how to protect his sisters. He grows up to be aprotector as well when he becomes a police officer. Even though Brian is one ofthe younger siblings  he is the one that matures the fastest, due tohis experiences as a child. Witnessing the atrocities of a unstable home cancause someone to react. In the end Brian ends up beinga successful police officer and is able to fulfill hisneed to protect people.

Maureen Walls She is the most fragile ofthe children and spends all her life looking for someone to take care of her.Maureen is the siblings who is unable to succeed in life and becauseof it has to stay with her mother and father, but goes insane becauseof it and ends up in a mental hospital. She was institutionalized afterhaving stabbed her mother several times. Maureen seemed to be the child mostaffected by her childhood experiences. 

Themes:

"Boundary Between Turbulence and Order:"

Rex describes this pyshics idea to his children that there is noboundaries between turbulance and order, or if there is, no one understandthem, so they have not need to accept them. Rex explains this to them afterthey were playing with toxic waste and almost died in a fire caused by thattoxic waste. He gives them this limit to where there is no limit to what theycan do. After Rex continues to drink, this"boundary" disappears  However, at the end of the novelit reappears  fire acts a the boundary between turbulance anddisorder, a flame is able to cause destruction  but alsoable to keep order depending on where it is placed.   So in the end of thenovel, the reader realizes that fire is the control and chaos of the novel.When bad things happens, it is due to the fire, but when good thingshappen, like a fire of succession, we also give credit to fire. It is an oddidea to think of fire as a good thing. 

theimportance of individualism:

Although the parents of the Wall's siblings suffered from anunstable childhood, their parents always supported their every decision. Theparents always encourage originality and rebellion  They believedthat being different is how someone got to achieve great thingsand so became upset when their son joined the Air Force,because they believed he did not display individuality. The parentsof the Wall's could be considered all sorts of bad things, but they did havesome positive effects int he lives of Maureen  Lori, Brianand Jeanette, they wanted to ensure that their children would never end uplike they had. Individualism helps create a sense of self identity, inorder to describe yourself, you must first know who you are andindividualism helps answer this.Without individualism  everyone would think the same and bethe same which would mean no advancements in anything. Individualismis what separates those willingto achieve it all to those who do nothing in life. 

Quotes:

“I lived ina world that at any moment could erupt into fire. It was the sort of knowledgethat kept you on your toes.” (Walls 145)

The chaotic lifestyle of Jeanette caused her to find theunexpected normal. Her life was continuous chaos, so to consider somethingnew and unbearable in her life would be abnormal. She uses sarcasm to expressthat knowing that at any moment anything could happen would keep moston their toes, but not her because she was so accustomed to it in herlife. It would have to be something extremely intense for her to evenhave a second thought about what to do or how to react. The never endingfeeling of destruction was embedded into the life of Jeanette.  

“Life's too short to care about what otherpeople think. Besides, they should accept us for who we are” (Walls 95)

This quote is universal, the author intended it not to apply to her own life,but all her readers. The norms that society call "cool" or"beautiful" are completely biased opinions on what others judge in.Life is not perfect and neither are people, so imagining perfection onlycreates a need to be as teenagers call it now a days "fake" ornot yourself. The author wants to connect with her readers by adding aquote by which all people can relate too. The reason why some many peoplesuffer from psychological problems are due to the fact they aren't evensure who they are, because they never let themselves be true totheir person which in time creates an internal problem.

“Why spend the afternoon making a meal that willbe gone in an hour," she'd ask us, "when in the same amount of time,I can do a painting that will last forever?” (Walls 45)

The importance of time is displayed in this quote. Why spend valuabletime doing something that is gone in a few minutes when you could do somethingor make something meaningful worth a lifetime? The mother wants tomake life a little easier on the kids by helping them understand that food isnot the most important thing in life if they have love. The mother realizes howbad the situation is but uses this quote to lighten the mood, she could doanything else for her children that they would remembered forever, soshe felt that was more important. To spend time on useful things could helpgain success in the future. 

"Things usually work out in the end."

"What if they don't?"

" That just means you haven't come to the end yet"(Walls 259). 

This quotesillustrates hope. The ability to imagine there is no end in anythingyou set your mind to. If someone is willing to dream, they arewilling to succeed, there is no such thing as failure. Jeanette Wallsused this quote to help create a emotional connection to her audience. Ifreaders feel good about themselves when reading the book, it will helpthem throughout their lives. I believe Jeanette did not write thisquote to explain her life story, but to help explain that of many teachersconfused about the possibilities of life. Why stop a dream that is worthfighting for? o have a book relate with you not in a specific state of mindset, but a universal mindset where everyone stresses outabout the future, helps connect with the audience in a more personalmanner which helps create a close knit relationship with the book, which gainsthe attention of most readers and therefore more profit. 

 "You know, it's really not that hard to put food on thetable if that's what you decide to do" (Walls 288).

Brian uses this quote to specific antagonize his parents. He is all grown upnow and does not understand why his parents did not provide for him as wellas they should have. He believes if you really care about something, youare willing to make sure to put your entire effort into making sureit turns out perfect, but apparently his parents had other things as prioritiesover their children which deeply upsets him. Brian can't seem to graspwhy is it that to his parents theirchildren were not important  when he cannot help but neverwant to disappoint his own children. He wishes to be explained withan answer.

Author Information:

JeanetteWalls was born in Phoenix, Arizona on January 1,1960. She wasone of four siblings and during her childhood, shemoved constantly from place to place due tot he lack ofstability her father had to keep up with a  job ,considering he had adrinking problem. She moved from Nevada,San Francisco, Phoenix,   West Virginia and New York City. She never had astable home growing up and usually moved very year or so, which madeit difficult for her to maintain friendships or a closerelationship with her parents. Her dream was to move to NewYork City with her sister Lori after she graduated high school. Hesister was the first to leave and she followed, along with them, Walls broughther younger brother and sister. She attended Barnard College andgraduated with honors, which is affiliated with Columbia University and then she decided to pursue a career in English; writer and journalist.She grew up separated from her family after the age of 17 and made manymistakes in her life that include leaving her past behind. As she got older sherealized she had to accept her roots and started over her life from the trueways of her life. He best seller is The Glass Castle and in 2005, wasmade into a film by Paramount. She currently lives in Virginia and ismarried to a man by the name of John Taylor. 

The Color of Water: Character List, Quotes Explained, Summary, Historical Information, Message

Character List:

Ruth McBride Jordan:  
She is the mother of James. She is characterized by having a very strong and big hearted personality, which helped her overcome her hardships in life. She tries to impose only three things into the life of James, the importance of: work, school and God. She especially tends to overlook the aspect of racism at any point her children try to bring it up. She believes there is no color, that God made us all equally.

James McBride:
 As a young child, James struggled with identity and fell into the use of drugs, which briefly obscured his path to success. However, his time spent in New York helped him realize he wished to lead a fulfilling life by spending his time doing something he loved. Although he struggled to gain his dignity back and move forward in life, he succeeded. He attended college and became a writer, composer, and musician.

Tateh (Fishel Shilsky): 
 Father of Rachel Shilsky, also known as Ruth McBride. He physical, mentally and sexually abused Ruth at a young age. He was a very stern and stubborn man, who never cared about his family. He lived to make money and that was the end of it.

Mameh (Hudis Shilsky):
 Ruth's mother, was forced to marry Fishel Shilsky to ensure his moving to America. She had a stroke at a young age and because of it half of her body stayed paralyzed. The only way Mameh was able to live in America was by Ruth always taking care of her and translating. Mameh was the only one that Ruth felt she did a great injustice to when she left home.

Dee Dee:
 The younger daughter of Fishel and Hudis Shilsky. Unlike Ruth, Dee Dee was never treated unkindly. Tateh always gave her what she wanted and everyone liked her because, Ruth stated, she was sweet , soft spoken and not an immigrant. Dee Dee and Ruth spoke 50 years after her departure from home.

Andrew Dennis McBride: 
 Father of James. He met Ruth while he worked in her shop. He was the only one who provided Ruth with love and care, they had eight children in the time span of their marriage. Andrew died at the age of thirty from cancer.

Hunter Jordan:
 Second husband of Ruth. He was the male role model of James and the rest of Ruth's children. Like Ruth he believed in God and the old conservative ways of life. He became ill and died of a stroke, his death caused Ruth a decade long of depression.

 Frances:
 The only friend of Ruth's childhood. France's friendship truly help bring life into the heart of Ruth; she was one of the few people to show Ruth she was important. Frances was accepting of Ruth's background even though others criticized her for having a Jewish friend.

Peter:
Ruth's first boyfriend. Peter was black which helped foreshadow the connection Ruth would later have with colored people. She was impregnated by him, but aborted her child. Peter ended up having to marry another girl and Ruth ran away from home because of it.  

Chicken Man: 
The man James befriended in New York. He was the reason James completely turned his life around. Chicken Man was the person who spoke out honestly and told James he was not a man who belonged in the streets, he belonged in school. After having been lectured by Chicken Man, James changed his mischievous ways and transformed into a gentle and hardworking man. 

Historical Information:
The post-civil war Amendments ensured that blacks would be freed and would have equal rights. However, this idea was pushed back by the majority vote of citizens in the United States, which began to create a sense of racism throughout multiple cultures. Although blacks were free, they did not share any of the same rights that white people did. They were separated in every aspect, take into consideration the Jim Crow Laws. African Americans during such laws were forbidden from entry white only places and were subjected constant unfair treatment. During this time, there was a group established named, Ku Klux Klan. The KKK, ensured that blacks were fearful at all times; they murder thousands of African Americans throughout fifty years of institutionalized racial segregation. Finally, beginning  the late 1930s there became hope of equal rights for blacks, through the Civil Rights Movement. People began to speak up and fight for equality. The government became involved in trying to change the unfair way of life colored people were subjected to. However, it is important to note that it was not until the 1950s that the government completely stopped allowing racial injustice; the government went so far as to take down any statues of governmental actions that proposed any sign of racism.

Quotes explained:

"Rachel Shilsky is dead as far as I'm concerned. She had to die in order for me, the rest of me, to live." (McBride 2)

In order to forget her hard past, Rachel must give up completely on her identity, which meant even changing her name. As her family had completely forgotten about her in their lives, she hoped to do the same to them and forget them ever being part of her life. The only way she felt she was able to move forward in her life was by abolishing any memory of her family with the hopes of never having to feel pain from her decision of leaving them. She was stricken between pains of the decisions so her only way to escape this was for her to completely dissolved her once identity and receive a new one. The moment she became Ruth McBride, she never starved from loved, she had what she felt her person deserved. Ruth was the new her and Ruth was whom she would stay as.

“Mommy staggered about in an emotional stupor for nearly a year. But while she weebled and wobbled and leaned, she did not fall” (Chpt. 16, p. 163). 

Ruth McBride was a strong woman, who although had rough patches in life, kept her head up high and strived despite an immense amount of obstacles that always seemed to be in her way. James sought comfort in his mother, because she was such a strong willed woman. However, when her second husband died, Ruth struggled and in doing so, James struggled as well. The important thing to note however is despite the fact that Ruth could struggle with her emotions she never completely fell into those emotions which is why her family remained stable; she was the glue that kept the family together. This quote helps depict a sense of structure in the McBride family, the mother acted as the pillars that hold up a household. 

“She wipes her memory instantly and with purpose; it’s a way of preserving herself” (Chpt. 25, p. 271). 

Ruth believes that erasing her past is what helps her live a better present. By not talking about her past, it helped her not to be reminded of the struggle she faced growing up. The only way she could be strong was to cover up what made her weak. She never spoke about her feelings with her children, because she had to be tough for her household. She knew that being weak was never an option which is why she forcefully chose to stay continuously moving forward instead of looking back; the moment she looked back was the moment she would ruin herself.

"'Look at them laughing', he'd say in Yididish. 'They don't have a dime in their pocker and they're always laughing.' But he had plenty of money and we were all miserable." (McBride 61)

Money does not buy happiness. The quotes helps understand that family is important, because even if the family does not have everything good in life, if they are loving and affection, they are happier. Unlike Rachel's family, that had more than plenty of money to go around, but she never had a happy memory in the her life with them. It was until she did not have money and struggled to pay her bills that she was content, because her husband gave her love, which is what a human being needs, to feel wanted and needed. 

We'd gather around the cans, open them, and spoon up the peanut butter like soup, giggling as our mouths stuck closed with gooey stuff. (McBride 66)

James had to grow up with eleven brothers and sisters, he never took any moment for granted because of it. His favorite memory as a child was when his mother would come home and have peanut butter in her purse. James and his siblings fought for a spoonful of peanut butter, to enjoy the simplicity and fun in a little rowdiness. Enjoying the little things in life helped James as an adult realize that memories are something intangibly priceless.

"They were all trying hard to be American, you know, not knowing what to keep and what to leave behind. But you know what happens when you do that. If you throw water on the floor it will always find a hole, believe me." (McBride 135)
  
Leaving your custom way of life and trying to adjust to a new way, is difficult, because you need to release who you are as a person and transition change into a new one. People who immigrate to new lands are prone to throwing away their traditions because they want to fit into that society, but then people will never get to know the real you. No matter how hard you try to change, somehow or someway you will always find yourself trying to become yourself again. You can not cover an entire life of accustoms in just a few set of years, better to be yourself and be happy, then be someone else you cannot be. 

"Her oddness, her complete non awareness of what the world thought of her, a nonchalance in the face of what I perceived to be imminent danger from blacks and whites who disliked her for being a white person in a black world. She saw none of it." Chap. 2, The Bicycle, p. 5

Liking, believing and wanting to be who you are, no matter what the cost, helps you live an easier life. Ruth did not care what others thought of her or her lifestyle, she would rather be happy even if it meant risking her life. Her motto consisted of believing that life was worth living the way she wanted instead of living sad but what others expected. She never saw the injustices of others for her odd ways, because she didn't need to see it, or want to see it, because she was content with who she was a person and that is the only thing that mattered to her-self approval.

MESSAGE:

Although James McBride's novel "The Color of Water," is an autobiographical biography he does illustrate messages throughout the novel.

The importance of family:

Throughout "The Color of Water," McBride continuously described his and his mother's family in exclusive detail. He very frequently stated that even though his family was rowdy and a hassle, considering he had 11 brothers and sisters, they were all each others best friends. As a tradition of their household, when you became the eldest in the household after one had left to college, the next eldest took their place, which helped create a system of respect and organization in the McBride family. In Ruth's family, although she lived a very horrid childhood, she always found a way to love her family. Ruth eventually ran away from home, buy never forgave herself for leaving her family behind, especially her Mameh and her sister Dee Dee. Ruth always lived with the guilt of having not being fair with her absence in the family, especially considering she was her mother's guardian and her sister's rock. In the end of the novel, Ruth learns to live with her past and cherish the good memories she had with her family, and makes a family her own which helps her understand that although her childhood was bad, she could make a family of her own that would be filled with love and comfort, which helps her understand that family is important.

A mother's love is a most powerful thing:

Ruth McBride endured obstacles by having twelve children with black men, especially considering she was white. However, the rude remarks, maltreatment, or negative ways people did to her, ever changed her love for her family. She believed there was no such thing as different colors in a human race, we are all just God's creation and because of that, everyone is equal. She was willingly to do anything to ensure her children's success, no matter at what cost. She was a mother who would stand up for her children, no matter what the problem was and considering the time frame she was in, was a very heroic thing to do, she fought for what she believed in.

Identity is a key role in growing up:

 James struggled growing up, because he was confused as to who he was and where he came from. His mother refused to tell him where she was from and why she was different from him. James questioned everything and how everything in his family was. As a child he was scared for his mom, because she was different, she was light-skinned, something nobody in his neighborhood was. He had no idea where to turn or where to be comforted from. During his adolescence stage, he fell into the wrong crowd, because he was confused and tried to find himself. He met a friend in New York that helped put his mind straight and he completely changed his ways. In the process of changing, his mother finally told him her childhood which gave James a new outlook on life, he was not just one race but two and he was unique. He embraced his background because he understood his identity.

SUMMARY:

The book begins by introducing the life of James McBride and his struggle to grow up, due to his identity. However, the book transitions from his life, to his mother's life, every other chapter.

James McBride was always question why it was his mother was light skinned and he was not. He felt ashamed that he did not look like his mother, he endured years of confusion. His mom was never one to share where she was from or who she was. James was a good child, until his step father died. His mama had always been a rock, but when her second husband died, she kept to herself and mourned for over ten years. James became rebellious during this time because he had no one to guide him through his adolescent phase of life. He began drinking, smoking and hanging out with the wrong kind of people. Finally, just before finishing his high school career he altered his way of being and became focused on school and music. In the search for a stable job, he became more interested in his mother's childhood, which led him to become interested in writing an autobiography on his and her life. It took him ten years to convince his mom to let him write a book about their lives.

Ruth McBride (mother of James)

Actual name was Rachel Shilsky. She grew up in Poland and was Jewish. Tateh, her father physically and sexually abused her as a child. Mameh, her mother was handicapped for life after having a stroke. Rachel endured excessive amounts of pain when growing up. It is important to note that she was maltreated by everyone at her school for being Jewish, which, during that time frame, was almost as "bad" as being colored. Rachel felt more accepted into the black community than any other and because of this she was only able to find colored men attractive. This can be supported by the fact that both her husbands and boyfriends were colored. The fact that she married, a colored man, Dennis McBride, she became shunned from her family. She had 8 children with him, remarried and had four more children. She led a very hard life, having to deal with society's rude remarks on her lifestyle, especially being criticized for her choice in men. Even after the extensive criticism of her lifestyle, she never regretted a single choice, she strove to make her children's life better and she succeeded; all her children grew up to become succesful people and leaders in their own ways.

The Color Purple: Quotes explained, Plot Summary, Themes, Characters, and Author Background

Quotes
But I don’t never get used to it. And now I feels sick every time I be the one to cook." (1.4-5) (Walker)

"Everybody say how good I is to Mr._________ children. I be good to them. But I don’t feel nothing for them. Patting Harpo back not even like patting a dog. It more like patting another piece of wood. Not a living tree, but a table, a chifferobe. Anyhow, they don’t love me neither, no matter how good I is."(17.10) (Walker)
“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it. People think pleasing God is all God cares about. But any fool living in the world can see it always trying to please us back.” 

Celie although she is a kind person, is unable to feel any sign of affection towards the children of Mr.____(Alberto), because they are not her very own. She feels that her life is gone and there is no reason to feel any affection for anyone or anything, especially after having lost her younger sister who had run away recently. This quote exemplifies the simplicity of a mind, how losing something so important causes such a drastic change in the mentality or ability of a person, such as portrayed in Celie. 
"He come home with a girl from round Gray. She be my age but they married. He be on her all the time. She walk round like she don’t know what hit her. I think she thought she love him. But he got so many of us. All needing something." (4.1)
Alphonso's needs increased and not only could he have Nettie and Celie under his control, but he had to bring along another wife into the picture after having Celie and Nettie's mother die. Alphonso's new wife seemed so innocent, she was imaged with the idea that Alphonso was a good man and she was truly in love with him, but in the process of being married realized that she was in for trouble with having to stay with him. This quote generated the simplistic behavior of an innocent girl and how it is able to be tricked so easily into believing one thing and actually being another.
"He beat me today cause he say I winked at a boy in church. I may have got somethin in my eye but I didn’t wink. I don’t even look at mens. That’s the truth. I look at women, tho, cause I’m not scared of them. Maybe cause my mama cuss me you think I kept mad at her. But I ain’t. I felt sorry for mama. Trying to believe his story kilt her." (5.1) (Walker)
In order to not arouse suspicious of on the mother of Celie, Alphonso creates a fake boyfriend for Celie to take the blame for her odd behavior and sexual relations. The thought of Celie doing such a disgusting thing, was the cause of Mama's illness, Celie believed. In this quote you come to the conclusion hat after having undergone such psychological and physical  traumas that dealt with a male figure, caused Celie to become only interested in women. Celie feared men, but as she did not fear women, she began to feel a closeness and attraction for them. 

God is meant to create a sense of completion  our job as people is not to fulfill the happiness of God, or much less the other way around. God has a hope that we as people will create and generate and peaceful life and that is how we create a sense of giving him back something. In the quote, God is illustrated as a person who is greedy and always wants something, when in reality God is someone who benefits from the well being off people,. This quote means to educated people on what God is really suppose to be about. 
“I think us here to wonder, myself. To wonder. To ask. And that in wondering bout the big things and asking bout the big things, you learn about the little ones, almost by accident. But you never know nothing more about the big things than you start out with. The more I wonder, the more I love.” 
People of different skin color were made to believe in one single thought, that they were not sufficient to equalize the role or ability of white society. However, to wonder beyond this idea was a pleasant and freedom filled world, to wonder what things would be like or how I would live in such a more peaceful world. Wondering is what creates such a fascinating person and better world. Celie wonders and as she wonders, she grows to love more the idea of a happiness that she can finally gain. This quote illustrates the development of imagination in the life if Celie and how this acts as her escape to the terror of what used to be her life. 
“The Olinka girls do not believe girls should be educated. When I asked a mother why she thought this, she said: A girl is nothing to herself; only to her husband can she become something.
Why, she said, the mother of his children.
But I am not the mother of anybody's children, I said, and I am something.” 
Women throughout centuries of history have been proclaimed subordinate to men, due to the false characterizations of the ability of man. Men are meant to be superior due to the bible, but no one was able to testify as to where this entry was so proclaimed. The maltreatment of woman continued on for centuries and even millenniums and still to this day, you can witness an act of sexism. "Women belong in the kitchen," the only way to stop such accusations and limitations is to fight against the idea, unlike in the quote where the woman has succumb to believe and adjust the role of women's inferiority into not only her lifestyle, but her children. 

Themes:

Sexism:

Throughout the novel, Celie is treated by multiple men as a subordinate, especially due to the era in which this book takes place, from 1920s-1940s. Celie was first continuously abused and molested by her step father, Alphonso, who swore her to secrecy to not tell of his acts. Next, she was continuously abused when she wed Albert, or known as Mr._______, in the novel. During the 1920s through the 1940s, it was common for woman to be portrayed an inferior to men, so to be beaten and raped was a not a topic for discussion. However, in the novel through a set of slow developing acts of violence, Celie finally gives up and decided to move away from Mr. _____, where she begins a new life and is finally happy. Celie had been so accustomed to the idea of being subordinate that when she returned, she was surprised to find that her and Mr.___ could actually have a healthy relationship. Other acts of sexism, would been when Harpo tried to beat his wife in submission, but failed due to the lack of strength Harpo possessed  and so instead was beaten. Sofia was one of the few women who stood up for her right to do as she please, but this personality went away after having succumb to almost torture when refused to be the maid of the mayor's wife. Sofia was then made to be the maid of the Mayor by complete order and the novel proved again, the acts of superiority and violence a man did just to prove the women who was in charge.

The power of female relationships:

Throughout the novel, although women were depicted as subordinate to men, together as a whole the women in the novel were much more stronger than all of the men combined. Sofia, Squeak, Shug, Celie and Nettie were all strong an independent women who helped one another to make the best of the situation the were in. Celie and Shug most portrayed this idea of a strong relationship, Shug was the one to help Celie escape from Mr. _____, stop the beatings, fall in love and find the letters Nettie had promised to write Celie. With Shug in the novel, Celie would have been hopeless and had to deal with the unpleasant ways of Mr._____ her entire life. Sofia had sympathy for Celie, after having witnessing how obedient she was when Mr.___ asked for anything to be done. Celie and Sofia became close and Sofia helped Celie to generate a sense of self-worth and dignity, by create a more self-reliant and content Celie. Celie needs a female relationship in order to stand for something, as do all the female characters in The Color Purple. Shug needs  Celie to make a stand, Sophia needs her sisters to be strong and Celie needs Nettie to be happy.

Characters:
Nettie: The sister of Celie, who is much more educated and is able to find a hopeful side in life after having escaped the wrath of Mr.______. She continually writes to Celie in hopes of being able to give her the news that she has found her children and in hopes of being able to one day be together again. She befriends a couple, Corrine and Samuel and journeys to Africa as a missionary to help the people in hope of creating a peaceful unity with whites and blacks. In the end of the novel, Nettie marries Samuel.
Shug:  is a very scandalous women, who is unusually independent for the era of this time framing  She is wild, rebellious and sings about sex. Almost everyone in the community despises her, mostly the women, because they are everything she is unable to be. She end sup being the love of Mr._____ and has a brief relationship with him, as well as befriend Celie in the process and helps her find her identity in life.
Harpo: The son of Mr.___, who marries Sofia. Harpo expects his woman to do everything he wants, but is unaware that Sofia is not willing to succumb to any abuse, she will defend her right to do as she pleases, which results in her leaving Harpo. Sofia defies the mayor's wife and is tortured and nearly killed and made to be the maid of his wife for many years, until she is released. Harpo and Sofia remarry at the end of the novel.
Alphonso: The step father of Celie who created psychological and physical trauma to Celie, which in turn made her turn into a subordinate woman, as well as alter her lifestyle and make her become a lesbian. He was the one to give away Celie to Mr.____, where she underwent even more abuse. Alphonso and Celie gave light to two children.
Albert: also known as Mr.____, was the husband of Celie, but in love with Shug Avery. Although he beat Celie, in reality  he used to be a gentleman when he was younger, but in the process of being heartbroken by Shug became a completely different man. He wanted to marry Nettie in the beginning of the novel. In the end of the novel, him and Celie are content with their relationship.
Sofia: The wife of Harpo who is willing to defend her right to do as she pleases. She beats Harpo continually,  after he tries to beat her, ale to beat him because she is much more physically muscular and tough. Gets arrested and made to be a maid  where she barely is able to see her children for years, return back home and remarries Harpo at the end of the novel.
Corrine&Samuel: Friends of Nettie and are the caretakers of Celie's children. Taker Nettie to Africa with them. At the ends of the novel, Corrine dies and Nettie is able to tell them that she is the aunt of the children. Samuel and Nettie end up married at the end of novel.
Celie: She is the protagonist and narrator of the novel The Color Purple. Her live was complete tragedy, already beginning by the age of fourteen, after having been sexually molested by her step father Alphonso. Due to this trauma, Celie become a very obedient women, especially when it comes to men. However, in the middle of the novel she befriends a woman by the name of Shug Avery and develops such close of an attachment with her, she falls in love with her and with her guidance is able to achieve self confidence, independence and happiness.

Plot Summary: 

Celie was just fourteen when he so called father, Alphonso raped her, as he characterized by his need to exemplify superiority and need to release sexual frustration. Alphonso had not attempted any of abuse before this, but due to the lack of physical ability of the mother, Alphonso needed someone to have sex with and he took this out of Celie. Celie was a young an innocent girl and never thought about the idea of even having sex, this experience completely corrupted her into thinking that all men are evil and from is day forth Celie was abused, due to her continuous acceptance of certain events. Celie swore to be the strong one in her family and take all abuses, so long as she could ensure safety on her younger sister Nettie, that was the only care she had.  

What can she become? I asked.

Celie and Nettie are two sisters who undergo a heartbreaking separation that ends in the happiness of both. Celie as a young girl was continuously rape by her so called father, Alphonso  she gave birth to two children  who she never saw again, or atleast she thought she never would. Throughout her adolescent, Celie was continuously abused and maltreated , her only hope of ever having a pleasant life was to ensure no harm was ever done to her younger sister, Nettie, who showed such promise to be someone in life. In the novel, a person by the name of (Albert) Mr. ______, became interested in making Nettie his wife, but Alphonso refused and decide to give him Celie instead. After Alphonso tried to abuse Nettie as he did to Celie, Nettie ran away from home and took shelter under the roof of (Albert) Mr._______ and Celie. However, (Albert), still became obsessed with the idea to make Nettie his and so he made it his priority to claim Nettie as his which completely frustrated Nettie to the core, thus causing her reaction to run away from the house of Celie as well.  Celie became so depressed after her sister left, but she was hopeful that her sister would keep her promise and write to her daily. Letters never came and Celie settled for the worst and believed that Nettie had possibly died. Years passed and Celie endured torture and abuse from Mr. ______ (Albert), this is until Shug Avery and Sofia fell into the life of Celie. Sofia was the women whom Harpo, (Albert' son) married, she was a strong and independent woman who never let anyone have their way with her. Sofia unlike any woman, fights against Harpo's abuses and one day gets completely tired of it and leaves with hers and Harpo's children, only to return years later. Shug Avery arrived in Celie's life after having become desperately ill to the point of almost dying, Celie nursed Shug for months and she soon recovered. Shug became close friends with Celie and developed a relationship with (Albert) Mr.______, who you later find out used to be lovers back in the day and have two children together. Celie is in love with Shug and as the book moves along, you realize Shug and Celie both love each other and at one point have intimacy. In the process of having stayed at Celie's house, Shug helps Celie undercover the real truth of where Nettie, Celie's sister really is. Celie and Shug find the hidden letters (Albert) has been hiding from Celie all these years. It turns out Nettie knows where Celie's children are and Nettie is now in Africa doing missionary work and being happy. Celie reads all of Nettie's written letters and then decides to write back and at the end of the book, the two sisters rejoin once again. Celie and Shug move to Memphis, Tennessee where they both become successful, Shug as a singer and Celie as a sewer. Years later Celie meets up with (Albert) again and this time they actually do fall in love and enjoy the company of one another and so, remarry. Sofia and Harpo remarry after having gone through such a rough time and Nettie marries Samuel, the former husband of her boss. They all live happily in the end.

Author Background:
Alice Walker, best known for her novel, The Color Purple, was the eighth child. As a young child, she became blinded in one eye. In high school she went on to become valedictorian. Attended Spelman College and Sarah Lawrence college in 1965. She was married in  1967, but divorced in 1976. As prior to her career as a writer  she had always written short stories that involved: racism, sex, violence, rape, isolation and troublesome relationships. In 1982, she published The Color Purple  and became a widely acclaimed writer throughout the world. However, her book did create controversial debates. People argued that her book gave a negative aspect of men. Walker also published a biography on a well known poet, Langston Hughes. She is also given full credit of creating the word "womanist" in her support to feminism.  She wrote two other books, The Temple of My Familiar and Possessing the Secret of Joy, all her books dealt with women overcoming obstacles. She was especially known for using black women in all her stories and the acts of violence that change the outcome of their life. She depicts her books as a read to understand the struggles of life and how to overcome and subordination and achieve success, especially to women.