Proceedings of the 9th International Academic Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Religion and identity in Alice Walker’s” The Color Purple”
Ştefan N.Florentina- Camelia
ABSTRACT:
The paper aims at a close reading of the novel ‘ The Color Purple’ by Alice Walker from a feminist perspective. The main focus will be in the particular elements which reveal the intersection between religion and Identity. As Celie gradually breaks free from the patriarhal patterns imposed in her, the old religion based in sacrifice and victimhood is replaced with a new philosophy of love. The letters she sends to God reflect the immense trauma of abuse and prejudice, all the unuttered words take a written form to share Celie’ s story. Empowerment comes as the young African- American girl starts questioning and challenging the ideology instilled onto her. She finds her own way of living, that is to enjoy and embrace the simple beauty of life. The color purple becomes for her a reason for which life is worth living in spite of her dark past. Alice Walker’ s novel is a valuable feminist work, a strong literary statement worth revisiting.
Keywords: Feminism, womanism, religion, Identity,( de) construcții