The pitiful nature of sexism, abuse and how they can be overcome through the power of a voice and strong relationships, is exposed in the inspiring novel The purple color by Alice Walker. Set in rural Georgia in 1910, protagonist Celie recounts her unhappy life through confessional and religious letters written for God. Verbally, physically and sexually assaulted, Celie's confidence is at an all-time low. She views the world in a skeptical way, focusing her writing on her feelings. When she begins to develop strong female relationships, her outlook on life changes, as does her writing style. Walker expresses that your past does not dictate your future and that by changing your mindset and building powerful relationships, you can become a stronger person. Having been raised in an abused home, pain and sadness were never new feelings for her. All her life, Mr.____ hurt her sexually, verbally and physically. It shaped who she became, an insecure young girl who unfortunately saw the world as a very unfair place. The insignificance of Mr._____ from Célie's point of view explains why she never gives him a name, only giving him a black space, which metaphorically demonstrates exactly what he represents to her; absolutely nothing. When the heroine begins to believe that she is someone, she strives to demonstrate it by cursing the antagonist: “I curse you, I say. What does that mean, he said. I say, until you do right by me, everything you touch will fall apart.” Mr.____ quickly destroys her hopes by saying “….Who do you think you are?” He says. You can't curse anyone. Look at you. You are black, you have pores, you are ugly and you are a woman. Damn it, he said, you’re nothing at all” (Walker 25). With this, Mr.____ conveys that in his eyes, his terrible past...... middle of paper ......ee he always tries to please us in return” (Walker 75). Shug demonstrates that she sees the beauty of God around her and that it has not gone unnoticed. The color purple and other colors metaphorically mean many different things in the novel, with bright colors symbolizing happiness and dull colors symbolizing sadness. Therefore, Celie's personal identity was developed and discovered with the help of Mr. _____, Shug Avery, God, and the color purple. Starting with letters focusing on her feelings and depending on God's help and moving on to God being in her. Walker tells the story of a young girl who changes her outlook on life and perseveres through difficult times. She successfully shows Celie's mindset and turning point and expresses that it's never too late to make a change. Works Cited Walker, Alice. The color purple. New York: Pocket Books, 1985. Print