The Color Purple: Exploring Internalizing Oppression and Homosexuality.

Alice Walker’s The Color Purple was an indomitable novel, targeting the internalizing oppression and homosexuality in the 1900s. The time being of this novel elucidates to the undying thoughts of a fixed society; where race and beauty coincide, and homosexuality was a coping. Patriarchy was still at its peak in the 20th century; leaving the clear majority of colored women to be completely submissive to man. Women of a darker skin complexation were regarded as “undesirable” to society, even in today’s day in age. Even children were giving into the western thought of beauty. Most of Celie’s hardships started simply by the pigmentation of her skin and her unconventional beauty. Celie was the face of all women in the 1900s. She was obedient and completely submissive to the man, as woman had to be. Illuminating, the internalizing oppression as a determining factor of Celie’s journey into homosexuality, renders the idea that the environment, in which someone is raised can transformed the individuals’ view in relationships and society as a whole.

In Susan Bordo’s What Is a Phallus, Bordo expands upon the idea and history of the Phallus; demonstrating its power and authority over women throughout history. Patriarchy has been a method of suppression for centuries. Women were regarded as disposable and classified as an inferior party to men. Bordo discloses “‘The Phallic principle that gives man dignity and is worthy of worship is his ability to rise to the occasion, to answer the call of history,’ writes Sam Keen, in his typically turgid prose.” Arguing the fact that men power and worthiness came solely on the fact that they had a penis. Patriarchy was a widely accepted idea in the 1900s. Society brought on the idea that men are more “capable” of greater things, whilst women were made only to bear children and be summon by the man. To maintain this ideal alive, men would physically abuse women by beating and raping them into silence and submission.

Society in the 1900s made it a mission to eliminate any source of competition by eliminating women from the entire equation. This ideal was prevalent in most of Celie’s life.

                        Harpo ast his daddy why he beat me. Mr.____

                        say, cause she my wife. Plus, she stubborn.

                        All women good for—he don’t finish. He just tuck his chin over

                        the paper like he do. Remind me of pa. (Walker 23)

Celie makes it clear that Mr. beats her because she can not do anything according to him. Any word of obstruction would get Celie a beating. She has endured physical abuse throughout her entire life; starting from her pa and ending with Mr.. She was stripped from her will to learn in school, her happiness, and even the presence of her sister, Nettie, because she was “black” and “ugly”. Causing her to internalize her own oppression. The physical and emotional abuse takes a probing look into people, specifically women, to finally believing the notion that they are subordinate and have no value other than to serve men. It took Celie almost half her life to finally come to terms with herself and find something she was truly passionate about, like making pants.  

Being a woman of color has already placed the women in abyss as a double minority. Beauty standards is a social construct build upon by society for centuries. The predominate thought that women of a darker skin complexion are said to be undesirable and ugly, has exposed the mindset of past societies as well as its relevance in today’s western culture. Jeffery Roberts illustrates in “Why do so many cultures idolize the western Caucasian image of beauty? A worldwide issue that is out of control”; that “lighter-colored skin is considered the ideal image of beauty in most countries that contain darker skinned people.” Roberts assays to the fact that many cultures are trying to mold themselves into the western idea of beauty. “Black is ugly” is a common phrase used for many years to bring down people of color, especially women.

Where race and beauty have been coinciding, when humans have associated skin tone with beauty. Even as children, they are taught to want the white doll instead of the black doll. Corporations have made billions off of this insecurity within our societies. By coming out with cosmetics lines that only cater to women of a certain skin complexion, has sent women to alter themselves to fit these molds because with a lighter skin tone they can hypothetically achieve more; therefore, spending money on creams and surgeries to finally reach perfection in the eyes of society. Walker explores this ideal when Carrie says that Shug was “Not so pretty” and “She too black” (21). Implying that Shug was not beautiful because she was dark skinned. Although Shug was “black as my shoe” she never encountered the same amount of abuse and hatred from the men around her (Walker 21). Celie was abused and looked down upon for many years by everyone in her life especially pa and Mr. because she was not granted the beauty and talent Shug was given. By having Beauty and talent, Shug was able to do as she please and travel anywhere and anytime she wanted. Both women were with Mr., yet Shug was never beaten or disrespected, while Celie was being raped and spit upon by the same man. Both women were described by Walker, to have had a similar skin pigmentation, but both women received different outcomes in the narrative. Proving that there are exceptions to even the beauty standards of civilization: no matter the race or time period.     

By the abuse women have endured throughout time, puts forward the idea that possible homosexuality can be a resulting factor. Michael Brown asserts “environment in which we are raised, especially if coupled with major, traumatic childhood experiences, has a profound effect on our ongoing mental and emotional and social development.” He delineates the fact that childhood trauma can be a deciding factor in a child’s sexuality. Being physically abused as a woman can alter their view on the opposite sex, leaving the victim with a repugnant view they cannot recover from at times.  Alice Walker renders this possibility when Shug Avery trying to comfort Celie, “she say, I love you, Miss Celie. And then she haul off and kiss me on the mouth.” (Walker 114). Dr. Lynne Westfield explains

When people from targeted groups internalize the lies, myths, and distortions of oppression the often feel they have no intrinsic value. They often feel they are inherently not as capable, intelligent, good, beautiful, deserving, or able as people in the dominating group. They come to believe the lies of the oppression and turn those experiences of dehumanization inward as if the lies are the truth. (Westfield)  

Celie has been so mistreated and has never associated any source of pleasure with a man, often dehumanizing herself for many years. Shug Avery was able to give her the love and acceptance she longed for, since she was a little girl, but was deprived of. Celie was given another opportunity to seek love from someone, who was not a man, who constantly beat her into oblivion. Celie’s view in love and relationships was altered through society’s acrimonious behavior towards her. One can intimate that, Celie was able to regain the strength that she never had the pleasure of having against her abusers and make something out of herself.

In my final analysis, the substantial amount to sufferance women, particularly women of color, were enduring in early 20th century, has been an ongoing battle against patriarchy, still prevalent today. In Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, she focuses on bringing the conflict behind closed doors involving physical and emotional abuse, like rape, and the efforts men put into breaking down a women to pinpoint control. She tackles beauty standards based on color and race put on by society.  The physical abuse that later affected the emotional state of a women; leading to a state of oblivion and self-deprivation. But also delineating, the outcome of prevalence over the enemy. Walker sheds light to the fact that women can overcome those obstacles of oppression and beauty standards instilled in society. Completely separating themselves from that notion and becoming independent; in turn, reaching self-actualization; regardless of civilization’s unvarying views on the inferiority of women.

Works Cited

• Bordo, Susan. “What is a Phallus?”. The Male Body. A New Look at         Men in Public and Private (1999): 84-104
• Brown, Michael. “Yes, Childhood Sexual Abuse Often Does Contribute to             Homosexuality.” The Stream, 11 May 2017, stream.org/yes-childhood-sexual- abuse-often-contribute-homosexuality/.
• Pak, Jeehye Kim. “What Is Internalized Oppression?” General Commission on             Religion          and Race, 12 Dec. 2016,        www.gcorr.org/what-is-internalized- oppression/.
• Roberts, Jeffery. “Why Do So Many Cultures Idolize The Western Caucasian Image Of        Beauty? A World-Wide Issue That Is Out Of Control.” Collective Evolution, 12 Aug. 2014, www.collective-evolution.com/2014/08/11/why-do-so-many-cultures-      idolize-the-western-caucasian-image-of-beauty-a-world-wide-issue-that-is-     out-of-control/.

•        Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. A HARVEST BOOK HARCOURT, INC, 1992.