Faces of Love 9

It is interesting to note how Albert has always been in love with Shug and Shug has always felt a strong connection with Albert. Celie and Shug fall in love as well-- I believe it could possibly be considered a love born out of loneliness on both sides. Ultimately, it is the love of Shug that brings Albert and Celie together at the end. I was completely shocked when Albert asked Celie to re-marry him! He treated her so terribly at the beginning, the change that took place in him through the years was completely unexpected. When Celie left him, so many positive changes took place in his life. It was as if Celie's goodness kept him from ever making any effort to be productive, kind, or even to work. He began working again, cleaning up after himself, and treating people (including Celie) with the respect they deserved. At the end, when Albert and Celie start spending a lot of time together, Albert tells her, "You know, he say, you use to remind me of a bird. Way back when you first come to live with me. You was so skinny, Lord, he say. And the least little thing happen, you looked about to fly away... I saw it, just to big a fool to let myself care." Celie realizes for the first time, Albert does care about her in some small way. Then a little later, Celie reflects thinking about Albert, "I don't hate him for two reasons. One, he love Shug. And two, Shug use to love him. Plus, look like he trying to make something out of himself. I don't mean just that he work and he clean up after himself and he appreciate some of the things God was playful enough to make. I mean when you talk to him now he really listen, and one time, out of nowhere in the conversation us was having." Her love for Nettie and Shug kept her alive when her life was at the lowest points. She writes to Nettie: "Well, your sister too crazy to kill herself. Most times I feels like shit but I felt liek shit before in my life and what happen? I had me a fine sister name Nettie. I had me another fine woman friend name Shug."