Although Celie is born a free woman in The Color Purple, she is still, in a sense, a slave. She isn’t owned by a white man and forced to work on a plantation, like in many stories of slavery, but she is involved in the type of slavery that could be even harder to break free from: internal slavery. Until Celie meets Shug, Nettie is the only person who doesn’t treat her like she’s worthless, like she’s a person, not a thing. Celie’s “father,” husband, siblings, and stepchildren all use her for one thing or another, whether it be for cleaning, cooking, or sex, and they never take her feelings into account. This treatment has driven her to believe that she’s ugly and worthless, that she’ll never amount to anything. It’s only with Shug’s help that she is able to break free from this sense of being a slave. When Shug first suggests that Celie should make herself a pair of pants, Celie is blown away because she’s never had anyone tell her to do something for herself (146). It has always been Celie doing things for other people, many times against her will. Once Celie starts making the pants for herself and for other people (this time she’s doing things for other people because she chooses to), she gains some self-respect and begins to stand up for herself.
Although Celie is born a free woman in The Color Purple, she is still, in a sense, a slave. She isn’t owned by a white man and forced to work on a plantation, like in many stories of slavery, but she is involved in the type of slavery that could be even harder to break free from: internal slavery. Until Celie meets Shug, Nettie is the only person who doesn’t treat her like she’s worthless, like she’s a person, not a thing. Celie’s “father,” husband, siblings, and stepchildren all use her for one thing or another, whether it be for cleaning, cooking, or sex, and they never take her feelings into account. This treatment has driven her to believe that she’s ugly and worthless, that she’ll never amount to anything. It’s only with Shug’s help that she is able to break free from this sense of being a slave. When Shug first suggests that Celie should make herself a pair of pants, Celie is blown away because she’s never had anyone tell her to do something for herself (146). It has always been Celie doing things for other people, many times against her will. Once Celie starts making the pants for herself and for other people (this time she’s doing things for other people because she chooses to), she gains some self-respect and begins to stand up for herself.
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