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Letter 19
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Color Purple, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
God and Spirituality
Race and Racism
Men, Women, and Gender Roles
Violence and Suffering
Self-Discovery
Summary
Analysis
One day, Celie is walking by Sofia and Harpo's shack, near the edge of Mr. _____'s property, when she sees the two of them fighting, and hears the enormous clatter they make when doing so. She wonders whether Sofia and Harpo will eventually kill each other in one of their fights. But the next day Celie observes them and their two babies—the family, this next day, is relatively peaceful, preparing to visit Sofia's sister Odessa.
When Celie is beaten by Mr. ____, she does not fight back, for fear that Mr. ____ will hurt her even more gravely. In contrast, Sofia is a strong woman, and she feels that she has the upper hand on Harpo. She fights back with all the energy she has—and eventually leaves Harpo, when she realizes he will not stop wanting to make her obey him.
Themes
