Introduction
The novel The Color Purple by Alice Walker was adapted into a film in 1985 under the direction of Steven Spielberg.Celie, a strong and inspirational woman in the movie, transforms tremendously throughout the plot. Whoopi Goldberg got the lead role, playing a black woman named Celie who lives in the early 1900s in the southern United States. She is subjected to a variety of forms of oppression, such as racism, sexism, and abuse, which affect her experiences and sense of self.
Despite the challenges she confronts, Celie exemplifies resiliency, tenacity, and a profound ability for love and compassion. In analyzing this work, it can be emphasized that Celie, the heroine in The Color Purple, is a complex image of a woman experiencing oppression at the hands of the male population. Throughout the film, the heroine undergoes a transformation in which she forms her own charter to gain a voice, gain autonomy through interaction with other women, and grow as a person.
Analysis of Character Development
Initiating a Charter
The formation of the charter in the story is the starting point for the protagonist’s transformation. Currently, women in society are subject to many forms of discrimination and abuse, including forced labor, sexual violence, and domestic violence. Determined and empowered, Celie writes a charter detailing women’s demands and rights to bring about the necessary change. Her charter is a call to arms for women who have been silenced and shunned for too long.
Through this powerful act of resistance, Celie empowers herself and the women around her, inspiring them to stand up against injustice and fight for their freedom. Rather than being simply a legal document, Celie’s charter symbolizes empowerment and hope (Wang & Yang, 2019). It serves as a reminder that they can assert their rights and claims, giving them absolute control over their lives.
The right to own property, the right to education, and the right to choose a spouse are just some of the demands for equality outlined by women in the charter, according to Celie. These demands are unusual for the time the film is set in. They challenge patriarchal norms and systems in which women have long been underrepresented.
Finding Will for Expression
The heroine’s next transformation is to find her voice, dare to express her dissatisfaction, and help other women resist discrimination from men. The protagonist encourages the woman to sign a union supporting the cause when she hands it to them. A few women are hesitant initially, fearing the consequences of leaving their husbands and the more common communal customs. However, as more women sign the charter, a sense of camaraderie and empowerment develops. Women realize they are not fighting alone and that coming together can bring about the change they want.
The influence of Celie’s Charter is evident throughout the film as it inspires the female protagonists to fight for their rights. The charter arms the women with how they can fight the forces of oppression and reclaim their autonomy (Wang & Yang, 2019). Celie is a character who is the best example of this, initially settling for a life of harsh conditions and deprivation. The protagonist discovers her voice, joins a women’s movement, signs a charter, and begins to assert herself in ways she never thought possible.
The Celie Charter also highlights the importance of education in empowering women and promoting social change. Throughout the film, the impact of education on the lives of the heroines changes dramatically. An intelligent woman who attended school in Africa, Celie uses her experiences to create the charter and lead the women’s movement.
Through education, Celie and the other heroines in the film can overcome their illiteracy and feel empowered. Learning to read and write enables people to communicate in previously unimaginable ways. The Celie Charter highlights the significance of education in empowering women and advancing their social rights (Wang & Yang, 2019).
Furthermore, the Selye Charter challenges the rigid and restrictive gender standards of the early twentieth century. While supporting women’s freedom of choice in marriage, the Union challenges the view that marriage is a patriarchal institution. The charter also guarantees women’s right to own property, dispelling the myth that they are incapable of managing finances. The Covenant rejects traditional gender norms and expectations, empowering women to take control of their lives and make choices free from cultural constraints, to live and make decisions without being constrained by cultural traditions, rejecting traditional gender roles and expectations.
Becoming a Unifying Power
Once other women found a voice, Celie was able to unite women into a whole group of people who confronted a common problem. The charter expresses women’s desire for equality and illustrates their cohesion and unity (Wang & Yang, 2019). As more and more women join the charter, they become convinced that most of them are tackling similar problems and that they can achieve the change they want by coming together. This sense of friendship and teamwork is reinforced by the film’s portrayal of the women’s movement as a grassroots movement led by women rather than outside forces. This approach emphasizes the need for independence and self-sufficiency in bringing about social change and serves as a potent reminder that internal change is most effective.
Celie’s charter is a final example of how storytelling can promote social justice. Throughout the film, the characters use storytelling to express themselves and share their experiences with others. Through sharing their experiences, they can connect and develop a sense of belonging and empathy. In many ways, Celie’s Charter is a stand-alone story that inspires and empowers the film’s female characters. By sharing their experiences and perspectives, women can challenge the prevailing narrative of their era and express their opinions and points of view.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Celie’s character is a potent representation of women’s empowerment, group effort, and societal change. The female characters in The Color Purple can express their calls for equality through this character and fight against the oppressive forces that have kept them on the margins for far too long. The women are motivated by Celie’s defiance to defend themselves and fight for their release.
The transforming power of group action is demonstrated as the ladies band together to demand the change they desperately need. The charter questions conventional gender norms and highlights the value of community, education, and storytelling in attaining social justice. The legacy of Celie’s charter endures as a symbol of the influence of female voices and the value of group effort in establishing a more just and equal world.
Reference
Wang, Y., & Yang, F. (2019). Case analysis of cross-cultural communication film the origin of female personality in “the color purple.”Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Contemporary Education, Social Sciences and Ecological Studies (CESSES 2019), 1(1). Web.