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The Relationship between Sex, Power, and Perception

Alice Walker’s epistolary novel, ​The Color Purple, ​is an in-depth exploration of female

empowerment in a racist, patriarchal environment. The novel follows the protagonist, Celie, as

she overcomes societal travesties through relationships and love. Walker creates an immersive

setting, depicting the evolving first-person narration of Celie. The narrative perspective in

conjunction with Walker’s seamless ability to introduce natural motifs, aids her examination of

powerful feminist themes. Notably, Walker uses the transformative symbolism of the motif, ​sex​,

and connects it to themes of power and perception.

On the first page of the novel, Walker introduces the motif of sex and sexual assault.

While the assault is an admittedly brash and violent beginning, it forms a foundation for the

impacts of sexual assault on the protagonist. Moreover, the scene establishes the protagonist’s

association between sex and men with violence. Celie recounts the first rape by her stepfather

with terse diction, describing the assault, “When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying

You better shut up and git used to it” and follows up with, “But I don’t ever git used to it”

(Walker 1). The use of violence in conjunction with rape, specifically choking, is symbolic of

female​ ​suppression. Furthermore, the repetition of the phrase, “git used to it,” establishes the idea

that Celie is forced into silence (Walker 1). The suppression enlisted by her father figure

enforces the patriarchal perception of male power and female subservience. Later in the novel,

this theme is reinforced through Celie’s relationship with Mr. ___. Walker highlights the lack of

respect they have for one another by revealing the unjust masculine power dynamic. Through

dialogue, this idea is acutely confirmed by Albert, “All women good for-- he don’t finish.” Celie

juxtaposes his sentiment by proposing the question, “He don’t ast How come you his wife?
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Nobody ast that.” (Walker 22). This internal narration stresses the sexually abusive relationship

between Celie and Albert, reiterating the idea of an imbalance of power. The dialogue reveals

Albert’s objectification of women, seeing women as a means for his own sexual pleasure. This

degrdation of female idenity is reinforced when Celie recounts her disdain for sex, “Most times I

pretend I ain’t there. He never know the difference. Never ast me how I feel, nothing.” (Walker

76). The narration uses defeated diction like “pretend” and “nothing” to imply Celie’s disconnect

and acceptance to abusive, patriarchal powers and ideas enforced through sex (Walker 76).

Additionally, Celie’s lack of sexual presence suggests her low perception of self-worth and

power. Through the use of sex, sexual assault, and sexual degradation, Walker exudes the motif

as a tool to highlight the enforcement of masculine power through the belittlement of women.

While Walker uses heterosexual sex to embody patriarchal power, the motif later

symbolizes female liberation. The transformation of sexual symbolism is subtle, yet Walker

foreshadows the role of feminine sexuality as an act of solace early on. Walker insinuates Celie’s

sexuality soon after her rape, “I don’t even look at mens... I look at women, tho, cause I’m not

scared of them.” (Walker 5). By highlighting Celie's attraction to women, Walker stresses the

idea of female aggregation in an abusive patriarch. Celie’s sexual preference foreshadows a deep

connection with women, a relationship formed from empathy and compassion. This idea comes

into fruition with the introduction of Shug, Celie’s love interest throughout the novel. With their

increasingly close relationship, Shug teaches Celie how to masturbate, allowing Celie sexual

liberation. With the help of Shug, sex becomes Celie’s own expression of power rather than a

medium of abuse and control. This is highlighted when Celie masturbates as an act of allay, “all I

can do is pull the quilt over my head and finger my little button and titties and cry” (Walker 78).

While Walker writes with dejected diction, it is presented as an act of defiance and vulnerability
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that Celie lacked before. In contrast to the defeated diction used in previous narration, Celie

enacts on her pain, finding comfort in her sexual alleviation. Embarking on her own sexual

identity with the help of a female figure contrasts the idea that sex is a means of obtaining

masculine power. Female sexuality, although suppressed in a patriarch, can be overcome when

supported by other women. The theme of feminine perceived power reaches a peak when Celie

and Shug have a sexual encounter. Celie confides in Shug detailing the accounts of rape she

endured from her stepfather and Albert. Walker asserts the effects of patriarchal perception and

the power of women when she writes, “He never ast me nothing bout myself. He clam on top of

me and fuck and fuck, even when my head bandaged. Nobody ever love me, I say. She say I love

you Miss Celie.” (Walker 111). Notably, Walker uses repetition with the line, “Never ast me

nothing,” and “fuck”​ ​to highlight the suppression of Celie’s identity, confirming the idea that

heterosexual sex is used to impose power (Walker 111). However, Walker juxtaposes this quote

through the character Shug. Shug’s love and respect for Celie rivals the lack of identity and

power she was stripped of by men. The confession is ensued by, “Us kiss and kiss till us can’t

hardly kiss no more.” (Walker 112). When Celie and Shug are together, Walker repeats “kiss”,

contrasting the previous repetition of “fuck”. “Kiss”, creates an optimistic and loving

atmosphere, opposing the negative connotations of previous sex scenes. Celie and Shug’s sexual

relationship exemplifies the power of women as they overcome and reject expectations of

patriarchal power.

Whilst sex is used to explore the perceptions of both masculine and feminine power,

Walker also uses sexuality as an internal reflection of an individual’s power. Embracing

sexuality as a result of self-realization is directly correlated with the character Shug. Characters

reference her advert acceptance of sex and sexuality, “All the men got they eyes glued to Shug’s
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bosom. I got my eyes glued there too,” (Walker 80). By identifying the attraction from both men

and women, Walker connects her sex appeal with power that transcends gender, enforcing the

idea that sex, despite it’s patriarchial enforcment, is natrual. Shug’s internal embrace of sexuality

and self-realization is reflected externally as she defies societal perceptions of power, “Then I

notice how Shug talk and act sometimes like a man.” (Walker 80). This expressed the hypocrisy

of female and male sexuality and in turn, self-worth and power. Despite previously referencing

Shug’s feminine traits with descriptions like “bosom,” Celie concludes that Shug’s upfront

sexuality defies masculine perceptions of femininity and sexual dominance. Shug’s open

embrace of sexuality contradicts the patriarchal role of sex which is why Celie observes that

Shug “act[s] like a man.”

With female influences, Celie breaks down the idea that sex is connected to masculine

power. While sex metamorphosed into female liberation, it relies on the idea of an existing

patriarchy. Like Shug, Celie learns to reject male influences in sex and acknowledges it as an

expression of individual power. Conveyed in a conversation about sex and religion, Shug says,

“God love all them feelings... And when you know God loves’em you enjoys’em a lot more you

can just relax, go with everything that’s going, and praise God by liking what you like” (Walker

195). The connection between motifs religion and sex catalyzes the philosophy that sex is

disconnected from human conceptions of power. This philosophy is self-empowering, embracing

sexuality without patriarchal influences. By reclaiming individual sexuality through acceptance

and self-love, Celie gains an internal power that rejects external suppression. The revelation of

self-respect and power is illustrated when Celie narrates, “I’m pore, I’m black, I may be ugly...

But I’m here.” (Walker 206). While Walker does not directly reference sex, the theme of

personal empowerment with profound self-realization persists. Walker uses repetitive elements
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through the use of, “I’m” to depict Celie’s growing self-worth as she defends herself. This

directly contrasts the repeated statement that “nobody” asks for her opinion and that she must be

silent. Walker uses the juxtaposing repetition to validate this moment of realization and

substantiates Celie’s internal power. Moreover, the contrast bolsters Celie’s character

development from a woman suppressed by sex to reclaiming her sexuality and self-worth.

Through ​The Color Purple, ​Walker develops the motif of sex and power by changing its

contextual symbolism. Despite the changes it undergoes, the sentiment of power as it relates to

sex remains constant. While sex can be a constricting suppression of power, Walker proposes

that it is a medium of self-liberation. By exploring this concept in a literary context, Walker calls

attention to the real-world perception of sex. Female sexuality is perceived with patriarchal and

heternormative expectations, which circumscribes an individual’s expression of power.

Ultimately, Walker advocates that sex and sexuality should be free of partirachial expectations

and be used to establish an individual expression of self-worth.

Word count: 1471

Work Cited: Walker, Alice. ​The Color Purple, Alice Walker.​ Phoenix, 1983.