The Road To Black Women’s Salvation

Alice Walker, one of the most important black female writers in Americanliterary history, has composed abundant classic works, among which is the novel TheColor Purple won her Puliz prize in1982. As the work was published, it shocked theliterary circle of the USA with its unique charm.This paper focuses on black women’s quest for salvation in The Color Purplein light of womanism. Through the analysis of the protagonist Celie and her blacksisters, it is concluded that their miserable fates are deeply rooted in dual oppressions.They suffer not only from racial discrimination of whites, but also sexism of blackmen. On the one hand, black women should awake mentally so as to realize theiridentity and situation. Womanism emphasizes on returning to the traditional Africanculture, which can help black women to avoid harm and cheating of white patriarchy.On the other hand, black women can only break away from the bind of black men byhelping each other. To subvert dual oppressions, black women need to stay inharmonious lives with black men, who are the victims of racial discrimination aswell. Only in this way can black women really gain salvation and subvert dualoppressions.Chapter one is arranged to explore the root of black women which originatesfrom dual oppressions of white racists and black men sexists by analyzing themiserable experience of the protagonist Celie, Nettie and Sophia. Before dualoppressions black women in The Color Purple lose way to freedom and equality andbecome a mule, bullied and oppressed at random by white men and black men.Chapter two is focused on how black women in The Color Purple awake torealize their identity. Womanism emphasizes that black women can escape fromharm and cheating of white patriarchy through returning to traditional African culture.Firstly, it is analyzed that Christianity can not offer black women beneficial spiritualpower with the transformation of Celie’s understanding on God as example; on thecontrary, it is harmful and poisonous to black women. So black women shouldbelieve in traditional African religions. Blues and quilt making can also stimulatetraditional African culture in the heart of black women as important forms of blackwomen culture in The Color Purple. In chapter three, it is pointed out that black women only have to help eachother to withdraw from oppression of black men by studying how black sisters helpCelie from different perspectives. The black hero Albert’s dilemma situation will beanalyzed to prove black males in The Color Purple are victims of white racism andblack patriarchy, so in order to overturn duel oppressions womanism emphasizes thatblack women should lead harmonious lives with black men.