Modern Myth About Growing Pains Of African-American Females

Alice Walker is an eminent African-American female writer and staunch activist.Her best-selling novel, The Color Purple, lays a solid foundation for her in thecontemporary literature. The novel written in epistolary form is about the catastrophicexperience and persistent struggle of a poor black woman called Celie.Researchers have applied various approaches to the study of The Color Purple.But there have not been many systematic analyses of the novel through archetypalcritical approach focusing on connection between literature images and mythicalarchetypes. Considering a lot of archetypes are used in The Color Purple, the author ofthis thesis takes archetypal critical approach to the analysis of this novel. The discussionis made from three aspects: archetypal motif, archetypal character and archetypalstructure.From the perspective of archetypal motif, we can see that The Color Purple usesthe quest motif, the death and resurrection motif, the initiation motif and thehomosexuality motif. As to the archetypal character, myriad of characters in the novelshare similarities with the biblical archetypes. Celie resembles Jesus with a forgivingheart. Shug has some common qualities with Moses who possesses double identity andserves as preacher and leader. Samson is the archetype of Sophia because both of themshare similarities in enormous strength and rebellious spirit. In the view of archetypalstructure, Celie’s life course fits well with the U-shaped structure in the Bible. It followsthe model of paradise—suffering—resistance—salvation which is coincident with blackwomen’s painful struggle for freedom and equality. Based on the above analysis, aconclusion can be drawn. Walker’s extensive employment of archetypes not also enriches the novel’s cultural connotation but also adds much to the meanings of thenovel. The painstaking experience shared by female characters in this novel is noneother than a miniature of African-American females’ unceasing quest for identity.African-American females use lesbianism as a weapon to demolish patriarchy, gainspiritual resurrection and fulfill initiation. In fact, The Color Purple is the modern mythabout growing pains of African-American females.