Film Analysis on the Color Purple

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Various themes like domestic violence are well depicted in the film The Color Purple. Whereby various characters in the film go through mistreatment and violence in their marriage, for instance, Celie is mistreated by her step father and husband. Sophia and her husband Harpo they fight severally due to various disagreements. The two ladies are varying at the beginning of the play. Sofia, due to her size and strength, tries to defend herself by fighting back and at last decides to leave her husband (http://youtu.be/vRSla1RaEiM). On the other hand Celie perseveres mistreatment, first by her step father, Fonso and later Albert. The theme of how the oppressed can redeem themselves through unity is well depicted in the film. This is shown when Celie and Sophia put away their differences and become fast friends.

Celie goes to an extent of nursing Sophia’s wounds when she is arrested. In addition, this is a feminist movie. It is about a lady finding out who she really is and the value she has and will always have. In the south, Celie endured the patriarchal culture which during her search for truth, she realizes is abusive to a woman. At the beginning, she thought that wife battering is a normal thing. That is why she even advises Harpo to regularly beat Sophia. She even doesn’t deny it when Sophia questions her about it. She later learns that women are equal to men in virtually everything, including knowledge, power and finance, when she escapes from Albert after meeting Shug. When she returns in Georgia, at the end of the film, she is a very independent not a submissive and weak lady she used to be.

Celie being one of the major female characters in the film, she has a variety of character traits that make the play more appealing and make expression of the themes easy. The ability to love unconditionally, to endure and strength are the three major attributes that make up Celie’s personality. She endures because she believes in herself. In various instances she sees herself as worthless, especially when she has tenuous connection with others. But this doesn’t affect her endurance any bit. Since her adolescence into adulthood she endures all sorts of abuse, including sexual, emotional and physical abuse. This abuse don’t change her from being gentle and caring

In various instances in the film Celie considers others first before she considers herself. This is an act of loving others more that she ever loves herself. She takes abuse from Fonso in order to save Nettie and her mother from his cruelty. When she realizes that Nettie might be forced to marry Albert, she marries him to protect her from that. In addition she allows Nettie to move away from the farm, knowing very well that she is the only family and friend she has ever had. This is because she believes that this would protect Nettie from him. In spite of all the difficult circumstances that Celie finds herself in, she survives due to her endurance. She is not only able to put up with uncertainty of Shug’s love, but also to withstand sexual abuse of Fonso, poverty, prejudice, miscarriages, Albert’s cruelty, and loss of Nettie.

She is known to love unconditionally. She loves Shug even before meeting her and she is very happy when she realizes that Shug loves her back. Even if Shug doesn’t always treat hers well, she still loves her. When Shug goes away, she decorates a house for her and paints it with purple color and preserves it in hope that she will once return. She also has steadfast love for Sofia. When she is arrested, Celie helps in caring for her wounds, visits her often and encourage her to make her feel better (Caldwell, 2011).

The movie had a great impact in my life. First of all it provided me with the insight into how life was in the south then, where women were oppressed, men were very abusive and a society that was very judgmental. Although it is an interesting film, it is very emotional film. The various mistreatments that the various female characters go through in the film drove me into tears. It also made me to realize the importance of solidarity. When the three ladies come together, they are able to develop themselves. Although they pass through a bitter life, they don’t give up. Celie’s strength made me realize that whenever troubles come, I should always hope that tomorrow will be better. Such an optimistic life is what I was missing. The play also showed me that I shouldn’t be self-centered. Celie is not self-centered; this is a character that many lack. This is an attribute that I really desire (Klein, & Anonymous, 2006).

In searching for a scholarly article, the following process is followed. You first go to the library homepage then click on databases, use the name of the country you want and social issue you have chosen from the list of your assignment as a search item then click the Scholarly Journals tab that appears above the list of articles to find the academic article you want. A scholarly article is a publication whose target audience is academic, authored by academics and published by renowned society. Before it is approved it undergoes official review by various personalities who are experts in the area and there are various characteristics that it must have before it passes the test, for instance citation of the source of information and use of academic or technical terminology.

References:

Klein, J & Anonymous, (2006). Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics, Edition10, California, Random House Trade Paperbacks.

Caldwell, T (2011). The Film Analysis Handbook, New York, Insight Publications.

http://youtu.be/vRSla1RaEiM