Critical Context

For the blog project, I chose to read an article by Charles L. Proudfit entitled, "Celie’s Search for Identity: A Psychoanalytic Developmental Reading of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple."  Proudfit offers several interpretations of why Celie is the way she is.  He focuses on the “mother-daughter bond that, according to several current psychoanalytic theorists on female development, has its origins in deep, primitive ties to the mother of infancy and is a bond that must be worked through again and again during a woman’s lifetime” (Proudfit 13).  Having grown-up without a mother, Celie definitely missed out on some female interaction from a motherly figure—she had to become the motherly figure to her younger sister Nettie.  Celie virtually had no female interaction until she met Albert’s first wife/lover Shug.  Shug is her own person, she said things how there were and did not take abuse from anyone.  I believe that Celie and Shug meeting impacted Celie’s life immensely.  Shug taught Celie over the course of the novel to be independent and have respect for herself. 

Proudfit also brings up the themes of the “True Self” and “False Self.”  This is dealing with how “expectant mothers experience a special psychological state during the latter part of their pregnancies and for several weeks after childbirth, in which they turn their attention inward and focus on the needs of the unborn and newly born.  This connection is formed prior to the sixth month [of pregnancy]” (Proudfit 15-16).  When I first read this paragraph, I took it to mean that Proudfit was saying that Celie was not a good mother because she never bonded with her children and she did not raise them; however, this would have been completely out of Celie’s control.  She did not have a choice—she was physically kicked out of her father’s house and forced into a marriage with Mr. _____, who would later be given the name Albert.  She was not given the opportunity to care for her children after they were born, which I believe is something that she constantly struggles with throughout the novel.  For example, in the book when Celie thinks that her Nettie and the kids died, she did not give up hope.  She knew her sister was out there somewhere.  I am quite surprised how much hope Celie has given the circumstances of her upbringing.  Hope is the only thing that makes Celie’s life worth living.

The article also brings up the significance of the color purple.  Proudfit explains how “even the color purple, a mixture of primary colors red (rage) and blue (depression), suggests Celie’s mood in the initial letters.  The color is also symbolic of the bruises resulting from the beatings” (Proudfit 17).  The first thing I associated with the color purple in this novel was the bruises because of Celie’s trauma filled childhood.  I am not saying that this is the best answer—I like how Proudfit analyzes the primary colors that make up purple; I would have never thought of that.  In our class discussion, hope was also brought up for the meaning of the color purple.  I think this fits best with the story because all Celie has is hope, hope for a future where she can become independent.

For the most part, I agree completely with the essay, except for the part about the “True Self” and the “False Self.”  Celie did not have control over her past, or even the upbringing of her children.  It is unfair to analyze something that is beyond the character’s control.  Celie cannot erase her past; she can only change her future.  She did change her future.  She became a successful woman who started her own business by making pants.

Please refer to the Works Cited list for a list of sources.

Posted by zers.

I read the essay Celie’s Search for Identity: A Pyschoanalytic Development Reading of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple by Charles L. Proudfit. In this essay Proudfit writes about Celie finding her identity through the struggles in the book. Celie’s mother died early on in Celie’s life and Proudfit explains that a mother and her child are seen as a unit. A child needs this unit to survive because it is known as a healthy holding environment. She also loses her father at a young age, which disables that holding environment as well. Because of these losses, Celie has a hard time finding her “true self.” The “true self” is only possible with a good mother to teach the child positive reflections of his or her self. But Celie lost that good mother when she was a toddler, so she never found that “true self.” It is not until Shug comes along that Celie finds that mother figure and she begins to find her “true self.” Celie has “survived loss, “soul murder,” incest, and physical and emotional abuse, but still came out of it stronger because of Shug and Nettie’s bond with her. Nettie, and especially Shug, helped Celie find herself by providing her with the caring and motherly bonds she needs.

I agree with a lot of points in this essay. I agree with the point Proudfit makes when he says that an infant is psychologically merged with its mother at birth. This is true because an infant needs its mother, not only for food, but also for love and affection. I have previously learned that a baby can die or his or her growth can be stunted without human touch. The baby and the mother are seen as a unit. The article discusses Celie’s involvement as Nettie’s mother; and because they both lost their mother at such a young age, this is true. Celie always seemed to be taking care of Nettie until Nettie found her own life after Celie’s husband kicked her out. I agree to a point that Shug serves as Celie’s mother figure. I think at first Shug serves as a mother to Celie when she teaches Celie that she does not deserve to be abused. But after that I believe she serves more as a friend, helping Celie get on her feet and being there for Celie. Shug provided Celie with the love she needed as both a mother and a friend.

The essay discusses Celie’s home life before her parents passed away. It talks about her household with both her parents in it and the fact that there is a lot of femaleness and femininity in it. This is because Celie’s father adored his wife. I think this means there is femaleness involved in the family, but not necessarily femininity. It is obvious Celie’s father loves his wife, but that does not mean there is equality in the family. We do not know too much about what went down in Celie’s house before the parents died. For all we know, they could have beaten each other, which would not promote femininity. This is the only thing I disagree with.

This essay talked a lot about Celie’s struggles and what helped her figure out her life and find out who she is. Shug had a lot to do with that. Celie was able to surpass her issues and have an awesome life.

Posted by renee:)