Initially, I had to read each letter twice to even begin to understand what Celie was trying to say, because the language used in the letters was extremely old south and full of poor grammar. Eventually I got use to the language and began to comprehend Celie's story as it developed. As I began to understand what was going on in the narration, I found myself getting very angry at Celie for not sticking up for herself or doing anything to better the life she was living. Celie does little to fight back against her stepfather, Alphonso. Later in life, when her husband, Mr. ______, abuses her, she reacts in a similarly passive manner.
             However, Celie latches on to Shug Avery, a beautiful and seemingly empowered woman, as a role model. After Shug moves into Celie and Mr. ______'s home, Celie has the opportunity to befriend the woman whom she loves and to learn, at last, how to fight back.
             I think the most powerful part of the story thus far was when Squeak returned from an unsuccessful attempt to release Sofia from prison. The prison warden raped Squeak, and she returns home battered and torn. However, Squeak is not defeated, and she makes an important act of resistance when she decides to reject the belittling nickname, Squeak, that Harpo has given her. She insists on being called by her given name, Mary Agnes. By renaming herself, Mary Agnes resists the patriarchal words and symbols that Harpo has imposed upon her. The author seems to repeatedly stress the importance of language and storytelling as ways of controlling situations and as the first steps toward liberation. Just as Shug renames Celie a virgin, and just as Celie reverses Mr. ______'s words to say, "I'm pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook. . . . But I'm here," Mary Agnes renames herself to show her refusal to let the man in her life gain interpretive control over her.
             Overall I have enjoyed the book so far, and look ...