In The Color Purple by Alice Walker, oppression functions throughout the entire novel. Every African-American is constantly being oppressed and subjugated. A young African-American woman, Celie, is constantly demoralized by the men in her life causing her to think that she can never be self-reliant. She is passive to all their actions at first, but she becomes an autonomous woman that strives for success by her own will.
             Celie's father, "Pa", has no respect for his daughter. He dejects her for everything she does and doesn't let her have or enjoy certain privileges that she is entitled to as a human being. "Pa" is constantly traumatizing Celie. As a father, he is supposed to comfort her and reassure her that she is cared for. However, he does the complete opposite. "He never had a kine word to say to me. Just say you gonna do what your mammy wouldn't...When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying you better shut up and get used to it" (Pg. 1). By raping and beating her, he has traumatized her for life and has demoralized her as a woman and a human being. Her father withholds certain privileges that she is entitled to. When he rapes her and she ends up having children, he takes them away from her and sells them. Celie knows that he is abusing her and has done wrong, she never stands up for herself or questions his authority. The only way she can express her pain is through tears. Celie is very submissive to misfortunes that happen to her. She feels that she isn't supposed have certain privileges and she accepts everything for how it is.
             She even accepts it when her father doesn't allow her to choose a husband. He gives her to a man named Albert. Albert is supposed to be her loving husband, however he treats her like a slave. Albert, or as she calls him Mr. _____, uses her as a slave and is constantly daunting her for everything that she does. Alb
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