Three Women

Celie plays a traditional role of a housewife through most of what we've read so far. She complies with her husband's requests, though she admires women who stand up to their husbands. She has been battered but doesn't know how to escape the cycle. She is uneducated but somewhat intelligent, as demonstrated by the way she got Shug to eat. She is completely fixated on Shug as both an idol and a romantic figure.

Sofia is one strongest women that Celie knows. She can fight on an equal level to her husband. Though her situation growing up was nearly identical to Celie's, Sofia always stood up for herself and her sisters. While Celie diverted her father's attention from her sister by making herself more readily available to him, Sofia would have taken up arms against him. She is independent, listening to her husband but doing what she wants to do.

Shug is independent in a different way. She does not need to fight Mr because if she says "no," he obeys. Her beauty makes her a sexualized object, but she not only uses this to her advantage, but also seems to enjoy it. She is outspoken to a fault, but somehow she never appears to truly offend anyone because of the way she holds the attention. She does find a way to connect with Celie, and Celie is empowered by her presence.