The Color Purple Compare and Contrast

In the book The Color Purple a novel by Alice Walker, talks about how the main character, Celie is using God to help with her struggles. When Celie was younger her dad wanted or told Mr. to marry Celie instead of Nettie because she was too young. In the whole book, Celie depends on God and writes to him most of the time.Celie uses her method of writing to God to cope with her struggles. Celie dealt with a lot of abuse from Mr. She always had a lot of chores around the house and takes care of kids. No one really truly loves her except for her sister, Nettie but Mr. kicked her out. Celie and Nettie both have similarities with religion, gender inequality, and education but both have differences. Nettie has more freedom and opportunities while Celie doesn’t

At first Nettie and Celie have similarities in strong religion but in the end it becomes different. Celie depends on God because she felt like he was the only one she can depend on and trust because she has no one. Later on in the book Celie found Nettie’s letters from Africa telling Celie that she is at a Olinka village because she was a missionary. Celie got caught up with her sister that she doesn’t write to God anymore

“Dear Nettie, I don’t write to God no more. I write to you.” (92).

This quote shows that she has been writing to God her whole life and she feels like he doesn’t make anything better. Even though Celie writes to God, She writes to him because she needs someone to help her and someone for her to talk to. Celie realizes that when she writes to God, he doesn’t help her, talk to her, or do anything. After she read Nettie’s Letters, she feels that if she wrote to Nettie she would understand Celie more than God and give her advice. As for Nettie, her belief in God stays strong and uses religion as a career which is being in Africa missionary to spread religion.
“Corrine and Samuel and the children are part of a group of people called Missionaires, of the American and African Missionary society.”(130)
Nettie believes in religion and has strong faith in it. Even though Corrine and Samuel are good friends with Nettie, she would still have to go to Missionary with them because they are like family. Corrine and Samuel are religious just like Nettie. During Nettie’s missionary she sees missionary as a career and spreading the religion. Nettie’s faith in God still remains as she is in the missionary.
During the letters to God, Celie explains her struggles with Mr. and at home. Mr. treats Celie like she is nothing. In the book it talks about gender inequality. Celie believes men are much more better than women. With that belief of hers, she doesn’t stand up for herself and believes that men should have more power and be more demanding while on the other hand women should listen to the man and follow instructions or rules. Celie doesn’t realize that shes not independent which is a huge indicator because she didn’t stand up for herself and her rights until near the end of the book. Futhermore in the  book, Celie experienced inequality itself between Shug and Celie.
“He beat be when you not here, I say... What he beat you for? she ast. For being me and not you.” (74-75)
This quote shows inequality between M.r., Shug, and Celie because Mr. favors Shug more and Mr. beast Celie because she isn’t like Shug and doesn’t look as pretty as Shug. Just because Celie isn’t like Shug doesn’t mean he have to treat Celie like crap. Mr. doesn’t realize that everyone is different and isn’t equal like Shug and Celie.
“Don’t let them run over you, Nettie say. You got to let them know who got the upper hand,”(17)
This quote explains how Nettie is independent herself and stands on her own. Nettie sticks up for Celie and herself. Nettie doesn’t want M.r. to take control of Celie. Nettie wants Celie to be independent and stand up for her own rights. Later on, Celie lost herself because Mr. beats her and that shoes that she is afraid to stand up for herself, her rights, and what she deserves to be.
Celie taught herself how to read and write but also with help from Nettie. At first, Nettie was educated on her own but Celie was uneducated.
“Us both be hitting Nettie’s schoolbooks pretty hard, cause us know we got to be smart to git away... I know I’m not as pretty or smart as Nettie, but she say I ain’t dumb,” (9)
Celie envy’s Nettie sort of because Nettie can read and write. Education is powerful and with it anyone can do anything. Celie wants to be educated like her sister because she wants to have the ability to have education at that time. Celie pretty much taught herself how to read and write and this shows that they didn’t allow education.
“Why can’t Tashi come to school? she asked me. When i told her the Olinka don’t believe in educating girls she said, quick as a flash, they’re like white people at home who don’t want colored people to learn,”(156)
Nettie has a strong belief in education when she went to missionary . Nettie wanted to spread education amoung the women at the Olinka village but the people don’t accept or allow education there. Even though the Olinka village doesn’t allow education, Olivia and Tashi wanted to be educated and managed to learn.
In conclusion, the similarites and differences between Celie and Nettie show their experiences at home and outside the states. Celie didn’t have as much experience has Nettie did. This includes Education, Religion, and gender inequality.