Essay on the Color Purple: It Was the Worst Time The book The Color Purple was written by Alice Walker. The book was not written in a conventional way. It was a series of letters that retraced the life of Celie, the protagonist. Most of the letters were written by Celie and some by her sister Nettie. The theme of the book is being true to yourself despite difficulties and never letting go of what you believe in. Don't let people make you believe that you are something you are not, so you will have the will to survive even in the worst moments. of times. The color purple speaks to Celie's life. Early in the novel we learn that Celie was raped by her father. We also learn that Celie's mother is ill and unable to care for the family. Celie is forced to cook and clean for her family. Celie conceived two children due to her father's constant rapes. He never sees his children and believes his father killed them. A man in town wanted to take Celie's sister Nettie as his wife, but her father convinces the man to take Celie instead. Celie is now forced to marry an older man who already has children. Celie's husband constantly beats and rapes her without any remorse. He even assigned Celie to act as nurse to Shug Avery, his lover, when she was ill. It's time for Celie to learn from Shug Avery about love. Shug Avery encourages Celie to no longer suffer from her husband's abuse and that she deserves better. Celie would finally leave her husband when she discovered that he was hiding her sister's letters from her. Nettie was the only reason Celie had survived. Celie could not tolerate any more abuse and left with Shug Avery and Mary Agnes. Mary Agnes was the lover of Celie's stepson. Celie eventually meets Nettie and her two children who she thought were dead. She then returns to her husband who has changed drastically since Shug Avery and Celie left. This novel is set in the early 1900s. During this time, blacks were oppressed by whites. They have been abused and exploited. Not only were blacks oppressed, but women were oppressed as well. They had little freedom and could not be self-sufficient.