Our Bodies, Our Quilt

The Color Purple mosaic embodies the growth and resistance of Alice Walker’s protagonist, Celie, through the symbol of her clothing. Celie grew up in an incredibly abusive household, and at the novel’s beginning, she lacks self-love, confidence, or agency. She sees herself as ugly and undesirable, as illustrated by her drab, gray clothing in this panel. However, her perspective begins to change when a woman named Shug Avery comes into town, and Celie praises her appearance. After admiring the clothing of Celie’s husband's sisters, they decide to have a dress made for her, representing the subtle ways Celie's clothing is an act of resistance towards the abuse she faces. Though Celie wants a brightly colored, regal dress, she resigns herself to a less exciting navy fabric, used to make the dress in the second panel. Still, she describes the novelty of having clothing made for her, and begins to imagine that she deserves more from life. As the novel progresses, Celie develops a friendship and a romantic relationship with Shug. With Shug’s protection, she learns to resist domestic violence and gains power and confidence she never thought she would have. Celie begins to express herself through sewing, creating pants for herself, shown in the third panel. She expands this passion by sewing pants for her loved ones and then for her own company, “Folkspants Unlimited.” Panel four depicts the abundance in Celie’s life at the end of the novel, with a fulfilling profession, monetary stability, and loved ones. Her inspiring story illustrates the healing and growth possible for survivors of abuse.