GOD IN ALICE WALKER’S THE COLOR PURPLE; A PARADOX OF THE DIVINE

Abstract

Over time, as secularization took root in Black churches during the Civil
Rights era, the prevalent framework in understanding African American
spirituality discourse has shifted from theology to sociology. This paper tries
to discern this major shift from the black literature perspective. It aims to
discuss the main charachers’ paradoxical state of mind in understanding
God in the novel The Color Purple. The 1982 Pulitzer Prize for fiction winner
is organized around an intimate conversation between two female
characters, Celie and Shug Avery, whose understanding of God were
challanged by complexity of sexism and racism in the black family.
Sociological approach is adopted to understand the characters’ dynamic
concept of God. Discussion in this paper suggested that Alice Walker’s
naturalist theology is embodied in Celie and Shug Avery’s conceptualization
of God in the novel.

Keywords: Black Theology, The Color Purple, God in Black Literature.