The Color Purple - Celie's Greatness

            
             "Greatness in spite of its name appears not to be so much a certain size as a certain quality in human lives. It may be present in lives whose ranges very small." (Philip Brooks) In Alice Walker's The Color Purple, the main character battles with oppression in the search for her own greatness. Celie, a black woman of the South, is constantly pushed down until she reaches near the absolute bottom. Throughout the novel, Celie's behavior gradually moves up the road to greatness. In order to do this, she must discover her self-confidence, learn to stand up for herself, and learn how to affect the people around her. To be considered great, one would probably imagine someone with physical qualities of greatness such as wealth and power, but to be great one can possess more spiritual qualities such as self-confidence, love, and equality - such qualities that Celie gains. Celie sacrifices her own life to please those she loves: her sister Nettie and her idol Shug Avery. Celie gives up all that she has for them, which in reality, is absolutely nothing. Although she loves them dearly, she mainly sacrifices herself because she believes she has nothing to lose. As the novel proceeds, Celie realizes her own greatness and gains love, dignity, and equality. Celie achieves this throughout her difficult life in the South. However, it took Celie almost a lifetime to realize that her greatness was always there inside of her, waiting to come out. .
             In the beginning of the novel, Celie not only puts herself down, but also is put down by others. "I don't have nothing to offer and I feel's poor." (15) The setting, which takes place in the South, contributes to the effectiveness of this work. Celie expects to be treated badly because she's a double minority in the South; she's black and a woman. She faces a difficult life of growing up without a mother, and with her father who continually beats and rapes her.