Then, when Eleanor Jane helps to care for Henrietta, the white community becomes outrage, that she would lower herself to be an employee of an African-American. Henrietta is Sofia's youngest daughter, whose father is not Harpo, but who is nevertheless Harpo's favorite. She has a blood disease and eats yams in all kinds of ways to combat it. Eleanor Jane is Miz Millie's daughter, who loves Sofia like a mother and will not stay away from her even after she is free from her mother"s service. This incident with how the white community was furious that she could lower herself to be employed by an African-American shows that the long history of racism will be hard to overcome. .
Sexism is also a problem in the novel. Harpo is a great example. His father Mr. ________ explains to Harpo that Sofia is making him less of a man and that he needs to beat her. Luckily, Sofia does not let Harpo do what he pleases. Mr. ______ thinks that way because his father had treated his mother that way. The abuse is pass down from one generation to the next. Celie and Sofia, both experience abuse in their childhood and in their marriages. Sofia tries to fight her domestic violence by being violent herself. Because of her size and her strength, she dares to stand up to her oppressor. Celie, on the other hand, is, in the beginning, portrayed as weak and submissive. She tolerates the incest inflicted by Fonso, her stepfather, in order to protect her mother and then Nettie from his cruelty. In order to escape from Fonso, she marries Mr. _______, who is an abusive husband that values her only as a sexual object and a caretaker for his children. To make himself feel more important and prove he is the boss, Mr._______ regularly beats Celie. The women in the novel start to stand up for themselves by talking back to the men who abuse them. Sofia always stands up for herself through out the novel. Sofia also escapes her abuse by leaving Harpo.