In The Color Purple by Alice Walker, women are treated as inferior to men so they must obey them. Through the strength and wisdom Celie gains from other women, she learns to overcome her oppression and realize her own worth as a woman. The women she met throughout her life, and the woman she protected from a young age, are the people who helped her become a strong, independent woman. Sofia and Shug were there for Celie when she needed someone to look up to and depend on. Nettie was able to push Celie to become a more educated and independent person. The main source of conflict in this book is Celie's struggle to become an independent woman who does not need to rely on a man. Throughout the book we see her grow as a person and become independent in many ways through her experiences with the powerful women in her life. Shug being a famous singer, Celie had admired her since before they even met. When she entered Celie's life, she became Celie's greatest inspiration. Throughout the novel, Shug has taught Celie how to become a person who explores her spirituality and helps recover her family's history. All of this leads Celie to acquire a sense of personal identity. An important part in the book is when Shug tells Celie that she has never been sexually satisfied. “Here, take this mirror and go and look at yourself over there…” (Walker, 77). For Celie, this is similar to a child looking in the mirror for the first time. In Celie's case, she is able to claim her body as her own for the first time in her life (Lister, 67). In a way, Shug was also a mother figure to Celie. He gave Celie love and affection in ways she never had before. "We sleep like sisters, me and Shug." (Walker, 146) Affection...... middle of paper...... In Celie's life she would never overcome her oppression and difficulties. With all those wonderful women displaying different qualities, Celie would never be able to become a trustworthy woman. Celie started out as a shy and passive woman and has transformed into a woman who can rely on herself and who is not oppressed by the power of men. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Modern Critical Interpretations: Alice Walker's The Color Purple. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publisher, 2000. Print.Lister, Rachel. “Gender and Sexuality in the Color Purple.” Alice Walker: The Color Purple. : Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. . Print.Walker, Alice. The color purple. United States of America: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982. Print.Watkins, Mel. “Some letters went to God.” . New York Times, July 25, 1982. Web. May 21 2014. .