Abstract: Color Purple is a typical initiation story. It depicts the black women’s struggle for their spiritual wholeness as well as status, sexual and racial equality. It also points out to the black women that only sisterhood can help them to realize their consciousness, gain dignity and get independence. The study aims to investigate the black female consciousness of the heroine Celia from the following four parts: the first part is an introduction to the writer Alice Walker and the outline of the thesis. The second part concentrates the oppression Celia bears in the context of sexism and racism. She endures the sufferings without any resistance, which gradually pushes Celia to a hellish abyss as other black women who are suffering the same pain. The third part focuses on the awakening of Celia’s female awareness and she begins to challenge, resist and appeals to freedom with the influence and help of her sisters around her. The fourth part narrates Celia’s independence by changing beliefs. Celia courageously rebels, calls for her independence fights for freedom and tries to establish women's enterprise. With the help of sisterhood, Celia finds her dignity and gains independence. The last part concludes the thesis.

Key words: Celia; numbness; awaking; independence--

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Introduction of Alice Walker-1

1.2 Introduction of the Color Purple-1

2. Numbness of Celia-2

3. Awakening of Celia-3

3.1 Influenced by Sofia-3

3.2Influenced by Nettie-4

3.3Influenced by Shug-4

3.4 Influenced by God-5

4. Independence of Celia-6

4.1 Financial Independence-6

4.2 Spiritual Independence-6

5. Conclusion-7

Bibliography-8

Acknowledgements-9