Abstract

This paper is to analyze Alice Walker’s best-known novel, The Color Purple, through black feminist literary criticism. The paper’s aim is to indicate that what’s black women’ s oppression and how they struggle for liberation,which has the model significance to points out a bright way not only for the wretched black women, but all the women who are still suffering and want total liberation. Based on the theory of black feminist literary criticism, this paper will analyze the double oppression black women suffer and the way they struggle for liberation. Black women suffer the double oppression from racism and sexism. Their liberation includes personal and racial liberation. To conclude, this paper will inform not only black women but other women who are still suffering the oppression to establish a view that they should fight for their own life. Although women still need to go through hazards and hardships, they will succeed one day.

Keywords: black women; black feminist literary criticism; double oppression; self-identity

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Research Background-1

1.1.1 The Information of Alice Walker-1

1.1.2 The Information of The Color Purple-2

1.2 Research Significance-2

1.3 Research Questions-3

2. Literature Review-4

2.1 Black Feminist Literary Criticism-4

2.1.1 Feminism-4

2.1.2 Feminist Literary Criticism-4

2.1.3 American Black Feminist Literary Criticism-5

2.2 Researches of The Color Purple-6

2.2.1 Researches of The Color Purple at Home and Abroad-6

2.2.2 Researches on The Color Purple from Black Feminism-7

3. The Analysis of Black Women’ s Oppression-8

3.1 The Analysis of Black Women’ s Oppression from General Feminist Perspective-8

3.1.1 Black Women’ s Oppression in Marriage-8

3.2 The Analysis of Black Women’ s Oppression from Black Feminist Perspective-9

3.2.1 Black Women’ s Oppression in Social Contact-10

3.2.2 Black Women’ s Oppression from White Men’ s Sexual Abuse-10

4. The Analysis of Black Women’ s Liberation-12

4.1 Search for Individual Value-12

4.1.1 Search for Self-actualization-13

4.1.2 Search for Equality between the Genders-14

4.2 Search for Social Value-15

4.2.1 Search for Economic Liberation-15

4.2.2 Search for Racial Liberation-16

5. Conclusion-17

References-18