why his father beats Celie, Mr._____ informs him that beating a wife is a manly and husbandly duty. He beats her because she is his wife, and furthermore because he
think that she is stubborn. It can be seen from the quotation below: Dear God
Harpo ast his daddy why he beat me. Mr._____ say, cause she my wife. Plus, she stubborn. All women good for - he dont finish. He
just tuck his chin over the paper like he do. Remind me of Pa. The color purple, 1982 p. 23
The quotation above show us that in his mind, there are proper and reasonable reasons for such brute violence. In here the oppression of women can be
seen. Essentially, Mr.__ beats Celie because he has no respect for her. Patriachy system is applied here. Caught in this loveless marriage Celie is confronted with
nothing more than a continuation of what she has already experienced throughout her childhood. In the face of a dominant master-like husband, she has to fulfil the role of
some kind of servant or slave always being at his disposal and if not working or caring for his children, satisfying his sexual needs.
4.1.3 Celies Psychological Abuse
Psychological abuse which also referred to emotional abuse or mental abuse is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another to
behavior that may result in psychological trauma. As Celies experience, because of verbal abuse that is done by her stepfather, Fonso and her husband, Albert she
experience severe psychological effects. Her emotional is beaten by her abuse and the patriarchal system make her to be a passive woman that could do nothing for
herself. As a result of Albert’s continual abuse over the next several years, Celie shows signs of depression and withdrawal. Medical officials confirm that domestic
violence victims exhibit long-term psychological consequences including depression, withdrawal, lack of self-esteem and affection, as well as a higher tendency to commit
suicide Abbott Williamson, 1999 Pg. 84-104. Celie’s detached behavior extends beyond her interactions with Albert. She rarely smiles, nor does she speak to
houseguests. A victim taking the inactive approach feels that the best method of dealing with the abuse is simply enduring it Eisikovits, Pg. 846. When Albert slaps,
hits, or pushes her, Celie responds by avoiding eye contact and using a lower voice. what good it do? I don’t fight, I stay where I’m told. But I’m alive.
The color purple, 1982 p. 22.
From the quotation above we can see that Celie shows a common case in which a woman lacks the self-confidence to escape her husband’s physical, verbal,
and sexual abuse. A study performed by Breitenbecher and Gidycz verifies 1998 the fact that sexual abuse causes learned helplessness. Their study supports previous
work showing that, in addition to learned helplessness, sexual abuse causes low self- esteem, anxiety, and dissociation. In turn, women who develop these symptoms
become more susceptible to future victimization Breitenbecher Gidycz, p. 19.
Celie displays her own learned helplessness, saying, I don’t know how to fight.
I make myself wood. I say to myself, Celie, you a tree. That’s how come I know trees fear man. The color purple, 1982 p. 23.
From the quotation above, we can see that under the patriarchy system she makes herself pretending as a wood of a tree, not as a living human being. Celie
could do nothing for herself. One thing that she can do is only by pretending to be a wood of a tree which fear of man. Celie is a woman described as a wood of tree
should fear of man but she try to be strong to face her terrible life. It seems that she
can bear all the sorrows inflicted upon her just like when she talks to Nettie, before leaving from her husbands home, she says:
It worse than that, I think. If I was buried, I wouldnt have to work. But I just say, Never mine, never mine, long as I can spell
G-o-d I got somebody along. The Color Purple, 1982 p. 19.
From the quotation above, we can see that the life of Celie is worse than if she is buried. But she tries to always be strong to overcome all of her problem as
long as God with her. Although other women around her like Sofia and Shug Avery tell her that she
has to fight in order to improve her situation and to make Mr_____ recognize that he cannot treat her that way, Celie stays passive victim of her environment.
How bad the situation is for Celie becomes obvious as she states that living
this way with Mr____ and his children.
No men think that Celie is important. Celie always be a passive object that could not do something to help herself from the patriarchy. She is always abused
throughout her life, being sexual abused child and passive wife make her suffering all the time until finally there are things that encourage Celie s struggle against male
domination.
4.1.4 Lack of Education
