【正文】 re analyzes the text. Alice Walker was born in a black family who were sharecroppers in Southern America. She witnessed and experienced the unfair social status and sufferings of the blacks. From her mother and grandmother, Alice Walker learned much about the oppression and abuse of the tragic fate of black women. At the same time, Alice Walker understood the preciousness of the black?s cultural heritage. She set the faith for the preservation and promotion of the traditional culture. The tragic childhood made Alice Walker indrawn, so she only focused on reading. When Alice Walker wanted to devote herself to literary tradition and historical artistic creativity of the black women, her mother?s gardening skills and the other black women?s artistic creativities inspired her greatly. The impact of Alice Walker?s mother also reflects on that she valued children?s education. Although they lived in a village where without a school, but her mother tried her best to provide her eight children with educational opportunities. Before Alice Walker gone to get college education, her mother had already given her three things: a sewing machine, a typewriter and a suitcase. Walker explained the meaning of these three gifts: the sewing machine means independence, the typewriter means that writing will be her life, and the suitcase means enlarging her vision. Alice Walker is a black writer who has rich life experience, profound thought and clear political ideas. Alice Walker shoulders social responsibility and historic mission of this vulnerable group — black women writers. She is fully aware of the touching power of the literature that depends on the deep meaning of the subject and ultimate concern for the destiny of mankind. Alice Walker makes a huge contribution to contemporary American literature. An Introduction to The Color Purple The Color Purple was published in 1982 and won the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award. This novel tells the life journey of the protagonist—Celie?s growth from a vulnerable girl to an independent woman. By emphasising on Celie and 2 the other black women?s pursue for equality, independence and fulfillment, Alice Walker demonstrates her ideas of womanism best. In The Color Purple, there are three sets of letters. The first letter is Celie?s letters which were written to God about Celie?s misery because she could not write or speak to anyone else. The second is Nettie?s letter to Celie, about her various experiences in Africa. The third is Celie?s letter to Nettie, which exposes the theme of The Color Purple. The Color Purple began with Celie?s letter to God. When Celie was fourteen years old, she was raped by her stepfather. Then she gave birth to two children who were taken away by her father later. Celie felt extremely painful and torturous, except God, she was forbidden to tell others. Later, Celie married to Albert, whom she called “Mr. Johnson”. As Mr. Johnson?s wife, Celie worked hard in his fields, took care of his children and bore his violence. Celie?s sister Nettie, who escaped from her own home because of her stepfather?s mistreatment, was adopted by a black missionary couple and went to Africa with them. At first, Sofia had great influence on Celie. Sofia was a brave woman, who fought against her husband?s abuse. And Sofia refused to be the maid of the white mayor?s wife. Shug Avery is a blues singer and Mr. Johnson?s lover. Some ideas of Shug? s songs are considered as sinful for the Christians． but they inspire people． Even Celie is encouraged and forted by Shug?s songs． It is the blues songs that convey black women?s aspiration for freedom and selfhood． Moreover, Shag?s pursuit of the blues reflects the appreciation of the African culture． Although the plot is simple, this novel is far from being simple. Robinson claimes that “Like a skillfully crafted quilt, The Color Purple incorporates recognizable pieces of literary traditions into its own pattern, including slave narrative, domestic novel, epistolary novel, bildungsroman, fairytale, romance, and even existential novel.”( Robinson, 1996:32). Maroula Joannou acclaims that “the influence of The Color Purple in progressive academic circles was unprecedented” (Maroula Joannou, 20xx:101). 3 1. Theoretical Framework The Theory of Womanism In 1983, Alice Walker creatively put forward the concepts of “womanist” and “womanism” to replace “feminist” and “feminism” in her important collection of essaysIn Search of our Mothers’ Gardens. In this book, Alice Walker makes a concrete and vivid illustration of the black women?s ideal state, and defines the term “womanism” as follows: 1. A black feminist or feminist of color. From the black folk expression of mothers to female children “You acting womanish” that means you act like a woman, usually referring to outrageous, audacious, courageous, or willful behavior. Wanting to know more and in greater depth than is considered “good for one”. She is responsible. She is in charge. She is serious. 2. A woman who loves other women, sexually and/or nonsexually, appreciates and prefers women?s culture. Committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female. 3. A woman who loves music and dance. She loves the moon. She loves the spirit. She loves the food and roundness. She loves struggle. She loves the folk. She loves herself. She is regardless. 4. Womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender. (Walker, 1983: xixii) Walker creates the term “womanist” to show the differences with white feminists. Womanism is a unity oantisexism,antiracialism, Africa centralism and humanism, which is regareded as the core of Walker?s spiritual world. Alice Walker stresses that the womanist “Committed to survival and wholeness of entire