The Essays I wrote

Cruncher 2

In Walker's The Color Purple, deception is quickly connected to Alphonso. He misleads Celie to think that he was her father when, in actuality, he is anything but.

Celie becomes aware of this deception while reading the letters from Nette. When Celie goes to confront Alphonso, he tells her that he feels no guilt or remorse for anything that he did. She finds him living in a nice place and married to another young girl. He shows his true colors as an uncaring molester.

Alphonso misleads her to fully take control of her life and to make her feel cut off from family help- as she is being abused by 'family'. As her 'father', Alphonso is able to take the lead and position himself as the dominant force on Celie's life and is able to exert this control when he marries her off. The only connection Celie has with her real father is through the property she inherited, though even that was touched and handled by Alphonso. Alphonso never truly haves Celie, and when the presence does fade, Nellie receives it in the form of the two children Alphonso gave Celie.

Alphonso's constant demeaning, intense need to overpower, harsh tone, and cruel abuse of Celie, hardens Celie to the physical and verbal lashings that she would receive in the future.