study questions Color Purple p. 57-155 Flashcards
Why does Celie cherish the quilt she and Sofia are making?
Because Shug donated her old yellow dress, the colour makes her happy and the fact that it came from Shug makes it even more special.
What strange habit does Harpo suddenly develop and why?
He starts eating a lot, all the time. He does this to get strong and big enough so that he can make Sofia do what he wants without getting beat up.
Why does Sofia leave Harpo? Where does she go?
because he wants to take away her independence. She goes to stay with her sister.
What kind of a business does Harpo start, and where does he open it?
He starts a Juke joint in the old house of him and Sofia.
Shug sings a song for Celie. What is the song about?
About an unimportant man not treating a woman right. She sings this after Celie tells Shug about the hitting
Celie tells Shug that Mr. will beat her when she is gone. When Shug asks why, what is Celie’s response?
She tells Shug that he does it because Celie is Celie, and not Shug
Shug asks Celie if it bothers her when Albert and Shug sleep together. Celie tells her she doesn’t mind. What are Celie’s true feelings toward Shug?
- She does care, because Celie loves/likes Shug.
- She becomes sad because Shug makes her feel differently about sex.
Who is Squeak, and how did she lose two of her teeth?
She is the new girlfriend of Harpo, and she is jealous of Sofia and calls her a bitch, Sofia hits back and Squeak lost her teeth in this fight.
Why is Sofia in jail?
She got into a fight with the mayor.
What is Sofia’s job in jail? What is her attitude and mental state?
-Her job is to work in the prison laundry.
-Her attitude is to do anything they say and be a good prisoner, but al she can think about is murdering someone. Her personality is completely gone.
Who takes care of Sofia’s children while she is in jail?
Her sister Odessa and Squeak.
What is the plan for getting Sofia out of jail?
They want Squeak, who is a nice of the warden, to gain Sofia’s release on the basis of their relation.
Why is Squeak sent to talk to the warden? What happens while Squeak is with him?
She is related to the warden, and has to talk to him in the hopes of getting Sofia out of jail. But the warden instead rapes Squeak.
For whom does Sofia work when she is released from jail?
For the mayor and his wife. Squeak helps her with the Mayor’s children. She begins to sing songs, Shug’s and her own.
When Sofia finally gets to see her family after five years, how long does she get to visit with them? Why?
-gets to see her family for 15 minutes
-because Miz Millie didn’t know how to drive in reverse and she didn’t want to be driven home by a coloured man, so Sofia had to drive her home.
What about Shug’s Christmas visit surprises Albert and Celie?
She comes back married with a man called Grady
What happens between Shug and Celie when Albert and Grady take the car for a long drive?
- celie tells shug about her life
- afterwards they kiss
What does Shug discover that Albert has been keeping from Celie?
All the letters that Nettie wrote to Celie over the years. And that Mr.___ has been keeping from her.
What does Celie want to do when she discovers Mr. has been keeping her letters from Nettie all these years?
She wants to kill him for revenge
Why didn’t Albert marry Shug after she had his three children?
Because his family didn’t approve of Shug.
How do Celie and Shug get the rest of Nettie’s letters without Albert’s realizing they have them?
They take the letters but put the envelopes back so he won’t notice that the letters are gone.
Why did Albert keep Nettie’s letters from Celie?
to hurt both Nettie and Celie , because Nettie refused Mr.___ and he got so mad that he said that she would never hear from Celie again.
According to her letter, with whom does Nettie live?
She lives with the reverend and his wife and children.
Where does Nettie go with the Reverend and his family? Why?
She is going to Africa because the reverend and his wife are going there as missionaries and they need a nanny for the kids
