ABSTRACT

Alice Walker (1944- ) consistently ranks among the greatest American writers of the twentieth century. Through her novels, she outlines many important issues concerning the effect of autocratic thinking upon its often innocent victims, and the possibility of meaningful, productive resistance. Walker’s work gives a voice to those who have no voice: usually, though not always, poor, rural black women. Walker is best known for her 1982 novel The Color Purple, which won her the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award in 1983. This novel depicts the awakening progress of Celie from tolerating to rebelling and provides guidance for females to fight for their rights.

From the perspective of ethical criticism, this paper attempts to analyze the ethical and moral crisis suffered by the black women and the possibility of their identity reconstruction in The Color Purple. It aims to investigate into the causes of black women’s suffering and find out ways to get rid of it. The possible conclusion is that, with women’s unity, they can get their equal rights through fight and build a harmonious relationship with men.

Keywords: The Color Purple; Ethical Criticism; Moral Crisis; Reconstruction; Ethical Identity 

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One INTRODUCTION-1

Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW-3

2.1 Critical History of The Color Purple-3

2.2 Critical Inadequacies-4

Chapter Three ETHICAL CRITICISM AND ITS MAJOR CONCERNS-6

Chapter Four ETHICAL AND MORAL CRISIS IN THE COLOR PURPLE-8

4.1 Loss of Ethical Identity as a Daughter-8

4.2 Loss of Ethical Identity as a Wife-10

Chapter Five RECONSTRUCTION OF ETHICAL IDENTITY IN THE COLOR PURPLE-12

5.1 Reconstruction of Ethical Identities as a Sister and a Mother-12

5.2 Reconstruction of Ethical Identity as a Human Being-14

5.3 Reconstruction of Ethical Identity as an Independent Woman -15

Chapter Six CONCLUSION-18

WORKS CITED-20