The Color Purple

The Color Purple

by

Alice Walker

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Color Purple makes teaching easy.

The Color Purple: Letter 38 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
When Celie and Mr. ____ visit Sofia in jail some time later, they find that Sofia has been placed on laundry duty in the basement of the jail, breathing in fumes from the chemical cleaners and working nearly every waking hour, every day. During the visit, Mr. ____ proposes to Sofia that, perhaps, she can get time off her twelve-year sentence for good behavior. But Sofia says she would not be capable of groveling to the prison authorities in order to earn her early release.
The conditions in Sofia's prison are far from acceptable. It is also implied that, because the people controlling the prison are white, they are mistreating Sofia because of her skin color, and because she got into a fight in the first place by resisting white authority.
Themes
Race and Racism Theme Icon
Men, Women, and Gender Roles Theme Icon
Violence and Suffering Theme Icon
Self-Discovery Theme Icon