Dear G-o-d

"But I just say, Never mine, never mine, long as I can spell G-o-d I got somebody along." pg 18

"Dear God,"

The novel is structured as a constant letter. When Celie tells the story, each new "chapter" begins with "Dear God." I speculated that she started each entry like this because she wanted to feel some connection with God, someone who would feel so distant from her life based on all that had happened to her. Though she doesn't believe it, Celie has immense strength to pray to a God, or at least address God, who seemingly tossed her aside to be spoiled by greedy men. Later, on page 130, Nettie's fourth letter says, "I remember one time you said your life made you feel so ashamed you couln't even talk about it to God, you had to write it...." Still structured in a letter-type fomat Nettie writes to Celie and indicates that Celie writes to God because her past is too much to face. Who could blame her!? The "Dear God" comes across as more of a habit or calling than a prayer.