"And now I feels sick every time I be the one to cook." pg. 1, para. 4 Throughout the first half of The Color Purple, Alice Walker utilizes euphemism in a subtle way. She downplays different scenarios which Celie describes to emphasize Celie's young innocent nature wrapped up in the violence that surrounds her. By using euphemisms such as the one quoted, Celie hints at her pregnancy but does not come straight out and admit she is pregnant by her father until later. The euphemisms wear off I noticed as she became older and saw realism through her relationship with Shug Avery. After Celie sees Olivia in town one day, she says smiling felt like it split her face, meaning she hasn't smiled in so long that the very act of it hurt and was foreign. However, Celie does not dwell on or draw attention to WHY she has been so unhappy. She instead makes matters seem better by covering up her lack of smiling.
"Finish saying I do with a big ole nursing boy in her arms." pg. 34 para. 1
Another technique Walker instills in the novel is humor. Celie adds humor in her descriptions of mostly everything, even the most serious of topics. Here, Harpo ran away to get married to strong-willed Sofia because her Pa said he wasn't fitting for Sofia. After their child had already been born, they eloped; Sofia carried out hr motherly duties on the alter with a nursing baby. What a sight to see!!
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