Student Question
How does Celie describe her daughter in The Color Purple?
Quick answer:
Celie describes her daughter, Olivia, in a store, recognizing her instantly by her resemblance to Celie and her father. Celie notes, "She look just like me and my daddy," and observes Olivia's eyes, suggesting a shared depth of experience. Despite this brief encounter, Celie does not provide much more description since she was unable to raise Olivia. Further details about Olivia's character appear later in the novel through other letters.
In Celie's tenth letter to God, she describes seeing her daughter in a store with a woman. She had not seen her daughter since the night that she gave birth. Her father (and the father of the baby) had taken the little girl from her right after she was born. Celie thought that her father had killed the baby out in the woods. Really, he had given or sold the baby to a reverend and his wife, who happened to be shopping near Celie at the time that she describes in her tenth letter.
She saw the baby and knew right away that it was her child. She writes, "She look just like me and my daddy. Like more us then us is ourself." She spoke to them and examined the girl. "She got my eyes just like they is today. Like everything I seen, she seen, and she pondering it."
There is not much more description of Olivia from Celie's perspective, as she does not get to raise her daughter. Later on in the novel, letters reveal more of what Olivia is like, but Celie is not the one describing her.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.