Roles defined by gender is a concept that plays an essential part of Alison Walker’s ‘The Color Purple’ (TCP) and Margaret Atwoods ‘The Handmaids Tale’ (THT). The idea influences both novels to the extent that it becomes a distinctive thematic element and is explored through language, structure and narrative technique. Both writers depict domination of females by males from the female perspective although the writers’ styles differ. Atwood’s novel concentrates on the oppression of females by the male totalitarian society of Gilead, in doing so the novel has distinctively feminist ideals or elements. Walker on the other hand refutes the feminist label when it is used to describe The Color Purple as, in her view, the novel encapsulates the oppression of women, based on creed and colour as well as sex. Essentially she describes herself as a ‘womanist’. This inclusion of colour in her idea of oppression is illustrated through her comment –

“womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender”.

The simile reveals two of Walkers womanist views, firstly, the strength of her feeling as well as the depth of women’s strug

Some topics in this essay:
Color Purple, Sofia Nettie, Tale’ THT, Night Sections, God Nettie, Pa Albert, Celie Shugs, Handmaids Tale, Serena Offred, Ceremony Offred, color purple, walker similarly, male oppression, alison walker, racial sisterhood, concept sisterhood, eg albert, wider sisterhood, major irony, perception novel,