Slika Afrike u romanu Boja purpura Alis Voker

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to present an image of Africa through the prism of the character Nettie from the novel The Color Purple. Nettie’s letters are often due to their style, which is characterized as white, boring and uninspired, marginalized in favor of the letters that her sister, Celie, writes. However, in her letters Nettie gives an insight into social and cultural aspects of a continent that to a majority of readers can seem foreign and alien. In this paper we presented Nettie’s image of Africa via: (1) general observations based on a clash between Nettie’s book knowledge of Africa and her experiences as she lives on the continent; (2) Nettie’s remarks about the status of women and religion in Africa. In this manner, the image of Africa within the novel is reduced through Nettie’s perspective for she has a limited education and a subdued position in society. The image of Africa in the novel is narrowed to describing the lifestyle of the Olinka tribe, which serves as a background for the events in Nettie’s own personal life. Still, it is heavily implied that Africa cannot be narrowed down to a singular meaning – it is more than just a physical space, it harbors diverse cultural, religious and civilizational implications. Key words: The Color Purple, Alice Walker, Nettie, letters, Africa, status of women, African American literature. Key words: The Color Purple, Alice Walker, Nettie, letters, Africa, status of women, African American literature