Summary and Analysis
Letter 9
Here, we realize that Celie doesn't write to God about packing her things, or about her wedding ceremony, or even about moving into a new home. Her opening lines concern violence: "I spend my wedding day running from the oldest boy." On Celie's wedding day, this twelve-year-old hellion, who will be her stepson, bashes her in the head with a rock. Celie bandages her head and begins to function automatically, revealing that she accepts the fact that this chaos and violence will probably be a pattern throughout the rest of her life. It will be a pattern which she will simply have to cope with.
There is nothing "special" about Celie's wedding day until nighttime, when she is dutifully lying beneath Mr. _______. Then, she unselfishly and lovingly thinks of Nettie's welfare. Now that Nettie and Celie are separated, they can no longer try to protect one another. Celie's thoughts are of Nettie, even in this wretched, perhaps hopeless situation. Celie does not dwell on self-pity.
Then Celie thinks of Shug, and Shug seems closer than ever to Celie because Celie realizes that she and Shug share the same man. Celie, "that one" who Fonso said was ugly, is sharing her husband with the exotic and wondrous Shug Avery. Logically, Celie reasons that this act of sex with Mr. ________ must please Shug, and because Celie deeply desires to be like Shug, she begins to embrace Mr. ________, but all of her thoughts continue to dwell on the beautiful Shug Avery.