Warning: this post contains spoilers regarding Alice Walker’s 1982 novel The Color Purple.
Getting married young is a touchy subject, and especially touchy when one subject (or both subjects) are
underage. Up through the early 20th century, it was rather common for teenage women to be forced into
marriage with much older men. This is the case for Janie Crawford, the protagonist of Zora Neale
Hurston’s 1937 novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, as well as for Celie in Alice Walker’s renowned
1982 novel, The Color Purple. What comes from this are several internal battles and questions of the
nature of love and its role in marriage, as well as what marriage stands for in its individual contexts.
underage. Up through the early 20th century, it was rather common for teenage women to be forced into
marriage with much older men. This is the case for Janie Crawford, the protagonist of Zora Neale
Hurston’s 1937 novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, as well as for Celie in Alice Walker’s renowned
1982 novel, The Color Purple. What comes from this are several internal battles and questions of the
nature of love and its role in marriage, as well as what marriage stands for in its individual contexts.
In Their Eyes Were Watching God, a sixteen-year-old Janie Crawford is on the brink of discovering the
true potential of her sexual identity and awakening when she is whisked away by her grandmother to be
married off to Logan Killicks, a much older farmer. Much of the reasoning behind this decision is the
grandmother’s traumatic history, having been raped by her slave-master and from that conceiving Janie’s
mother, who would also end up being raped by a white man to conceive Janie herself. Janie’s
grandmother explains it to Janie by saying that it’s not in her control, but being a black woman with this
sort of sexual capability is dangerous, and Logan is a source of security, being a man of steady income
who can adequately “care for” Janie.
true potential of her sexual identity and awakening when she is whisked away by her grandmother to be
married off to Logan Killicks, a much older farmer. Much of the reasoning behind this decision is the
grandmother’s traumatic history, having been raped by her slave-master and from that conceiving Janie’s
mother, who would also end up being raped by a white man to conceive Janie herself. Janie’s
grandmother explains it to Janie by saying that it’s not in her control, but being a black woman with this
sort of sexual capability is dangerous, and Logan is a source of security, being a man of steady income
who can adequately “care for” Janie.
In The Color Purple, fourteen-year-old Celie is abused and raped by her father, and then forced to marry
a widower who needs help taking care of his house and children. Unlike Janie, Celie wasn’t married off
for security but rather to be of domestic help to her husband, who is only known as “Mr. _____”.
Ironically, Janie too does end up being mainly a source of domestic help for Logan, of course. Celie’s
budding sexuality is much foggier than Janie’s, partially due to her abusive past and also due to her
attraction to women, which would’ve been considered very unusual at the time, and it really seems to
throw Celie off as she starts to uncover it more.
a widower who needs help taking care of his house and children. Unlike Janie, Celie wasn’t married off
for security but rather to be of domestic help to her husband, who is only known as “Mr. _____”.
Ironically, Janie too does end up being mainly a source of domestic help for Logan, of course. Celie’s
budding sexuality is much foggier than Janie’s, partially due to her abusive past and also due to her
attraction to women, which would’ve been considered very unusual at the time, and it really seems to
throw Celie off as she starts to uncover it more.
For Janie, her experience with Logan isn’t what she imagined marriage to be. She figured that,
naturally, she would love Logan shortly after they got married, as marriage seems to her as something
that should be about love. When she kisses Johnny Taylor under the pear tree, she imagines that
buzzing, excited feeling as the ideal for marriage. She just assumes that will happen to her once she
marries Logan, but instead she finds herself in an unhappy living situation with a smelly old man who
does nothing but order her to help him with chores. Discovering that she does not really love Logan
crushes Janie at first, but after some time (and meeting a certain Joe Starks), she gets her wits about
her and up and leaves him.
naturally, she would love Logan shortly after they got married, as marriage seems to her as something
that should be about love. When she kisses Johnny Taylor under the pear tree, she imagines that
buzzing, excited feeling as the ideal for marriage. She just assumes that will happen to her once she
marries Logan, but instead she finds herself in an unhappy living situation with a smelly old man who
does nothing but order her to help him with chores. Discovering that she does not really love Logan
crushes Janie at first, but after some time (and meeting a certain Joe Starks), she gets her wits about
her and up and leaves him.
Like Janie, Celie idolizes a loving, passionate relationship, although she represses the idea as she’d
been abused by her father for so long, and is terrified of men. To her, marriage doesn’t really mean
much other than domesticity and abuse, since that’s all she’s been exposed to in her short time
growing up. She only starts to discover the potential of love after meeting the blues singer Shug Avery,
who ends up becoming her lover for some time. She also doesn’t really seem to realize the possibility
of leaving Mr. ____ as even an option, while Janie confidently walks out and into Joe Starks’ carriage,
ready for a new life of true fulfillment. Celie does eventually leave Mr. ____ with some encouragement
from Shug, and by the end of the novel, Celie and Mr. ____ are friends, with Celie referring to him by
his first name, Albert. This is a turn of events that I don’t know anyone saw coming, but it’s quite
complex and interesting nonetheless.
been abused by her father for so long, and is terrified of men. To her, marriage doesn’t really mean
much other than domesticity and abuse, since that’s all she’s been exposed to in her short time
growing up. She only starts to discover the potential of love after meeting the blues singer Shug Avery,
who ends up becoming her lover for some time. She also doesn’t really seem to realize the possibility
of leaving Mr. ____ as even an option, while Janie confidently walks out and into Joe Starks’ carriage,
ready for a new life of true fulfillment. Celie does eventually leave Mr. ____ with some encouragement
from Shug, and by the end of the novel, Celie and Mr. ____ are friends, with Celie referring to him by
his first name, Albert. This is a turn of events that I don’t know anyone saw coming, but it’s quite
complex and interesting nonetheless.
From these two remarkable novels, we can trace curious trends of love and the “meaning” behind
marriage in different contexts. In both cases, marriage doesn’t seem to be the choice of either Celie
or Janie - while Janie does idolize the idea of marriage, her marriage to Logan wasn’t her choice.
Celie didn’t idolize marriage, in fact, the whole idea to her was pretty much a shock. Janie, however,
expected marriage to be loving and amazing, and is surprised when Logan doesn’t speak “poetically”
or do anything remotely affectionate, but rather order her to help him with farmwork. Celie’s marriage
didn’t really have any expectations with it - it was abrupt and more of an assignment. Also in both
cases, love is a confusing topic. Janie expects marriage to naturally come with love, but is shocked
when it doesn’t, and it takes her some time to forgive herself for not loving Logan. Celie isn’t
expecting her marriage to be loving at all, and due to her abusive past, she is terrified of loving a man.
When Shug Avery comes to town, though, Celie learns some truths about herself and her sexuality
that make it seem more possible, even if not with a man.
marriage in different contexts. In both cases, marriage doesn’t seem to be the choice of either Celie
or Janie - while Janie does idolize the idea of marriage, her marriage to Logan wasn’t her choice.
Celie didn’t idolize marriage, in fact, the whole idea to her was pretty much a shock. Janie, however,
expected marriage to be loving and amazing, and is surprised when Logan doesn’t speak “poetically”
or do anything remotely affectionate, but rather order her to help him with farmwork. Celie’s marriage
didn’t really have any expectations with it - it was abrupt and more of an assignment. Also in both
cases, love is a confusing topic. Janie expects marriage to naturally come with love, but is shocked
when it doesn’t, and it takes her some time to forgive herself for not loving Logan. Celie isn’t
expecting her marriage to be loving at all, and due to her abusive past, she is terrified of loving a man.
When Shug Avery comes to town, though, Celie learns some truths about herself and her sexuality
that make it seem more possible, even if not with a man.
