You told Harpo to beat me, she said.
No I didn’t, I said.
Don’t lie, she said.
I didn’t mean it, I said.
Then what you say it for? she ast.
She standing there looking me straight in the eye. She look tired and her jaws full of air.
I say it cause I’m a fool, I say. I say it cause I’m jealous of you. I say it cause you do what I can’t.
What that? she say.
Fight. I say.
She stand there a long time, like what I said took the wind out her jaws. She made before, sad now.
She say, All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my brothers. I had to fight my cousins and my uncles. A girl child ain’t safe in a family of men. But I never thought I’d have to fight in my own house. (21.13-23)
Celie didn’t physically beat Sofia up but she did violence against her soul by encouraging Harpo to do it.
I ain’t never struck a living thing, I say. Oh, when I was at home I tap the little ones on the behind to make 'em behave, but not hard enough to hurt.
What you do when you git mad? she ast.
I think. I can’t even remember the last time I felt mad, I say. I used to git mad at my mammy cause she put a lot of work on me. Then I see how sick she is. Couldn’t stay mad at her. Couldn’t be mad at my daddy cause he my daddy. Bible say, Honor father and mother no matter what. Then after while every time I got mad, or start to feel mad, I got sick. Felt like throwing up. Terrible feeling. Then I start to feel nothing at all.
Sofia frown. Nothing at all?
Well, sometime Mr._______ git on me pretty hard. I have to talk to Old Maker. But he my husband. I shrug my shoulders. This life soon be over, I say. Heaven last all ways.
You ought to bash Mr.___________ head open, she say. Think bout heaven later. (21.39-44)
This passage implies that organized religion has kept Celie from rising up in anger against all of those who have sinned against her. Is this true, or just an excuse Celie is using?
The first thing I notice about Mr.______ is how clean he is. His skin shine. His hair brush back. When he walk by the casket to review Sofia mother’s body he stop, whisper something to her. Pat her shoulder. On his way back to his seat he look over at me. I raise my fan and look off the other way. Us went back to Harpo’s after the funeral. I know you won’t believe this, Miss Celie, say Sofia, but Mr.___________ act like he trying to get religion. Big a devil as he is, I say, trying is bout all he can do. He won’t go to church or nothing, but he not so quick to judge. He work real hard too. (79.1-6)
Getting "religion" isn’t the same as going to church. Mr.__ doesn’t go to church, but he’s been getting "religion" because he has recognized his sins against Celie and is trying to change himself into a person who has some compassion and decency.