History Characters / TheColorPurple

* WellDoneDaughterGal: Her relationship with her father fell apart years ago, and she spends attempting reconciliation, trying to prove she's a changed person.

* WellDoneSonGuy: Her relationship with her father fell apart years ago, and she spends attempting reconciliation, trying to prove she's a changed person.

The protagonist and narrator. She starts off as an illiterate girl who is raped by her stepfather and separated from the two children he impregnated her with. At fourteen and through her adult years, Celie must stick with her abusive husband, who separates her from her sister for decades. She is portrayed by Desreta Jackson as a teenager and Whoopi Goldberg as an adult in the 1985 film. She is portrayed by Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as a teenager and Fantasia Barrino as an adult in the 2023 remake.

Celie’s husband, who abuses her regularly for years. After his first wife dies, and he originally wanted to marry Nettie, but ended up with Celie instead. His real name is Albert Johnson. He is portrayed by Danny Glover in the 1985 film and by Colman Domingo in the 2023 remake.

%%* CoolBigSis: She starts out as this for Celie. Helping her stand up for herself and have fun. But their relationship develops into something decidedly different and more sexual later.

A large woman with a fierce personality who befriends Celie and marries Harpo. Unlike Celie, Sofia refuses to submit to anyone else, whether they are white, rich, or men. She is portrayed by Oprah Winfrey in the 1985 film and by Danielle Brooks in the 2023 remake.

Harpo’s mulatto (mixed race) lover after he and Sofia separate. She is portrayed by Rae Dawn Chong in the 1985 film and by H.E.R. in the 2023 remake.

Celie and Nettie’s stepfather, who regularly sexually abused Celie before marrying her off to Mister. He is portrayed by Leonard Jackson.

Celie’s husband, who abuses her regularly for years. After his first wife dies, and he originally wanted to marry Nettie, but ended up with Celie instead. His real name is Albert Johnson. He is portrayed by Danny Glover.

Mister’s eldest son. Somewhat a childish goofy man who marries Sofia. He is portrayed by Howard Starr as a child and Willard Pugh as an adult.

Harpo’s mulatto (mixed race) lover after he and Sofia separate. She is portrayed by Rae Dawn Chong.

The protagonist and narrator. She starts off as an illiterate girl who is raped by her stepfather and separated from the two children he impregnated her with. At fourteen and through her adult years, Celie must stick with her abusive husband, who separates her from her sister for decades. She is portrayed by Desreta Jackson as a teenager and Whoopi Goldberg as an adult.

Celie’s younger sister that Mister wanted to marry, but ended up with Celie instead. Unable to stay at Mister’s house, she goes to Africa as a missionary with the priest, his wife, and Celie’s two children. She is portrayed by Akosua Busia.

A blues singer, who once had a fling with Mister. A sassy, self made woman, she develops a loving, somewhat romantically reciprocated relationship with Celie. Desperately seeks to repair her relationship with her estranged preacher father. She is portrayed by Margaret Avery.

A large woman with a fierce personality who befriends Celie and marries Harpo. Unlike Celie, Sofia refuses to submit to anyone else, whether they are white, rich, or men. She is portrayed by Oprah Winfrey.

The protagonist and narrator. She starts off as an illiterate girl who is raped by her stepfather and separated from the two children he impregnated her with. At fourteen and through her adult years, Celie must stick with her abusive husband, who separates her from her sister for decades.

Celie’s husband, who abuses her regularly for years. After his first wife dies, and he originally wanted to marry Nettie, but ended up with Celie instead. His real name is Albert Johnson.

Celie’s younger sister that Mister wanted to marry, but ended up with Celie instead. Unable to stay at Mister’s house, she goes to Africa as a missionary with the priest, his wife, and Celie’s two children.

A blues singer, who once had a fling with Mister. A sassy, self made woman, she develops a loving, somewhat romantically reciprocated relationship with Celie. Desperately seeks to repair her relationship with her estranged preacher father.

%%* ClosetKey: Shug is this for Celie, who wasn't attracted to men or anyone prior to meeting her for the first time and helps Celie realize she is a lesbian.

A large woman with a fierce personality who befriends Celie and marries Harpo. Unlike Celie, Sofia refuses to submit to anyone else, whether they are white, rich, or men.

Mister’s eldest son. Somewhat a childish goofy man who marries Sofia.

Harpo’s mulatto (mixed race) lover after he and Sofia separate.

Celie and Nettie’s stepfather, who regularly sexually abused Celie before marrying her off to Mister.

%%* ClosetKey: Shug is this for Celie, who wasn't attracted to men or anyone prior to meeting her for the first time.

%%* ClosetKey: She is this for Celie.
%%* CoolBigSis: She starts out as this for Celie. But their relationship develops into something decidedly different and more sexual later.

* BuryYourGays: In the original book, Celie explicitly has romantic feelings for Shug, and the two have sex. In the movie adaptation, their romance is relegated to a kiss scene and subtext.

* ClosetKey: She is this for Celie.
* CoolBigSis: She starts out as this for Celie. But their relationship develops into something decidedly different and more sexual later.

* YourCheatingHeart: Carries on a romantic (and sexual) relationship with Shug Avery (even having her stay with Mister and Celie in their home), and is pretty damn flagrant about it. Is able to get away with it because Celie is basically his slave and thereby powerless to even object, let alone do anything about it.

* WhatHaveIDone: As soon as she decks the mayor, she realizes she's screwed up catastrophically, and screams at her friend to [[MamaBear "get [her] children out of here!"]].

* YourCheatingHeart: Carries on a romantic (and sexual) relationship with Shug Avery (even having her stay with Mister and Celie in their home), and is pretty damn blatant and explicit about it. Is able to get away with it because Celie is basically his slave and she is powerless to object, let alone do anything about it.

* KnownOnlyByTheirNickname: When Sofia "comes back to live", Squeak announces her name is not "Squeak"; it's Mary Agnes.

[[folder:Alphonso]]

* BlatantLies: After his disastrous attempt to "beat Sofia into timidity" (resulting in a black eye for him), he tells his father that Ol' Joey the mule "just went wild".

* SupremeChef: Wins over the initially hostile Shug with a scrumptious breakfast fit for a queen.

* TranquilFury: Is disturbingly calm and quiet in the instance towards the climax of the film, when she is about to shave (and probably slit the throat) of Mister.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: The film's finale sees her finally free of Mister, inheriting her childhood home after her despicable father dies, starting a successful business as a tailor, and [[spoiler: reunited with her beloved sister Nettie, accompanied by her missing (and log-believed dead) children.]]

* IAmNotPretty: Since she’s been told all her life how unattractive she is, she pretty much takes it as fact that she’s ugly. This is subverted a few times in the movie by characters such as Shug elaborating that she isn't actually ugly, she just doesn't dress up (what reason would she have living with abusers like Pa and Mister?) and other characters comments on her appearance being based in antiBlackness and as such one could say that if they weren't antiBlack they might not have thought her to be ugly at all.