English Essay

In the Ð''The Color Purple' the extract on page 37, shows the idea of domestic violence between man and wife because Harpo and Sofia are having a huge argument in the house while the children are playing outside. This idea of domestic violence is presented in two ways in the extract. Firstly, it is presented in a comic way because it says, "both hands lock right under his privates." This quotation presents the argument as comic because with the lexis "privates" gives a comic euphemism, which adds innocence to the whole situation, creating a comic atmosphere, without using a more crude or unpleasant expression instead. The lexis "lock" in the quotation is a very physical and powerful lexis, which helps to create the feeling of a very brutal and painful attack, it helps to emphasise the intensity and comic scenario. Also the lexis "both hands" and "right under" within the quotation give a very detailed and physical description of what is happening, they make the attack very graphic and help to present a lot of comic imagery. Secondly, the idea of domestic violence is also presented in a serious way because in the quotation, "He fall bam against the stove." It has a much more serious focus on the violence. This quotation helps to present the more serious side to domestic violence, through the lexis "bam" as it is presented in the extract as graphology italic, which emphasizes it's importance and the onomatopoeia associated with the lexis because using the lexis "bam" the idea of violence is presented as something very serious because you hear the physical pain as you read it, due to the sound effect it has.

Another idea which is explored in the extract is female emancipation because instead of being like Celie, Sofia is put across in the extract as a very strong woman, which is presented by, "Harpo, Sofia, the two babies be going off for the weekend, to visit Sofia sister." This quotation presents the idea of female emancipation because just before then Harpo and Sofia were having a huge argument which resulted in actual physical violence, so by saying that they went to visit Sofia's sister at the weekend, shows that Sofia won the struggle of wills and helps to present the idea of Sofia being a very strong woman, who has strong beliefs and not willing to back down.

In the extract, Harpo has a very strong attitude towards the fact that women should be controlled. This attitude is presented by, "He try to slap her." This quotation helps to present the fact that Harpo wants to control Sofia, as the lexis "try" shows that Harpo tries to slap Sofia but can't, this reflects that Sofia is a strong woman and therefore Harpo is unable to control her. The lexis "slap" in the quotation presents Harpo's attitude as it says slap which is associated with a more feminine attack, instead of saying punch which is more of a man's approach. This quotation presents the fact that Harpo wants to control his woman but he is presented as the weaker and more feminine person in the argument.

Another attitude which is revealed in the extract is Sofia's. Sofia's attitude is that she rejects a traditional women's role by fighting back against Harpo, this shows that she greatly values equality. This attitude in the extract is presented by, "she never blink a eye." This quotation helps to present Sofia's attitude because the lexis "never" shows how Sofia has very strong beliefs, which she is not going to give up without a fight. This lexis also helps to present, that Sofia is not willing to give her values up as she values equality within a relationship and the lexis "never" is an expression used for someone who never gives in. Also the lexis "blink" presents Sofia's attitude of fighting back and rejecting a traditional women's role because it shows that she is unaffected of what Harpo is trying to do

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