Celie’s younger sister, whom Mr. ______ initially wanted to marry. Nettie runs from Alphonso to Mr.
______, and later runs away from Mr. ______ as both men try to bed her which she does not want. She meets a husband-and-wife pair of missionaries,
Samuel and Corrine. With them, she moves to Africa to preach. Nettie becomes the caretaker of
Samuel and Corrine’s adopted children (who, Nettie later learns, are Celie’s biological children, whom
Celie and Nettie’s stepfather stole and subsequently sold) and faithfully writes letters to Celie for
decades. Nettie’s experiences in Africa broaden the novel’s scope, introducing issues of imperialism
and pan-African struggles.
Nettie's relation to Celie
Nettie is first and for most, Celies' younger
sister. At the beginning of the novel; Celie tries
to protect Nettie.When Pa turns to look at Nettie,
Celie dresses up like a 'tramp' to make Alphonso
stop looking at her. Nettie soon begins to fall for
Mr ------ and Celie instantly tells Nettie to go and
have a bit of happiness while she can, looking
out for Nettie because she's younger
Nettie runs away from her family home to Celie and
Mr-------. She longs to be with her sister and feels safe in
Celies presence, She seeks comfort in her older sister and
doesn't want to leave her.
She looks up to Celie and takes on Celie's passion to
write. However Nettie is more educated then Celie so
she begins teaching Celie to spell and write
properley. This is where Nettie becomes more then
just the younger sister.
Nettie is forced to leave Celie but promises to write to her,
it is through seeing Nettie escape the two men Celie views
most evil that makes Celie view Nettie as a saint. The
angelic innocence that is Nettie leave Celie no longer
writing to god but to someone who she views more perfect.
Nettie
Nettie grows as a voice in the novel and begins to tell
another story to go along side Celie as letters addressed
to her. They show the opposite life style almost. No one
bosses her around, she works, she helps people. The
culture, way of living and social. This supports her as
lving the life Celie would love. Away from all they knew
This also shows the idea
that Nettie is like a gaurdian
angel, living the life Celie
would of wished for herself
away from harm. She didnt
get raped, She stayed in
school, she didnt have kids
but watched Celies Kids
grow up, She wait6ed until
love for marriage and
explored the world while
working.
By the end of the novel when Nettie returns to her sister who has learnt to fight for herself, she is the
symbol of Celie's hope. The embrace that ends the book shows a life longing to be together, she
returns married, educated and with Celies children. This puts her as the highest Celie has ever held
her because she became and has everything Celie longed for the entire novel. She is not just Celie's
symbol of hope, but her proof that a god exists, and that He takes whatever form you choose