The Color Purple Timeline

Young Celie

1 CE

Early in the novel it's revealed that who Celie believes to be her father is sexually assaulting her, and she has gotten pregnant twice at age 14 because of it. Her mother died some time after her first pregnancy. "Pa" has taken both of the children away and Celie has not seen them since, she believes them to have been killed.

Mr. ____, Nettie, and Celie.

2

Mr. _, a man whose wife has recently died, comes to Pa to ask for Nettie, Celie's sister, to marry him. Pa refuses, instead saying that Mr. _ should marry Celie. He says that Celie would be the better wife, and he wishes to keep Nettie at home. Mr. ___ leaves to think for some time, before returning to accept the offer.

Mr. ____, Nettie, and Celie. 2

3

Celie starts taking care of Mr. _'s children, although they are generally very rude, disrespectful, and uncooperative. Nettie comes to stay with Celie and Mr. _ to get away from Pa. Nettie eventually runs from Mr. ____ as well, a fight follows, and Mr. ____ assures Nettie that she will never get to contact her sister again.

Harpo, Sofia, Shug, and Nettie.

4

After running away from Mr. _, Nettie meets with a minister and his wife, Samuel and Corrine. Nettie becomes a missionary with them and travels to Africa. This, however, is not discovered by Celie until later. Harpo gets into a relationship with a woman named Sofia, and she becomes pregnant with his child. Mr. _ is at first reluctant, as is Sofia's father, however they eventually get married. Shug, one of Mr. _'s past lovers, has fallen ill and comes to Mr. _'s house to stay.

Shug, Sofia, and Harpo.

5

Sofia is tired of Harpo trying to beat her to make her "mind," so she leaves with her children. Harpo opens a juke joint, where, after Shug recovers, she begins to sing again. She sings a song that Celie inspired. Celie tells Shug about her sister, and Shug reveals that Mr. ____ has been keeping letters from her.

Nettie, Samuel, and Corrine.

6

Nettie has arrived in Africa as a missionary, and is living with the Olinka people. She is a teacher to the children of the village, however the village looks down on her because she isn't married and has no children. While she is in Africa, Nettie begins to question the meaning of religion, and of her own spirituality. A road begins to be built through the Olinka people's village.

Nettie, Samuel, and Corrine. 2

7

Corrine gets sick and accuses Nettie of having previously cheated with her husband Samuel, which is why their children bear a striking resemblance to Nettie, however Nettie reveals that the children are Celie's young missing children, Adam and Olivia. This is also when it is revealed Pa isn't Celie's father. After Corrine believes Nettie's story, she dies in the night.

Celie and Shug

8

Celie has fallen in love with Shug, and after discovering Mr. ____ hiding the letters from Nettie, Celie confronts him and leaves to Tennessee with Shug. She begins a business making pants and inherits Pa's land after he dies. After some time, Shug leaves Celie to travel the U.S. with a younger man from her band.

Nettie, Samuel, Celie, and Mr. ____

9

Nettie and Samuel travel to England to try to save the Olinka village but fail in the attempt. While on the journey however, they fall in love and get married. Adam falls in love with a girl from the village, Tashi, and marries her. In the U.S., Celie has visited Mr. ____ to find that he has begun becoming introspective and reconciles with him. The two become true friends, and Celie teaches him to sew.

Everyone

10

During a family reunion where all of the members of Celie's family come together, Nettie appears surprisingly, despite reports that her ship home sunk with no survivors. The two meet, introduce their family members to each other, and enjoy their time together.