Historical Background of The Color Purple, I know why the...

Historical Background of The Color Purple, I know why the caged bird sings, and The Awakening In a stereotypical society, the reader expects for the protagonist of a novel to be a strong, heroic male who saves the day and gets the girl. However, in the classic works â€Å"The Awakening† (Kate Chopin), â€Å"The Color Purple† (Alice Walker), and â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† (Maya Angelou), a different kind of protagonist is portrayed. In these novels, the protagonist is a heroine who grows throughout the novel into a strong and independent woman. The heroines all seek to overcome a series of obstacles in the search for her identity. Even though the female characters have different individual quests, they all prove themselves and grow†¦show more content†¦Bertha Flowers, helps promote the shy Maya’s individuality. It is a similar case in â€Å"The Awakening†, in which another woman, Mademoiselle Reisz, is responsible for the search for independence in Edna Pontellier. Edna sees how Mademoiselle Reisz lives her life for he r passion, music, and Edna starts to follow her footsteps. Celie from â€Å"The Color Purple† has female figures that help her realize her potential, as well. A blues singer by the name of Shug Avery helps Celie grow into her independence. Female relationships in all of the novels provide a sanctuary for women from overbearing male figures. In â€Å"The Color Purple† and â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings†, the quest for individuality and confidence ends happily. Celie becomes independent emotionally and financially, and Maya gets over her idea that she is ugly and becomes confident and starts a family. Edna also grows independent, but this freedom leads to her solitude after she leaves her family to seek a new relationship with another man, who in turn leaves her. The males in each novel tend to be dominant over women, expect obedience, and some times abusive. In â€Å"The Awakening† both main male characters, Là ©once Pontellier and Robert Lebrun know that women are subservient to men. Là ©once, Edna’s husband, always does what society demands, and he shows his idea that Edna is his property