Abstract :
Escapism might be considered a life defense mechanism without which you might be burnt out faster by the stresses of everyday life. It helps the individual and even communities gain respite or achieve self- reorganization after social, sociological or psychological tensions. Letter- writing is one of its effective implements. It helps obtain a kind of personal relationship and deals with it faithfully and portrays the inner life as it is. The present study tends to explore the theme of escape represented by letter- writing in Alice Walker's. The Color Purple. It aims to demonstrate that Walker tries her best to give the heroine and her sister a chance to address God and each other directly and truly escaping from loneliness and weakness, as well as seeking for consolation and identity. Such a means is considered the only outlet for Celie, and ultimately her sister, who suffers self and familial banishment, psychological repression and sexual suppression. Her suffering is the result of an oppressive and sexually- agitated stepfather who brutalizes, rapes and impregnates her twice at an early stage of her life.
Keyword :
Escapism, defense mechanism, letter writing, stepfather, rape.