Celie

"The Lord don't like ugly and he ain't stuck on pretty."

"She my sister. I love her. But I guess every family got its share of evil."

"I may be ugly and I may be poor, but I'm here."

"I'm pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here."

"The more I wonder, the more I love."

"Dear God, I am sick. I am sore. I am tired."

"I'm a woman now. I can make my own money, and when I do, Mister gonna treat me a whole lot better."

"Us sleep like sisters now."

"Lord, give me strength."

"Amen. Amen. Amen."

"I no longer believe I need a man to have a child."

"Thank God my life over."

"I am here. I am Black. I am woman. I am myself."

"It ain't no use you looking down and askng that old white man nothing, he the one been keeping us separated to begin with."

"I'm pore, I'm Black, I may be ugly and I can't cook."

"I'm poor. I don't have nothing. But I'm somebody."

"You better not tell nobody but God."

"I'm here. I'm Black. I'm free."

"This life be a hard life. But still I live."

"I think singing do help. I think just trying to be good do help too."

"Sometimes I ask God to give me a sign and show me he still there."

"Everything you done to me already done to you."

"I love Shug Avery. God knows I do."

"I been trying to raise myself all my life."

"He beat me like he beat the field."

"But I'm still here. I'm still Black. I'm still a woman."

"More than that, I'm beginning to feel I'm somebody."

"I'm thankful to see the sun every morning."

"Us have each other."

"He my husband. I'm his wife. I'm s'pose to do what he say."