Blog topic #3: syntax

Blog Topic #3: Syntax
• “…and way down under his tobacco, Nettie’s letters. Bunches and Bunches of them. Some fat, some thin. Some open some not”(129).
Similar to the diction, the syntax in The Color Purple contrasts Celie’s uneducated, childlike writing to Nettie’s more intricate sentence structure. Nettie received enough education that her style of writing includes varied sentence structure, such as “When I don’t write to you I feel as bad as I do when I don’t pray, locked up in myself and choking on my own heart. I am so lonely, Celie” (136). The varied sentence structure adds more detail so the reader can easily imagine the story. Instead of simple saying I feel bad, Nettie says “choking on my own heart”, so the reader can really understand the pain that Nettie feels. Celie’s writing reflects her education perfectly; her sentences are choppy and don’t flow like Nettie’s, who’s sentences manage to roll off the tongue with more ease. Celie’s sentences lack transition, like when she writes “Too nappy to be kinky, too kinky to be nappy. No set color to it either. I give up, tie in a headrag” (112). The author purposely makes Celie’s sentences more staccato because it helps develop her character. Celie’s choppy sentences also bring attention to key points in her writing. In the bulleted quote, Celie spends quite a few sentences on describing the letters. The author’s purpose in doing this is that is shows how important the letters are to Celie. Celie feels as if Nettie is the only person who has ever loved her, so those letters mean the world to her. The syntax throughout The Color Purple is important in showing the character’s educational backgrounds and helping the author make key points stand out.