Quote 19
All the men got they eyes glued to Shug’s bosom. I got my eyes glued there too. I feel my nipples harden under my dress. My little button sort of perk up too. Shug, I say to her in my mind, Girl, you looks like a real good time, the Good Lord knows you do. (36.26)
Though Celie compares herself to males in that she’s attracted to Shug, Walker makes it clear that Celie is in no way masculine. Celie is sexually excited by Shug in ways very specific to females.
Quote 20
He beat me today cause he say I winked at a boy in church. I may have got somethin in my eye but I didn’t wink. I don’t even look at mens. That’s the truth. I look at women, tho, cause I’m not scared of them. Maybe cause my mama cuss me you think I kept mad at her. But I ain’t. I felt sorry for mama. Trying to believe his story kilt her. (5.1)
In Celie’s mind, men have a kind of meanness that women don’t possess. Women, though they may scream and swear, are not harmful in the way men like Pa are. Pa, and later Mr.__, set up a strong distinction in Celie’s mind between women and men.
I curse you, I say. What that mean? He say.
I say, Until you do right by me, everything you touch will crumble.
He laugh. Who you think you is? He say. You can’t curse nobody. Look at you. You black, you pore, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, he say, you nothing at all. (75.9-12)
Mr.__ uses his usual tactics in an attempt to oppress Celie. Essentially, he thinks women are worthless, and therefore the sins that he has committed against her don’t matter.