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The Color Purple Letter Sixty-Five Summary

  • A letter from Nettie.
  • The road has reached the Olinka village, and the villagers assume that the road is for them and hold a celebration feast.
  • Turns out, though, that the road isn’t done yet and is supposed to continue right through the village, and right through Catherine’s field.
  • The villagers are really mad, but the road-builders have guns and are supposed to shoot if the villagers resist.
  • The church, school, and missionary huts are torn down within hours to make way for the road.
  • The Olinka chief sets out to complain and try to get reparations. However, all he returns with is bad news: The Olinka village and the surrounding area now belongs to an English rubber-manufacturing company.
  • The Olinka now have to pay rent to live in their village and pay a tax to use the water.
  • The villagers have rebuilt the school, church, and destroyed huts and are waiting to see what will happen now.
  • Corrine is sick with a fever.
  • More women are now sending their daughters to school.