The Color Purple quotes

View Quote (Laughter) I done had enough bad luck to keep me laughin the rest of my life. Sat in that jail, I sat in that jail til I nearby done rot to death. I know what it like Ms. Celie, to wanna go somewhere and cain't. I know what it like to wanna sing... and have it beat outch'ya. I want to thank you, Miss Celie, fo evrything you done for me. I 'members that day I was in the store with Miss Millie - I's feelin' real down. I's feelin' mighty bad. And when I see'd you - I knowed there is a God. I knowed there is a God. And one day I was gonna get to come home.

View Quote Celie: [holding a knife to Albert's throat] I curse you. Until you do right by me everything you think about is gonna crumble!
Sofia: Don't do it Miss Celie. Don't trade places with what I been through.
Shug: Come on Miss Celie let's go to the car.
Sofia: He ain't worth it, he ain't worth it.
Albert: Who you think you is? You can't curse nobody. Look at you. You're black, you're poor, you're ugly, you're a woman, you're nothing at all!
Celie: Until you do right by me, everything you even think about gonna fail!
Grady: It's been a pleasure meeting all of you. Good-bye.
Sofia: Look like I came back just in time.
Old Mister: Well we need some stability around here, that's for sure.
Albert: I shoulda locked you up. Just let you out to work.
Celie: The jail you planned for me is the one you gonna rot in!
Albert: I'ma knock you under...
Celie: Everything you done to me, you already under, you. I'm poor, I'm black, I may even be ugly, but, dear God, I'm here, I'm here!
Albert: [laughing] You'll be back, Ha-Ha. What you gone do? You'll be back. Ha Ha.

View Quote Harpo: [about Shug] Who this, Pa? Who this?
Albert: The woman that shoulda been yo' mammy.

View Quote Shug: [after telling Albert that she and her husband are leaving] Celie is coming with us.
Albert: What?
Shug: Celie is coming with us to Memphis.
Albert: Over my dead body.
Shug: You satisfied? That what you want?
Albert: [to Celie] NOW What's wrong with you?
Celie: You a low down dirty dog, that's what's wrong. Time for me to get away from you, and enter into Creation. And your dead body'd be just the welcome mat I need.

View Quote Shug: More than anything God loves admiration.
Celie: You saying God is vain?
Shug: No, not vain, just wanting to share a good thing. I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple in a field and don't notice it.
Celie: You saying it just wanna be loved like it say in the bible?
Shug: Yeah, Celie. Everything wanna be loved. Us sing and dance, and holla just wanting to be loved. Look at them trees. Notice how the trees do everything people do to get attention... except walk? Oh, yeah, this field feels like singing!

View Quote Squeak: Harpo! Who dis woman?
Harpo: Now come now, you know who this is.
Squeak: She best'a leave you alone.
Sofia: Fine with me.
Harpo: [To Sofia] You ain't got to go nowhere. Dis here my jut-joint.
Squeak: [To Harpo] You said dis here our jut-joint!
Harpo: Listen woman, can't a man dance with his wife if he wants to?
Squeak: Not if she left'm! [To Sofia] And not if he my man! You just a big ol' heifer. Ha Ha Ha.
Sofia: Like I said, fine with me!

View Quote Young Celie: Nettie. Write.
Young Nettie: What?
Young Celie: Write.
Young Nettie: Nothing but death can keep me from it.

View Quote [about Old Mister] Next time I put a lil Shug Avery pee in his glass....see how he like that.

View Quote [about Shrug Avery] She black as tar, nappy-headed, got legs like baseball bats, and I hear she got that nasty women's disease.

View Quote [Sofia begins to laugh after years of silence] My God, the dead has arisen.

View Quote [to Albert] Boy, you goin' let this ol' nappy-headed girl cuss you out like that? You sittin' at the head of your own dinner table and actin' like a waiter.

View Quote [to Albert] Nettie and my kids be comin' home soon, and when they get here we gonna' set around and whip your ass.

View Quote [to Celie] You sho is ugly.

View Quote [to Shug] He (Albert) beat me when you ain't here. He beat me for not being you.

View Quote All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my brothers. A girl child ain't safe in a family of men, but I ain't never thought I'd have to fight in my own house!