Abstract

Feminism in a large sense means a social tread of thought that females struggle for equal social right with males. It has a long history in western countries and has exerted great impact on America and the U.K. in 19th and 20th centuries. The development of feminism involves three waves, the second of which is even more influential.
The second-wave feminism rises from America, well known as new feminism. The current America has experienced quick development as well as economic shrinkage, leading to a big gap between the rich and the poor. Since colonial era, black females have been suffering from tough discriminations and exploitation by the white people and black males. Furthermore, the society has dramatically changed, especially when America has become the superpower country after the Second World War, in the field of economy, education, and politics, etc. All these changes brought feminism impetus and boom. Therefore, women’s liberation movement developed quickly in the 60’s and 70’s America.
Alice Walker, a prominent black author, is one of the outstanding feminists advocating feminism in this period. She won her great prize and fame because of The Color Purple. She associated her works with racial and gender issues. In The Color Purple, she adopts an epistolary means with simple language featuring on black females especially Celie, who suffered from double oppressions but finally won over her rights with the support of sisterhood. 
This thesis is divided into four parts. The first chapter would briefly present the novel and author; in the second chapter, the thesis focuses on social background and birth and development of feminism; the third part mainly analyzes feminism in The Color Purple－sisterhood, physical, spiritual and economic independence; the last part briefly describes the impact of feminism on politics. 

Key words：feminism; Alice Walker; sisterhood; independence
            
摘  要

女权主义在很大程度是一种为获得和男性平等的社会权利而斗争的社会思潮。女权主义在西方有渊源的历史，并在19世纪和20世纪的美国和英国产生了深远的影响。女权主义的发展至今经历了三个阶段，其中第二阶段的影响尤为显著。
第二阶段女权主义起源于美国，因新女权主义而闻名。当时的美国经济经历了快速发展，但也遭遇了经济的萧条，导致了美国贫富差距的拉大。从奴隶时代开始，黑人女性受到了来自白人和黑人男性严重的压迫和剥削。而且，当美国在二战后成为超级大国时，社会在经济，教育，政治等领域经历了巨大改变。上述原因为女权主义带来了动力，促进了其发展。因此，妇女解放运动在上世纪60和70年代的美国发展迅速。
艾丽丝•沃克，一位杰出的黑人女性作家,是这个时期优秀的女权主义思想倡导者之一。她因其著作《紫色》一跃成名，并赢得了几项大奖。她将种族和性别问题写进她的著作。《紫色》采用书信体的写作方式，用简单的语言来阐述遭受双重压迫的女性，特别是西丽，在姐妹情谊的支持下，赢得了她们的权利。
本论文共分为四个部分。第一部分简要地介绍作者和小说主要内容；第二部分主要分析女权主义的社会背景和原因；第三部分主要分析《紫色》中的女权主义，分析小说中的女性从了解自身身体，精神和经济上的独立而获得自由解放；在最后一部分，简要地介绍了女权主义对政治的影响。

关键词：女权主义；艾丽丝•沃克；姐妹情谊；独立