Tashi and Celie

The identity struggle Tashi is going through concerns the conflict between traditional values and a modern lifestyle. She wished to go through the “scarification” ceremony to maintain her standing in the old-fashioned culture, but this caused her great pain and distanced her from Adam, who takes a more modern view of the world. This is linked to Celie’s emotional struggle because both women are attempting to reconcile contrasting versions of the world around them and the people in that world. As Tashi must try to navigate Adam’s disapproval, her own culture, and the feelings she has for Adam, Celie is trying to reconcile the differences between the Shug she knew and the woman Shug has become, falling in love with a 19-year old boy. She must attempt to remain happy while her world is changing and the very basis of her identity and previous happiness is potentially being taken from her. Though the exact circumstances are not identical, both women are dealing with a fundamental conflict between two worlds, and both are having a great deal of trouble resolving that conflict. Tashi, unable to reconcile her past and future cultures, flees both, as well as fleeing Adam, by going into the bush to join thee mbeles. Celie cannot flee into the bush, but she withdraws from Shug, refusing to speak to her, retreating within herself and only really maintaining contact with Nettie, someone who is outside of the current situation and can give her some solace and perspective, despite the fact that she may already be dead.