THE COLOR PURPLE ALICE WALKER First published in 1982. To the Spirit: Without whose assistance Neither this book Nor I Would have been Written. Show me how to do like you Show me how to do it. Stevie Wonder You better not never tell nobody but God. It'd kill your mammy. Dear God, I am fourteen years old. I-aa I have always been a good girl. Maybe you can give me a sign letting me know what is happening to me. Last spring after little e I heard them fussing. He was pulling on her arm. She say It too soon, Fonso, I ain't well. Finally he leave her alone. A week go by, he pulling on her arm again. She say Naw, I ain't gonna. Can't you see I'm already half dead, an all of these children. She went to visit her sister doctor over Macon. Left me to see after the others. He never had a kine word to say to. me. Just say You gonna do what your mammy wouldn't. First he put his thing up gainst my hip and so rt of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thing inside my pussy. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it. But I don't never git used to it. And now I feels sick every time I be the one to cook. My mama she fuss at me an look at me. She happy, cause he good to her now. But too sick to last long. My mama dead. She die screaming and cussing. She scream at me. She cuss at me. I'm big. I can't move fast enough. By time I git back from the well, the water be warm. By time I git the tray ready the food be cold. By time I git all the children ready for school it be dinner time. He don't say nothing. He set there by the bed holding her hand an cryin, talking bout don't leave me, don't go. She ast me bout the first one Whose it is? I say God's. I don't know no other man or what else to say. When I start to hurt and then my stomach start moving and then that little e out my pussy chewing on it fist you could have knock me over w
