Felarca, Glorien Mae L.2026-01-232013-07Felarca, G.L. (2013). Binary oppositions in Alice Walker's the color purple. (Unpublished master’s thesis). University of the Cordilleras, Baguio City.https://dspace.uc-bcf.edu.ph/handle/123456789/171Throughout history, women's voices have been forcibly silenced and have been minimized by the dominant voice of society. As a result, female writers began to create voices for other women by identifying with each other through literature, in this instance, novels. Alice Walker created The Color Purple to expose the suffering that women experienced from both colored and non-colored. Criticisms stormed her novel for exaggerating the complex condition of women in the hands of men. This study was therefore undertaken to recognize and value the other meanings and interpretations that The Color Purple can offer. For this reason, deconstruction and binary opposition introduced by Jacques Derrida, as supported by other approaches, were deemed to be the suitable tools for analysis. This thesis entitled, "Binary oppositions in Alice Walker's The Color Purple" sought to analyze the novel through deconstruction. While deconstruction and binary oppositions were primarily used, feminism, formalism, and archetypal approaches were likewise employed in the analysis of the text. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions; 1. What are the traditional thematic designs depicted in the novel through a. Characterization, b. Imagery c. Literary Devices? 2. What are the binary oppositions existing in the novel as highlighted by the characters and how are the binary oppositions reversed in the novel? 3. How are the binary oppositions used to reveal the deconstructed themes in the novel? 1. The traditional thematic designs revealed through characterization, imagery, symbolism and literary devices are oppression in terms of sex, oppression in terms race, power of strong female relationships, faith in God and the presence of hope despite harsh circumstances. 2. The binary oppositions depicted by the characters in the novel are: a. Albert as a dominating antagonist/ Celie as oppressed and controlled protagonist b. Celie with conventional faith / Shug with hybrid faith c. Sofia's resistance / Celie's submissiveness d. Albert as a powerful patriarch / Harpo as a weak patriarch e. Anger / Forgiveness 3. The deconstructed themes identified through the binary oppositions are: a. The valor of a woman changes a man. b. Shug's hybrid faith is more genuine than Celie's conventional faith. c. Masculinity marks the courage to choose family over power. d. The prevalence of forgiveness emancipates both the oppressor and the oppressed. Based on the findings, the following conclusions were made: 1. The novel The Color Purple reveals the significant human experience that transcends culture and time. 2. The reversed binary oppositions show the valor of women and the redemption of men in the novel. 3. Using binary oppositions and deconstruction in Alice Walker's The Color Purple, new themes were revealed that gave new interpretations of the novel. Based on the findings the following are recommended: 1. Further analyses of the novel can be done using other post modern theories like Marxism to emphasize the ideological content of the novel. 2. Other works of Alice Walker could be studied using binary oppositions as springboard for discussion. 3. The analyses of other literary titles using the theories of deconstruction and feminism are highly encouraged to achieve new interpretations and meanings.en-USThesis