SOFIA

HANNAH KNOTT

The Color Purple By Alice Wa

lk er
CLIENT INFORMATION Name: Sofia Butler

Age at beginning of book: 15 years of age

Ethnicity and Gender: African American women

Relationship: Wife to Harpo, relationship with Henry Broadnax

Current job: Possible jail convict, future maid to Miss Millie

Friendships: Friend to Celie and Shug Avery, also close with her 6 sisters

Age as character progresses: Nettie (Celie’s sister) says it has been 30 years since she heard from Celie.
Sofia is introduced towards the beginning of the text. She appears soon after Nettie loses contact with Celie.
Sofia ends up spending around 12 being a maid. The 12 years of jail-to-maid time, along with the 15 years
stated at the beginning of book, would have her being at least 27 years old, but she is probably older because
of the time between marriage, leaving, having/carrying children, and the period leading up to jail time.
 SOFIA CHARACTER SUMMARY PT. 1

Sofia is introduced on page 23. Harpo, son of Mr.____, says he is in love with her and plans to marry her. She is 15 at the
time and Harpo is 17. Sofia meets Mr.___ and Celie, Mr.___’s wife and main character of the story. At that time, Sofia is
big(pregnant). Celie observes Sofia and describes her as having “Clear medium brown skin, gleam on it like on good furniture.
Hair notty but a lot of it, tied up on her head in a mass of plaits. She not quite as tall as Harpo but much bigger, and strong and
ruddy looking, like her mama brought her up on pork”(Walker 31). She begins to show her bold attitude in the way she talks to
Mr.____ and doesn’t get flustered or shut-down. Since Sofia is big her parents allow her and Harpo to get married. Harpo realizes
she doesn't mind, or follow orders without question, like Celie. She doesn’t easily submit to others, especially a man. Sofia reveals
that she has a big family consisting of 12 siblings.“Six boys, six girls. All the girls big and strong like me. Boys big and strong too,
but all the girls stick together. Two brothers stick with us too, sometime. Us git in a fight, it’s a sight to see”(Walker 41). She tells
Celie how her dad was very dominant over her mom. “She say, To tell the truth, you remind me of my mama. She under my daddy
thumb. Naw, she under my daddy foot”(Walker 41). Sofia mentions having anger and aggression within her family. Celie could
never imagine being physically aggressive and not submitting to her husband. Since Celie doesn’t understand Sofia’s reluctance
and determination, she instructs Harpo to “Beat her”(Walker 37), based on Mr.___’s similar advice. Sofia ends up getting in a
fight with Harpo, and he attempts to beat her, but they get in a tussle and she holds her ground. She begins to grow tired of
Harpo’s demands.
 SOFIA CHARACTER SUMMARY PT. 2

Sofia decides to leave Harpo and stay with her sister. “My sister husband caught in the draft, she say. They don’t
have no children, Odessa love children”(Walker 65). Sofia and her kids end up staying with her sister for 6 months. She
returns with new boyfriend, who Celie calls the prizefighter, even though his real name is Henry Broadnax. “Who should
come prancing through the doors of Harpo’s but Sofia. She with a big tall hefty man look like a prize fighter”(Walker
81). Harpo confronts Sofia, and after some conversation, asks her to dance. Her and Harpo begin to dance. After they
have been dancing for a while, Squeak, Harpo’s new girlfriend, approaches the two. “Squeak turn to Sofia. Say, you
better leave him alone...“Listen Squeak, say Harpo, Can’t a man dance with his own wife? Squeak say, Not if he my man
he can’t. You hear that, bitch, she say to Sofia”(Walker 84). Sofia is willing to leave and give them space, but then
Squeak proceeds to slap her. In response, “She ball up her fist, draw back, and knock two of Squeak’s side teef
out”(Walker 84). A short while later, Sofia, her kids, and the prizefighter go to visit the town. While out and about, they
are greeted by the Mayor’s wife, Miss Millie. Miss Millie praises Sofia and her children on their good looks and
cleanliness. She then offers Sofia a job as her maid. Sofia responds with a firm, “Hell no.” The Mayor overhears this
conversation and storms up to Sofia, demanding she repeats what she says to Miss Millie. Sofia repeats herself and is
given a slap by the Mayor. Sofia knocks him down and puts up a fight, but is eventually beaten by the townsfolk, and
brought to jail in horrible condition.
 MEDICAL HISTORY Medical Complain/Concern

Her major injuries which brought her in today, were the result of an argument that ended in her getting beaten. (87-88) When Miss
Millie, the white wife of the mayor, saw Sofia and her children, she covered them in praise. She ended her approval by saying “All
your children so clean, she say, would you like to work for me, be my maid? Sofia say. Hell no. She say. What you say? Sofia say.
Hell no. Mayor look at Sofia, push his wife out the way. Stick out his chest. Girl, what you say to Miss Millie? Sofia say, I say.
Hell no”(Walker 87). This resulted in her getting physically abused by the people of the town. “They beat Sofia, Mr. say”(Walker
88). Sofia complains of having no vision in one eye, struggling to breathe, being swollen and unable to fully speak because of an
enlarged tongue, and a sharp pain in her head.

Past/ Family/ Stress Medical History

Sofia gave birth to six babies total, her first being born at the age of 15. She has gotten in fights with her husband Harpo and
showed physical injuries from these occurrences. “But it Harpo and Sofia. They fighting like two mens”(Walker 38). Celie
describes her injuries as being a “Little cut all blue and red under her eye”(Walker 39). In a more general aspect, Sofia has a big
family. Her mother is an assertive harsh relationship with her father, who doesn’t like kids. “He hate children and he hate where
they come from”(Walker 41). Sofia is also under a lot of mental stress because her husband is trying to rule over her, along with
his girlfriend nagging her and starting fights.

Drug Use

Characters drink and use tobacco. Sofia asks for a drink called white lightning. “Gimme a shot of white lightning, she say(Walker
81). The book does not clarify any severe struggles with drugs or alcohol.
 PSYCHOLOGICAL HISTORY (DEMOGRAPHIC DATA)
Marital Status and History: Sofia and Harpo are married. However, she ends up leaving him for six months after they are married. When
she returns, she brings back her new boyfriend, called “prizefighter.” “Prizefighter pull up a chair, straddle it backwards, hug on Sofia like they
at home”(Walker 81). Despite having a boyfriend-type relationship with Prizefighter, she is still married to Harpo and he calls her his wife. She
currently has 6 kids. “Oh, she say, I got six children now, Miss Celie”(Walker 82).

Sexual History and Preference: The book shows Sofia with men, but she is not uncomfortable with “flirtatious” behavior from women. She
does not show anger or disgust towards Shug’s sexual remarks such as, “Girl, you look like a good time, you do”(Walker 82).

Education: The book does not give Sofia’s educational information, but she has 12 siblings so education probably isn’t a priority. She also
moves out of her father’s house at the age of 15. “Naw. I ain’t living in the street. I’m living with my sister and her husband”(Walker 32).

Socioeconomic/Financial Status: Sofia has a lot of siblings, which means hand-me-downs and money saving. It also means more workers to
earn money. However, more necessities are needed to compensate, decreasing their money. Sofia’s family thinks that she is better than Harpo.
“Harpo girl daddy say Harpo not good enough for her”(Walker 29). They only end up married because she becomes pregnant.

Religious Affiliation: The book does not clarify her specific religion, but it does say that Harpo first sees her in church. Sofia does joke about
putting aggression over a “heaven entry.”“You ought to bash Mr.____ head open, she say. Think about heaven later”(Walker 42).

Place of Birth: The book does not say the place of Sofia’s birth but she is first introduced in Georgia, in the same town as Celie and Harpo.

Anything Unexpected/Unique: Unlike Celie, and most black women in this time era, Sofia doesn’t submit and back down against those in
higher “social tiers” than her. She fights HARD and can knock men over in a fight. She is a leader, not a follower. She also comes from a large
family with a total of 12 siblings.
 EDUCATION

Sofia was married and pregnant at 15; if she HAD an education it stopped there. She grew up very fast so to speak.

She has 12 siblings, which is a LOT. In the book, it shows educating only 2 children to be quite complex and not
practical, let alone 12. Between Celie and Nettie, only Nettie got the opportunity to further her education. “Sides, I
want her to git some more schooling. Make a schoolteacher out of her. But I can let you have Celie”(Walker 7).

Sofia is at the bottom of the social system (she is black and a women), meaning she is likely not educated.

Sofia was mainly raised by her sisters, so they may have taught her what they know.

She can do household chores, raise children, and quilt. She also will fight to do what she wants and doesn’t back
down or fear those above her in the “system”. This may be because she was never had an authority figure.
 FAMILY
Children: Sofia has 6 children total. The only name known is Henrietta who is the youngest of their children. She has a severe
illness which results in “attacks” and can be soothed with yams, which she hates. “The only thing keeping me alive is watching
Henrietta fight for her life. And boy she can fight”(Walker 256).

Relationship to children: Sofia was close to her children and took them away from Harpo for 6 months. They live with Sofia’s
sister during this time.“They (sisters) come early one morning in two wagons to pick Sofia up. She don’t have much to take, her
and the children clothes…”(Walker 69). Later in the book, Sofia goes to the juke joint without her children and Harpo and Mr.___
question her decision of leaving her kids. All children were present when Sofia “sassed” Miss Millie and Prizefighter took them
away from the scene when she was getting beaten.“They beat Sofia, Mr. ____ say… He want to jump in, she say. Sofia say No,
take the children home”(Walker 88). Later on, after she got hurt, Sofia ends up being sentenced to work as the mayor’s maid for
12 years. She is released 6 months early, but she has lost the close connection her and her kids have shared. They call her sister
Odessa, mama, and Squeak, lil mama. They call Sofia “Miss.”

Siblings: Sofia has 12 siblings, 6 girls and 6 boys. She has sister named Odessa who she stays with because Odessa’s husband is
in the draft. Celie describes her sisters by saying,“They all big strong healthy girls, look like amazons”(Walker 68).

Family support: Sofia has the support of her sisters, mainly Odessa, along with Celie, Harpo (even if they are not fully
“together”), Prizefighter, Shug, Mr.___, and even Squeak.(88) They show their dedication by trying to visit her when she is in jail.
“Mr.____ go plead with the sheriff to let us see Sofia”(Walker 88).
 RESEARCH QUESTION

How do big families affect individual mental status and development?

When an individual grows up in a “big family” household, they often receive minimal parental
support. This can result in acting out, as a cry for attention. Studies have shown that individuals
from larger families have a harder time controlling their emotions (particularly anger), which often
results in criminal behavior. These children struggle to express themselves, as they feel their
opinions will not be heard no matter what they do. However, large families have a greater chance of
bonding with their siblings, because there are so many of them. They learn to be independent as the
parents tend to various needs over time. The effect of this particular household largely depends on
the attitude of the parents. The rate of development can be faster than normal, as these kids are
forced to mature quickly and take care of their siblings. However, it can also be slower than normal,
because they never received the proper attention to mature (Borg).
DIAGNOSIS
On a physical aspect, Sofia seems to be suffering from a cracked skull, cracked ribs, half of her nose being
torn, blindness in one eye, whole body swelling, a swollen tongue, and discoloration.“They crack her skull,
they crack her ribs. They tear her nose loose on one side. They blind her in one eye. She swole from head to
foot. Her tongue the size of my arm, it stick out tween her teef like a piece of rubber. She can't talk. And she
just about the color of a eggplant”(Walker 88).

On a mental status, Sofia seems to be struggling with anger management problems and individual
self-control issues. She was also born in the wrong era. She is a bold, black women, which is unheard of and
shameful in that time. Sofia was truly ahead of her time, and fought for her rights.
 INTERVENTION PT. 1
In the book, Celie uses a comb, a brush, a nightgown, witch hazel, and alcohol to tend to Sofia. She also washes her with water. If
Sofia had access to proper medical care, this is how she would be treated.

To correct the ribs

“Most broken ribs heal on their own within six weeks. Restricting activities and icing the area regularly can help with healing and
pain relief. It's important to obtain adequate pain relief — if it hurts to breathe deeply, you may develop pneumonia. If oral
medications don't help enough, your doctor might suggest injections of long-lasting anesthesia around the nerves that supply the
ribs” (Mayo Clinic Labs).

To correct the skull fracture

“Most skull fractures will heal by themselves, particularly if they're simple linear fractures. The healing process can take many
months, although any pain will usually disappear in around 5 to 10 days. If you have an open fracture, antibiotics may be
prescribed to prevent an infection developing. If you have a severe or depressed fracture, surgery may be needed to help prevent
brain damage. This will usually be carried out under general anaesthetic” (NHS).
 INTERVENTION PT. 2 To treat her torn nose

Sofia should visit the doctor who may pack her nose with gauze and possibly place a splint on it. They can prescribe pain
medication and possibly antibiotics. If her nose injury is too severe, they can perform a closed reduction surgery, in which the
doctor gives you her local anesthetic to numb her nose and manually realign it (Kivi).

To treat her injured eye

Sofia should see an ophthalmologist(a type of medical doctor who specialize in surgical procedures of the eye) and get her eye
thoroughly examined. To help with pain, she should gently apply a small cold compress to reduce pain and swelling (Kahn).

To treat the swelling

To help reduce swelling and ease the discomfort, Sofia should rest, apply a cold compress to the affected area, applying pressure,
elevate heavily swollen areas, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen can help (Kahn).

To treat her discoloration(purple tones/bruise)

Similar to the swelling treatment, she should use a cold compress, rest, raise the bruised area above the heart, take an
over-the-counter medication(like tylenol), and wear long clothes to protect the bruised areas (Kahn).
 INTERVENTION PT. 3-MENTAL ASPECT
I would suggest Sofia go to therapy to learn coping skills for dealing with her anger. Anger management classes can benefit
her in finding calmness which would prevent her from starting physical fights with those “superior in social status.” I only
say this because of the time she is living in, although not resorting to violence is beneficial for all people. I also suggest
marriage counseling for her and her husband, Harpo. Harpo’s father, Mr.___, has not been a good influence on the way men
treat women. Harpo and Sofia need to learn balance and healthy cooperation between the two of them. As Sofia said “I’m
getting tired of Harpo, she say. All he think about since us married is how to make me mind. He don’t want a wife, he wants a
dog.”

Sofia should have follow ups for her injuries, and remain in care of those she trusts who can help prevent her from getting
injured again.
 WORKS CITED
Borg, Julie. “Are Large Families Harmful to Children?” Family and Society, 14 Jan. 2016,
world.wng.org/2016/01/are_large_families_harmful_to_children.

“Family Violence and Children.” Better Health Channel, Victoria State Government, 2020,
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/family-violence-and-children#family-violence-and-mental-ill
ness.

Kahn, April. “What’s Causing These Black and Blue Marks?” Healthline, 24 Apr. 2018,
www.healthline.com/health/bruise#treatment.

Kivi, Rose. “Broken Nose.” Healthline, 7 Mar. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/nose-fracture.

Mayo Clinic Labs. “Broken Ribs.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 8 Jan.
2021, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/broken-ribs/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350769.

NHS. “Severe Head Injury Treatment.” NHS Choices, NHS, 30 Nov. 2018,
www.nhs.uk/conditions/severe-head-injury/treatment/#:~:text=Most%20skull%20fractures%20will%20heal,to
%20prevent%20an%20infection%20developing.

Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. Harcourt, Inc., 1985.