AO2 Simile (“like he beat the children”): Equates Celie with children, showing how she’s seen as powerless and without adult agency or respect.Blunt, simple language: The plain, emotionless tone reflects Celie’s numbness and how normalized the abuse has become.
“Beat” (repetition): The repetition of the word emphasizes the regularity and brutality of the violence — it’s systematic and routine.
Passive construction (“he beat me”): Highlights Celie’s lack of control and how abuse is something done to her, not something she can resist.Dehumanization: Suggests Celie is treated not as a partner or adult, but as property — someone to discipline, not love.Lack of emotional reaction: Shows trauma — Celie has internalized her suffering to survive.