I have a Freedom Dream.

 I have a Freedom Dream.


In the past two weeks, we have focused on the idea of Freedom Dreaming, which I identify as still believing and growing despite the hardships and difficulties one has faced. A Letter From Birmingham Jail shows an excellent example of Freedom Dreaming; as Martin Luther King is in jail, he is still dreaming, hoping, and more importantly, creating a ripple effect. Similar to Cecile in The Color Purple, Dr. Martin Luther King is never simply given freedom. He must ask for it. Cecile goes through life in an abusive household and isn’t free from her abusive relationship until she ups and runs from them. A Letter From Birmingham Jail states, “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed” (King,2). We this battle of oppression and freedom with both King and Cecilie, they aren’t given freedom. They have to be brave enough to fight for and gain freedom on their own—to me, I see this as another way of freedom dreaming.


The second quote in King's letter that caused me to reflect upon The Color Purple, particularly the female characters within this text. King’s letter reads, “You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws. This is certainly a legitimate concern” (King, 3) in reference to how many people are afraid to stand up against racial violence because they are afraid to break laws and end up arrested, like King himself. We see a similar theme in The Color Purple; however it is not strictly legal laws that hold Cecile back. Instead, social expectations and systematic sexism give Cecile anxiety and hesitation to break the “law” and leave her abusive husband. 



On another note, Kolvenbach's piece begins by focusing on the idea that those who have privilege should use it to help others. This idea is very interesting when you think in regard to Cecile. Cecile was given little to no privilege—she is a black, lesbian, poor woman in the South. However, Cecile fully makes her own privilege. She moves with Shug, leaving behind her entire family, and begins to make a life for herself as she makes a business selling pants. And later in the novel, Cecile is even given a home through her dead father's will. This shows how Cecile began the story with no privilege but slowly worked very hard to grant herself some privilege and freedom in society. We also see how Samuel’s family uses their privilege in a positive way as he and his wife adopt children in need, Cecile’s children. 

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