Abstract

It has been a very long time since the slavery age to the modern era that black women suffer from various levels of discrimination and oppressions. They suffer from both black and white men’s subjugation, white women, and even black elite women. Somehow, their female ancestors have taught them to be resilient to deal with the violent and brutal life in plantations and to bear painful burdens everywhere and every time. This is reflected in Celie and other characters of the two novels showing this sturdy endurance during their hard times. Completed with knowledge and determination, they change their endurance and strength into power, both power to and power over. As theoretically proposed, the characters of the two novels exercise their power in their social power relations, either consciously or unconsciously. The theory of power-knowledge relation which requires individuals exercising power is confirmed in the two novels. There are three essential bases for the characters to gain power in their power relations i.e. knowledge, determination, and supporting environments. Even though the latter two factors are not mentioned in the theory of power relations, they obviously emerge in the study.

Keywords: black women, power, power relations, knowledge, determination