In the early 20th century American South, a young African American girl named Celie is forced into a life of hardship and servitude following her mother's death. The victim of repeated sexual abuse by her father, she bears two children by him, both of whom are taken away from her. Celie is then unwillingly married off to a cruel and domineering man, Albert, who treats her as little more than a slave. Isolated from her beloved sister Nettie, Celie resigns herself to a bleak existence, her worth and dignity relentlessly stripped away. She struggles to find her identity and worth in a world where she is continually devalued and abused.

Celie's life is punctuated by the women she meets: her steadfast sister Nettie, the fiercely independent Sofia, who is married to Albert’s son Harpo, and the glamorous singer Shug Avery, who captures both Albert's and Celie's affections. These women, through their own strengths and trials, help illuminate the oppressive societal structures that Celie faces. Over time, the bonds Celie forms with these women empower her to transform her life. The friendship with Shug becomes a pivotal influence, helping Celie to cultivate her self-worth and prompting the awakening of her own voice and identity amidst the pervasive racism and sexism of the times.