We realize, then, that Celie is too scared to tell her mother, or her mammy, what her father has done, so she has told no one. She wants to be a "good girl," and she knows that if she lets her father rape her, he will leave her sick mother alone. Celie abhors her father's rough, sexual brutality, but by submitting to it, she spares her mother. Note that Celie tells God, "She happy" — that is, to Celie's mother, sickness seems far preferable to Fonso's (Celie's father's) brutality.
In addition, Celie is telling God that sexual violence should not be her reward for having been (and she emphasizes that she has been) a "good girl." She asks God for a "sign" to let her know "what is happening." She feels that she's being punished, that somehow she's to blame, and she doesn't understand why. She hopes that a sign from God will explain why she is suffering — from rape, incest, and so much sudden responsibility. Celie, of course, doesn't know these words — rape, incest, and responsibility — yet. She knows only that she is struggling to endure — to hold on — during this crisis. She is troubled, and in terrible pain, and is deeply confused. And in addition, she feels utterly alone. Therefore, she writes to someone whom she trusts — God, asking for understanding and explanation.
