Celie's normally gentle character is transformed immediately. Even she herself realizes that she's acting "just like Sofia," muttering and "crazy for Mr._______'s blood." And now that Celie is strong enough to listen to Shug's evaluation of Mr. ________, Shug explains that Albert wasn't always as mean and callous as he has been to Celie, but that he used to dance, laugh, and make her feel great. Shug's affair with Albert "had to be good," Shug explains, or otherwise she could never have loved him. Albert was Shug's first source of unlimited affection; she was reared by a reserved mother and an inhibited father. Shug was hurt when Albert married Annie Julia — and that was part of the reason why Shug treated Celie "so mean. Like you was a servant." It was after Annie Julia's death that Albert changed.
Now that Celie knows about Shug's relationship with Albert, and Shug knows about Celie's background of rape and mistreatment, the two women become even closer, especially so since Shug found one of Nettie's letters in the mailbox and, along with Celie, she was determined to find the rest of Nettie's letters.
Celie is reunited with Nettie, even though they are continents apart. The person who meant more to her than anyone else in the world is alive. Despite the fact that Celie never received any letters from Nettie, she never stopped loving her and never became bitter about the fact that she never received any letters. In fact, Celie's constant love for Nettie has been a source of sustaining strength for her, and now that Nettie is alive, Celie's self-confidence becomes so strong that she will frighten the men who have made her cower for so long. Celie takes the strength of Sofia and the spunk and sass of Shug, and she draws on her own awakened, rightful sense of vengeance to emerge a solid, independent, courageous, and admired woman.
