A key component of transcendentalism is human experience transcending the strict roles defined by society or religious doctrine. In "The Color Purple," many women battle against the gender roles imposed upon them by society and by the stronger men in their life. Shug Avery provides the prime example of this, through her sexual independence and unwillingness to be subservient in any situation. Through Celie's growth across the novel, Walker demonstrates that women can move from subservience to independence, literally transcending their earlier fate.
Transcendentalism focuses on breaking free of preexisting narrative paths, most commonly those of religion or society. The ability to tell one's own story becomes a transcendental theme of "The Color Purple" through story granting power. At the beginning of the novel, Celie is unable to express herself or declare her independence. She is told by her abuser that she "better not never tell nobody but God." Through Sofia and Shug, however, Celie finds friends who listen to her. Celie's growth as a character directly depends on the strength she finds in her voice and her ability to tell her own story.
Celie's view of religion in "The Color Purple" shifts from viewing God as a white, male figure to establishing God on her own terms. When Celie no longer sees God as simplistic or distant, she undergoes a transcendental shift from taking religious authority at face value to evaluating and establishing her own opinions, even going so far as to question God's wisdom.
Both Celie and Mr. ______, her onetime husband, grow and change throughout "The Color Purple," pushing beyond their expectations for themselves. Celie's changes are most dramatic. Whereas in the beginning of the novel she passively accepts physical abuse from her father, by the end of the novel she is able to stand up for herself. Similarly, while Celie's husband introduced as an abusive and harsh man, by the end of the novel he has made an effort to become a better person. In this way, both Celie and her husband transcend their previous paths.