Religion
In this book, Alice Walker displays a very familiar view of religion. At the beginning of the book, Celie has strong faith in God and writes everything to him. She has a lot going on in her life, and she knows God will help her through it because he's just about the only person who can. But once she hears from her sister Nettie and her life turns more positive, she sort of gives up on God and instead writes to Nettie. At the end of the book when her life is at its best, Celie takes time to write to God again and to thank him for everything.
Not only in this instance of hearing from Nettie, but throughout the whole book, Celie basically neglects her faith in God until a certain time comes in which she realized she needs/owes him, such as at the end of the book when she thought she owed him for everything. If I had to predict if Celie was going to continue writing to God after the letter to him at the end of this book, I would say no. If her life continues to stay how it is at the end of the book, then in her eyes there would be no reason to talk to him until something bad happens. This is the kind of relationship she has with God throughout the whole book.
I know some people have a very strong relationship with God. But I also know some people have a relationship kind of like this; a less steady one. Unless something really bad or really good is happening, they don't talk to him as much as they would in a time of need. This view of religion is one way that Alice Walker does a great job of relating this book to real life.