Introduction
Author Name: Alice Walker
Genre: Domestic Fiction
Language: English
Author Name: Alice Walker
Genre: Domestic Fiction
Language: English
Wow. I mean. Really. Wow.
Do you know how there are some books and their words wrap around you like a comforting blanket? Well...
This. Is. Not. One.
The Color Purple rips the clothes right off of your skin, leaving you bare and vulnerable. From the first freakin' moment opening the page. You are just THERE and you can't be anywhere else but THERE. Even when you're not.
Wow.
Have you seen the movie? I had. I thought I was prepared. Because the movie was devastating. I remember vividly being in the house that I and a couple of college friends rented, sitting there in the dark, all of us sitting on our furniture, chain-smoking, drinking wine, and crying. The movie didn't prepare me.
Walker's words are music. Sometimes a sweet melody, but mostly a cacophony of pain and sorrow. Oh and how the characters change and grow with time, how they eventually find peace. And the dichotomy of the South and Africa? It makes me yearn to find pieces of literature that can show me the mysteries of that continent.
Do you know how there are some books and their words wrap around you like a comforting blanket? Well...
This. Is. Not. One.
The Color Purple rips the clothes right off of your skin, leaving you bare and vulnerable. From the first freakin' moment opening the page. You are just THERE and you can't be anywhere else but THERE. Even when you're not.
Wow.
Have you seen the movie? I had. I thought I was prepared. Because the movie was devastating. I remember vividly being in the house that I and a couple of college friends rented, sitting there in the dark, all of us sitting on our furniture, chain-smoking, drinking wine, and crying. The movie didn't prepare me.
Walker's words are music. Sometimes a sweet melody, but mostly a cacophony of pain and sorrow. Oh and how the characters change and grow with time, how they eventually find peace. And the dichotomy of the South and Africa? It makes me yearn to find pieces of literature that can show me the mysteries of that continent.
About the Author
Alice Malsenior Tallulah-Kate Walker (born February 9, 1944) is an American novelist, short story writer, poet, and social activist. In 1982, she became the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, for which she was awarded for her novel The Color Purple. Throughout her career, Walker has published seventeen novels and short story collections, twelve non-fiction works, and collections of essays and poetry.
In 2007, Walker donated her papers, consisting of 122 boxes of manuscripts and archive material, to Emory University's Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library.
Alice Malsenior Tallulah-Kate Walker (born February 9, 1944) is an American novelist, short story writer, poet, and social activist. In 1982, she became the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, for which she was awarded for her novel The Color Purple. Throughout her career, Walker has published seventeen novels and short story collections, twelve non-fiction works, and collections of essays and poetry.
In 2007, Walker donated her papers, consisting of 122 boxes of manuscripts and archive material, to Emory University's Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library.
In addition to drafts of novels such as The Color Purple, unpublished poems and manuscripts, and correspondence with editors, the collection includes extensive correspondence with family members, friends, and colleagues, early treatment of the film script for The Color Purple, syllabi from courses she taught, and fan mail. The collection also contains a scrapbook of poetry compiled when Walker was 15, entitled "Poems of a Childhood Poetess."
About the Book
The Color Purple is considered a classic womanist text. It is about being a woman and a black, living in the frame of male civilization, racist and sexist, being subject to all possible forms of oppression. It explores the modern search for wholeness, connection of people in an age of fragmentation and exploitation.
The Color Purple is considered a classic womanist text. It is about being a woman and a black, living in the frame of male civilization, racist and sexist, being subject to all possible forms of oppression. It explores the modern search for wholeness, connection of people in an age of fragmentation and exploitation.
Trudier Harris in Black American Literature Forum states that The Color Purple has “become the classic novel by a black woman” because “the pendulum determining focus on black writers had swung in their favor… and Alice Walker had been waiting in the wings of the feminist movement…”
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The novel faced criticism by the Afro-Americans because of the unfavorable portrayal of men as being capable of oppressing other members of the community especially women. Young women are treated as sexual objects; Celie is raped by her ‘Pa’. Her education is discontinued forcibly against her wish; she is married off to a person because she has become a “burden”.
At the start of the novel, her only voice is her letters to God. In ‘The Bluest Eye’ Pecola is completely silenced as a result of paternal violence, Celie does not resign her beauty to a world where blue eyes seem to be the white standard of beauty. Celie confides in God about her sufferings and not to an imaginary friend, she refuses to be a voiceless victim.
At the beginning of the novel, one can notice that Celie is completely devoid of identity. Her husband Mr calls Celie a ‘nobody’. Celie is unable to define herself. Her life has been fragmented into pieces, given away to others. In the later stages of the novel, through the narrative, one realizes Celie takes a step forward towards her self-acceptance when she announces her decision to leave Mr and live with Shug in Memphis.
At the beginning of the novel, one can notice that Celie is completely devoid of identity. Her husband Mr calls Celie a ‘nobody’. Celie is unable to define herself. Her life has been fragmented into pieces, given away to others. In the later stages of the novel, through the narrative, one realizes Celie takes a step forward towards her self-acceptance when she announces her decision to leave Mr and live with Shug in Memphis.
Celie declares, “I’m pore, I’m black, I may be ugly and can’t cook…But I’m here”. Initially in the novel, Celie does not sign her letters but after a certain point, she does so emphasizing her identity through her family relationships, her business, her love, her new place in the world.
The character of Shug Avery represents a total flaunting of society’s prescribed roles for women. Her career as a blues singer enables her to experience much more freedom than the other women bound by their duties. Celie finds Shug to be the most beautiful woman in the world. Celie becomes aware of her beauty through her relationship with Shug.
The character of Shug Avery represents a total flaunting of society’s prescribed roles for women. Her career as a blues singer enables her to experience much more freedom than the other women bound by their duties. Celie finds Shug to be the most beautiful woman in the world. Celie becomes aware of her beauty through her relationship with Shug.
Celie’s recognition of her beauty is a very important step towards her self-independence and self-acceptance. The physical love between Shug and Avery is symbolic of the total liberation of women. Shug teaches Celie to love her own body and to follow the intuition of her mind.
In the novel, the complete redefining of gender roles also leads to crucial changes in the character of Mr ___. His love for Shug indicates that even he can love and care for someone. In the end, his attitude regarding women, gender roles are completely changed. He is transformed from anonymous Mr ___ to ‘Albert’.
Towards the end of the novel, the female characters of the novel find their footing. Through their quilts, songs they realize their identities and individuality. Shug and Mary Agnes find themselves in music; Sofia and Celie in their Quilts; Nettie in her teaching; Celie also creates her folk pants which is also a culmination of art and free spirit. Walker in a very clever twist uses a traditional white holiday to mark the spiritual, economic, emotional, and social independence of Celie.
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Image Source: For Reading Addicts |
In the novel, the complete redefining of gender roles also leads to crucial changes in the character of Mr ___. His love for Shug indicates that even he can love and care for someone. In the end, his attitude regarding women, gender roles are completely changed. He is transformed from anonymous Mr ___ to ‘Albert’.
Towards the end of the novel, the female characters of the novel find their footing. Through their quilts, songs they realize their identities and individuality. Shug and Mary Agnes find themselves in music; Sofia and Celie in their Quilts; Nettie in her teaching; Celie also creates her folk pants which is also a culmination of art and free spirit. Walker in a very clever twist uses a traditional white holiday to mark the spiritual, economic, emotional, and social independence of Celie.
My Review
Alice Walker has written a deep and moving novel, The Color Purple truly is a classic that is worthy of all the praise it’s received. This is my second time reading this book and despite my copy being slightly worn due to age, I treasure it and all that reading it has taught me.
I highly recommend The Color Purple, but please note: you can’t shield yourself from this story, when you read it, expect to be taken through every emotion one can feel, a dynamic cast of characters, a powerful story, unapologetic in its delivery.
My rating for this book is 5/5
Alice Walker has written a deep and moving novel, The Color Purple truly is a classic that is worthy of all the praise it’s received. This is my second time reading this book and despite my copy being slightly worn due to age, I treasure it and all that reading it has taught me.
I highly recommend The Color Purple, but please note: you can’t shield yourself from this story, when you read it, expect to be taken through every emotion one can feel, a dynamic cast of characters, a powerful story, unapologetic in its delivery.
My rating for this book is 5/5
You can easily get this book from Amazon: The Color Purple
Written By – Prachi Mann
Written By – Prachi Mann
Edited By - Anamika Malik
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