The Color Purple
by Alice Walker
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Book Summary Information
Author: Alice WalkerEdition: Paperback
Published: 2003
ISBN: N/A
Publisher: Harvest / Harcourt, Inc.
Book Reviews of The Color Purple
Book Review: To understand why this book is considered one of the modern classics, you have to spend time in its pages
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker is an outstanding literary achievement and was recognized with the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1983, one year after its first publication. This novel outlines the life and times of a young, uneducated African American woman, Celie, in rural Geogia during the 1930s.
This story is heart-wrenching from the start. It is told from the perspective of Celie writing to God. The reader understands all of the events from this limited yet observant perspective. Celie only asks for God's help in her first letter, "Maybe you can give me a sign letting me know what is happening to me." Afterward, she simply narrates the events and even refers to God within the letters without using the second person pronoun "you." This shows that Celie does not feel she has a personal relationship with God and does not expect God to intervene on her behalf.
From the age of fourteen, Celie is powerless to prevent violent men from abusing her. She is at the mercy of their desires and is treated as little more than a sexual object and servant, first by her stepfather and later by a man she is forced to marry, named Albert. Albert dominates Celie's life, but she views him in a more detached way than you would expect even in a loveless marriage. Celie refers to her husband as "Mr." throughout the novel as a way to express her emotional detachment from him. Celie is unable to feel anything for Mr's three children either, which may be the result from the loss of her own two children at the hands of her stepfather. "Everybody say how good I is to Mr._____ children. I be good to them. But I don't feel nothing for them. Patting Harpo back not even like patting a dog. It more like patting another piece of wood. Not a living tree, but a table, a chifferobe. Anyhow, they don't love me neither, no matter how good I is."
As Celie continues living in her miserable existence she begins to have contact with a number of strong females who recognize their individual worth and do not tolerate anyone mistreating them. These women become Celie's role models and teach her the lessons her mother was not able to. Mr.'s mistress Shug Avery in particular represents the kind of expressive free spirit Celie desperately wants to be despite Shug's scandalous reputation in town.
Shug influences Celie's self-esteem, perspective about God, and even her sexuality, eventually becoming Celie's first lover. Shug also becomes Celie's protector against Mr.'s routine of physical and psychological abuse. The narration follows Celie's positive and empowering transformation both literally and symbolically. The first person perspective becomes extremely powerful as this begins to take place.
Perhaps the most touching part of the story is when Celie recovers the letters from her sister Nettie, which Mr. has been hiding from her for years. It is as if all of the love and concern Celie has been denied for years comes forth in one immense rush. It is also the first time the reader hears another perspective other than Celie. Not long after this discovery, Celie finally finds her own voice and the inner strength to stand up to Mr. and curse him for all the abuse and humiliation he has brought her over the years they have been married. Mr. just laughs and tells his wife "I probably didn't whup your ass enough." Celie retorts, "Every lick you hit me you will suffer twice. " Shug is there to support Celie and to convince Mr. he should finally leave her alone. Celie concludes this chapter in her life, "I'm pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here."
Shug continues to teach Celie when she asks her, "Tell the truth, have you ever found God in church? I never did. I just found a bunch of folks hoping for him to show. Any God I ever felt in church I brought in with me. And I think all the other folks did too. They come to church to share God, not find God." This deeply spiritual perspective touches Celie's soul and is the true turning point in her life. She stops writing letters to God and instead writes to her sister, Nettie.
Shug's message may be the very heart of the novel. It takes the hardships of Celie and Shug to bring the reader to this powerful catharsis. Yet, once one has made it to this vista, the ideas are breathtaking. "Just relax, go with everything that's going, and praise God by liking what you like. More than anything else, God love admiration."
This novel must be admired, both in the courage of its characters and the writing of its author, Alice Walker. To understand why this book is considered one of the modern classics, you have to spend time in its pages. Allow yourself to be enchanted by the world you will find there, and you will begin to truly see the color purple.
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