The color purple, by alice walker, is a very intense book to read. After celies abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing mister albert johnson, things go from. They give a few more strong themes found in the novel, but i did not see them as strongly across all the literature included on this site. Written in epistolary form, the narrative is told through a series of letters that protagonist. A literary analysis of alice walkersthe color purple 834 words 4 pages. Oppression and humiliation in alice walkers the color purple. Pretty colors a literary analysis on alice walkers, the color purple alice walker was a writer who influenced many people in her time, and continues to influence a copious amount of people still today considering she is still living. Olivia utters one of the most political statements of the book, recognizing that sexism and racism are similar forms of oppression. It was later adapted into a film and musical of the same name taking place mostly in rural georgia, the story focuses on the life of africanamerican women in the southern united states in the 1930s, addressing numerous issues. Only the color purple is analyzed by this site, and i have only sent you the link to the themes page. Note that the novels title is alluded to in letter 12, when celie associates the color purple with royalty and longs for a purple dress. But the title undoubtedly comes from a passage near the end of the novel, in which shug says that she believes that it pisses god off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and dont notice it. The novel and the movie a comparison a story that describes life style of the early years of the xx century but most importantly that defines the love and survival of two sisters. The color purple flliee walker r tl pulitzer prize winner ik f tl authors.
Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. By intense, it is a book touching very difficult and hard aspects of life of a poor, black oppressed woman in the early twentieth century. In 1930s georgia, celiea poor, uneducated, fourteenyearold, black girlwrites. The color purple questions and answers the question and answer sections of our study guides are a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss literature. Celie becomes pregnant twice, and each time her father gives away the children. Alice walkers the color purple weaves an intricate mosaic of women joined by their love for each other, the men who abuse them, and the children they care. Celie is abused and raped by her pa, who takes away her children after theyre born. General fiction alice walkers masterpiece, a powerful novel of courage in the face of oppression celie has grown up in. The color purple is the 1st book in the color purple collection, which also includes the temple of my familiar and possessing the secret of joy.
Celie writes letters to god in which she tells about her lifeher roles as daughter. Alice walker was born to sharecropper parents in eatonton, georgia, in 1944. The color purple is a touching novel through the eyes of celie, with her journal entrances and. Alice walker the color purple letter 1 of 90 genius. Written by alice walker and published in 1982, the color purple is tremendously under rated. A feminist work about an abused and uneducated african american womans struggle for empowerment, the color purple was praised for the depth of its female characters. This is a rather dark novel through the first two thirds of the text, but in the last third of the book the mood lightens. The color purple quizzes about important details and events in every section of the book. The lowest points of your life will make you stronger.
Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Summary the novel begins with a letter to god, written by celie, a young girl who has always. Celie narrates her life through painfully honest letters to god. The color purple study guide contains a biography of alice walker, literature essays, quiz. Essence banner winner of the pulitzer prize and the national book award bio bestselling novelist alice walker is also the author of three collections of short. I can certainly see how this book made such an impact by its discussion of painful topics and its feminist messages, but it was mainly the second half that brought this book down to its 3 starrating. Celie, the protagonist and narrator of the color purple, is a poor, uneducated. Celie takes the act of sewing, which is traditionally thought of as a mere chore for women who are confined to a domestic role, and turns it into an outlet for creative selfexpression and a profitable business. The color purple deals with a black womans struggle to free herself from a position of. The color purple is a 1982 epistolary novel by american author alice walker which won the 1983 pulitzer prize for fiction and the national book award for fiction. Secondary sources themes in african american literature. Below you will find three outstanding thesis statements paper topics for the color purple by alice walker that can be used as essay starters.
She grew up to become a highly acclaimed novelist, essayist and poet. The color purple is an american novel of permanent importance. Best sparknotes the color purple pics of coloring pages. The color purple is a powerful book with an amazing cast of strong female characters, but in my opinion, it was 100 pages too short. The color purple sparknotes literature guide by sparknotes. Get your a in gear theyre todays most popular study guideswith ever. Celie is a poor, black girl in the american south of the 1930s. The color purple sparknotes literature guide sparknotes literature guide series kindle edition by sparknotes author format.
As alice walker writes in a preface to the novel, purple is always a surprise but is found everywhere in nature. Paused you are listening to a sample of the audible narration for this kindle. Eventually, pa marries celie off to a man who is just as abusive as pa. She is, at the age of fourteen, repeatedly raped by her father, has two children by him, and is then married off to a widower. Study guide the color purple is a novel by alice walker that was first published in 1982 read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis see a complete list of the characters in the color purple and indepth analyses of celie, shug avery, mr. Though the mood does not equate directly with the tone, it does influence. In the first few letters, celie tells god that she has been raped by her father and that she is pregnant for the second time with his child. She say, my first step from the old white man was trees.
The color purple the color purple summary celie is abused and raped by her pa, who takes away her children after theyre born. The novel, of course, is called the color purple, and though the color itself does not appear in many places throughout the text, it is clear that purple is associated with celie, and with celies transformation from a young girl to a mature woman. All five incorporate at least one of the themes found in the color purple and are broad enough so that it will be easy to find. Alphonso, also called fonso or pa, is celie and netties stepfather, having married their mother shortly after their father was. The color purple thesis statements and important quotes. The color purple an epic tale spanning forty years in the life of celie, an africanamerican woman living in the south who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. Although it won a pulitzer prize and the american book award for fiction, it didnt go well with the male population because they said it was a makes men look bad kind of book. She believes that god places beauty in the world to make human happy. Celie, a young girl who lives with her abusive father, her sick mother, and her younger sister nettie, begins writing letters to god. The color purple, novel by alice walker, published in 1982. Get all the key plot points of alice walkers the color purple on one page. The color purple documents the traumas and gradual triumph of celie, an african american teenager raised in rural isolation in georgia, as she comes to resist the paralyzing selfconcept forced on her by others. The color purple opens with celies memory of her fathers command that she. Walker does social criticism in her novel, mostly criticizing the way black women were treated in the early twentieth century.
Alice walkers the color purple, published in 1982, tells the story of celie, a black woman in the south. In 1983, walker became the first african american woman to win a pulitzer prize for fiction with her novel the color purple, which also won the national book award. Heres where youll find analysis about the book as a whole. Book summary alice walkers the color purple weaves an intricate mosaic of women joined by their love for each other, the men who abuse them, and the children they care for. She is best known for her novel the color purple, which won the pulitzer prize for fiction and the national book award for fiction in 1983.
In her first letters, she details how her father has been sexually abusing her. Throughout the color purple, walker portrays female friendships as a means. The color purple is a 1982 epistolary novel by american author alice walker which won the 1983 pulitzer prize for fiction and the national. Sparknotes is here for you with everything you need to ace or teach. The color purple is a novel by alice walker that was first published in 1982. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the color purple by alice walker. The selfactualization celie achieves transforms her into a happy, successful, independent woman. Automatic works cited and bibliography formatting for mla, apa and chicagoturabian citation styles. The color purple, an epistolary novel which won the 1983 pulitzer prize for fiction, the national book award for fiction and was later adapted into a film and musical of the same name, is one of the best examples of a womanist text of all times. Alice walker won the pulitzer prize and the american book award for her novel the color purple, which was preceded by the third life of grange copeland and meridian. The color purple brims with these intricate turns of plot. List the seemingly minor scenes that turn out to be pivotal in the lives of the characters. See a complete list of the characters in the color purple and indepth analyses of celie, shug avery, mr. Her other bestselling novels include by the light of my fathers smile, possessing the secret of joy and the temple of my familiar.
1625 1424 856 155 303 302 74 767 811 1220 1437 1614 131 20 1076 195 872 1210 298 1213 542 34 1491 547 236 750 666 97 1187 1328 423