The Color Purple

Master of wordsmithing!

Probably one of the most impressive accomplishments of the Color Purple is the slow pace Alice Walker employed to lay out Celie's letters. With the exception of a few jolts and shocks, the letters unfold themselves leisurely, over many years, with a few shifts of focus and orientation and character, but overall the same in quality and tone. (Of course, as Celie's world expands, so does her world view and vocabulary, and the "outside" gradually becomes a part of her ever expanding horizon.) This makes The Color Purple, a rather mid-sized book by novelistic standards, feel much longer. The epistolary format of the novel, used to great effect, gives the sense that time is unfolding in a far greater sweep than the 295 pages in the paperback edition. But this is only one of the masterful elements of this novel. Walker has complete command of the art of writing a work such as this, and has fully realized its potential in nearly every area of writing: character development, plot, language, style, the presentation of conflict and its resolution. Reading the Color Purple, for those who write, provides ample opportunities to show how well a novel can work when a writer exercises complete command over her materials. Alice Walker, the master of wordsmithing.

8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

Excellent Book

The color purple is about two sisters named Celie and Nettie who struggle in life. The setting was in Georgia. Their mom died when they were younger. This meant Celie who was the oldest had to take care of the children. They lived with their Stepfather Alfonso who takes advantage of Celie and abuses her physically, mentally, and verbally. He killed Celie's and his baby she had and sold the second baby. After awhile a man named Mr._____ wants to marry Nettie Celie's younger sister but Alfonso doesn't allow it instead offers Celie as a bride. Mr.______ accepts Celie and they get married. Their marriage is horrible he does the same to her as her father Alphonso did. Mr.______ Celie's husband has a lover named Shug Avery a singer. Nettie Celie's younger sister runs away to a missionary in Africa. Shug Avery Celie's husband's lover gets sick and Celie has to take care of her. Shug Avery treats Celie horrifically. Then Shug Avery finds out that Mr._____ beats Celie. She cares for Celie and they become friends. Celie then starts to be attracted to Shug. Nettie and Celie stayed contact they sent each other letters. Celie then finds that the children of the couple Nettie are with adopted to children that were hers. Celie later moves out and lives with Shug Avery. Nettie and Celie reunite and Celie gets to meet her children. This story inspired me to be grateful of my life because others in this world have it a lot more worse then you. What I loved about this book is that anybody can over come problems and you shouldn't let anyone put you down or treat you like you're nothing because you're someone and you have a heart. Everyone should be treated with respect. What other books I would love to read about Alice Walker In Love and Trouble because its inspiring its about African American woman who share a bond not because of their background its because of what they share in common and life experience they had that the other women did to.

4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

A Good (but sad) Book

This epistolary novel is an endearing story about the life and heartache of Celie. This story shows the terrible treatment Celie received from the men in her life. It wasn't until she had an experience with a woman that she began to understand love and acceptance. The Color Purple has some plot elements that are perhaps far-fetched, but it adds to the overall beauty and point of the story. This is a fantastic novel that every student of American literature should read at least once.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Ok

Wow u people are stupid if you hate this book it made me understand what happens in real lif to black women and white women

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Jamila reader

Wonderful heart felt story that will have the reader on the edge of their seat

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

highly recommended

The author wrote this book knowing it would be timeless and for any reader. People learn about slavery starting at a young age, so I believe people around the age of twenty could read this book and get a real and powerful perspective, but also an old lady could read it and feel deeply impacted. I believe that my age, a sixteen year old girl, is perfect for this book because Celie is around my age. Therefore, I can best relate to her.

The title was well thought out. In the book, Shug Avery and Celie are walking through a path of purple flowers talking about God and Shug says: "God gets pissed off if people walk by the color purple and don't notice it". I believe this title can be interpreted any way, but purple represents violence and pain so I think she is trying to make a point that people are ignorant and don't recognize something so beautiful, like flowers, or African Americans in this metaphor, and what they are doing to them. It's hard to explain but kind of explains my interpretation of the title. It was obviously well thought out and makes me wonder.

I do not want to give the end of the story away! But I will say that it was fulfilling and wrapped the novel up beautifully since as a whole it was so moving and powerful.

The most interesting part of the book is in the structure. Celie writes "Dear God," but he is a distant figure. It seems as if she recognizes his existence but he never real comes to play. Although she tells only him all of her thoughts and feelings, she never goes deeper to explain any relationship with God.

The most exciting part of the book was when Shug Avery was going to live with Celie. It was toward the beginning of the book, so talk of her abusive past was fresh in the reader's mind. The only light in Celie's letters was her amazement in Shug Avery. She looked up to her dearly so it was very exciting that a foreshadowing of Shug
influencing Celie was near. It made me love Celie as a character and want to help her in any way so I felt happy for her.

The author's style is very much trying to get lost in the character. She is Celie. As stated before, it is in first person and Celie writes in the dialect of her time period and setting. This makes the book even more realistic and meaningful because it makes the reader feel like it's all happening as they read. I loved it personally.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I love this book!

I love this book and definitely recommend it to anyone. The characters and storyline are developed so well. The book only consists of letters so the fact that Walker is able to develop all the characters so well is awesome. I have read a few books like this with similar characters, the closest is probably The Bluest Eye but this was definitely my favorite out of any book in this genre. I also LOVED the relationship between all of the women in this book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

TOUCHED MY HEART

To begin, this book is truly amazing! It certainly brought tears to my eyes. Just thinking about how those men treated the women in their life is unbearable. Not only did they abuse them physically, but mentally. One of the main characters began talking to God through prayer and poems asking for guidance. After reading this book I was definitely realized how blessed I am. Not to mention how easy to words are. Although, you may have to go back and reread a couple of line in order to understand exactly which character is doing what. Once you start reading it is hard to put down. I will definitely read it again.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Hispanic looking into past black culture

I loved it and read it during every free moment I had. You feel bad for the main character as she lives on in her miserable life but you'll wait patiently for her to gain her courage and make decisions that make her happy. I'd love to reread this book and look at the symbolism found throughout the book that I most likely missed. Not a tear jerker but very moving.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Heartbreaking yet fulfilling

I couldn't put this book down. I had seen the movie but the book seem to capture me even more. I really enjoyed the book and the movie. I have even recommended it to friends of mine.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Women Have Come A Long Way, Baby!

The dialogue was hard to follow along in reading.I kept wanting to correct spelling, etc. Once you get into it the personalities of the characters grab you, once you get pass the 'ast' and 'gits' which indicated a lack of education or a familiar way of addressing each other. At times anger rose at the conversations indicating that young girls were being used and had no decisions in what happened to them. The kind of book that can be threatening to someone who has been abused and might cause them to abandon it. Found it graphic in some places referring to sexual matters.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very good read

I read this book for a literature class to take and at first i was skeptical because i was obligated to read it. Adapting to the southern dialect took a few chapters but once i began to fully comprehend the lingo i really started to enjoy the book. For those that did or do not understand the opression of females in the early 1900's this book is a real eye opener. It takes you on a journey through celie's eyes all the hardships she encounters and how she continually manages to overcome them is a true test of charecter. This story is mostly sad and could be percieved as inappropriate at times but overall it is a real page turner. this is one book that i definately do not regret having read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

If you liked the movie, you will like the book!

I watched the movie Color Purple and really loved it and when I was required to read the book I kind of didn't want to read it because I already saw the movie, but I think the book helps you better understand the movie if there was some parts that you didn't understand, and I really loved the book almost as much as the movie. So I think everyone should read this book at lease once!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Amazing Read.

I was required to read this book as a part of my humanities literature course at IUP, and at first, I wasn't so sure. I hadn't enjoyed either of the previous novels we had read, so I wasn't sure if this one was going to be any different, but it really was worth reading. Once I began, I found myself zipping through the pages wanting to know what happend to Celie next. The fact that the novel was set up in letters made it easier to read. Although the dialogue was difficult to understand at first, I found myself finding it easier and easier to read as I went on. Amazing book, and I would definitely reccommend it!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good Read!

'I don't say nothing. I think bout Nettie, dead. She fight, she run away. What good it do? I don't fight, I stay where I'm told. But I'm alive.' That basically describes Celie, the main character in The Color Purple. She is quiet and rarely speaks up while undergoing traumatic events. It was the most poignant book I have ever read. Alice Walker¿s The Color Purple is a heartbreaking novel with a descriptive setting and well described characters, a thorough and interesting plot, and connections any reader can make. The main character in The Color Purple is Celie. She undergoes many hardships throughout her life, and then ends up loosing her best friend/sister at a very young age. She undergoes many African American issues because of the time period. Alice Walker really reaches into the soul of Celie and her sister Nettie. She writes it with a unique letter format with no chapters.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A queen

I need a clan and in 5 moons im geting kits is this the nursary? Im dawnshadow. Ok?

Blueclaw

Trots into the nursery and looks around. Sadly she says it looks so empty! I hope there will be some kits soon.

NURSERY

On the far side of camp is a bramble thiket. It is renforced with twigs thorns and other things. Inside are large nests for queens and there litter of kits. It is roomy so that kits can play safely. Warriors would give there life to protect this den. -Redstar

It was just ok

I like it but there was much more in the movie

Love

I love this book