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The Color Purple Collection #1
醿樶儤醿♂儰醿斸儬醿�
醿斸儦醿樶儭 醿ａ儩醿欋償醿犪儤醿� 醿樶儤醿♂儰醿斸儬醿� 醿愥儧醿斸儬醿樶儥醿樶儭 醿戓儤醿戓儦醿樶儩醿椺償醿欋儛醿犪儣醿� 醿愥儭醿濁儶醿樶儛醿儤醿愥儧 醿п儠醿斸儦醿愥儢醿� 醿儴醿樶儬醿愥儞 醿愥儥醿犪儷醿愥儦醿ａ儦醿� 醿撫儛 醿掅儛醿♂儛醿┽儤醿曖儬醿斸儜醿ａ儦醿� 醿儤醿掅儨醿斸儜醿樶儭 2000-2009 醿儦醿斸儜醿樶儭 醿愥儭醿斸儯醿氠儴醿� 醿涐償醿┽儠醿樶儞醿涐償醿⑨償 醿愥儞醿掅儤醿氠儤 醿涐儤醿愥儨醿樶儹醿�. 醿儤醿掅儨醿� 醿儛醿氠儤醿愥儨 醿儴醿樶儬醿愥儞 醿п儩醿め儤醿氠儛 醿償醿溼儢醿ａ儬醿樶儭 醿♂儛醿涐儤醿栣儨醿� 醿掅儛醿涐儹醿曖儤醿犪儠醿愥儦醿斸儞 醿愥儲醿償醿犪儤醿氠儤 醿♂償醿メ儭醿ａ儛醿氠儯醿犪儤 醿椺償醿涐償醿戓儤醿♂儛 醿撫儛 醿儛醿氠儛醿撫儩醿戓儤醿� 醿愥儧醿♂儛醿儠醿斸儦醿� 醿♂儶醿斸儨醿斸儜醿樶儭 醿掅儛醿涐儩.
1985 醿償醿氠儭 醿犪儩醿涐儛醿溼儤醿� 醿涐儤醿償醿撫儠醿樶儣 醿掅儛醿撫儛醿︶償醿戓儯醿氠儤 醿め儤醿氠儧醿樶儭 醿掅儛醿涐儩醿♂儠醿氠儤醿♂儣醿愥儨醿愥儠醿� 醿儤醿掅儨醿� 醿欋儬醿樶儮醿樶儥醿樶儭 醿愥儺醿愥儦醿涐儛 醿⑨儛醿氠儲醿愥儧 醿掅儛醿撫儛醿ａ儛醿犪儛. 醿欋儬醿樶儮醿樶儥醿濁儭醿斸儜醿涐儛 醿涐儤醿樶儵醿溼儤醿斸儭, 醿犪儩醿� 醿樶儤醿♂儰醿斸儬醿� 醿愥儧醿欋儠醿樶儞醿犪償醿戓儞醿� 醿ㄡ儛醿曖儥醿愥儨醿樶儛醿溼儤 醿涐儛醿涐儛醿欋儛醿償醿戓儤醿� 醿儛醿氠儛醿撫儩醿戓儬醿樶儠醿� 醿戓儯醿溼償醿戓儤醿� 醿♂儮醿斸儬醿斸儩醿⑨儤醿炨儭. 醿め儤醿氠儧醿� 醿♂儮醿樶儠醿斸儨 醿♂優醿樶儦醿戓償醿犪儝醿涐儛 醿掅儛醿撫儛醿樶儲醿� 醿撫儛 醿涐儛醿♂儴醿� 醿涐儣醿愥儠醿愥儬 醿犪儩醿氠儭 醿曖儯醿炨儤 醿掅儩醿氠儞醿戓償醿犪儝醿� 醿愥儭醿犪儯醿氠償醿戓儭.
醿涐儩醿メ儧醿斸儞醿斸儜醿� 醿曖儤醿椺儛醿犪儞醿斸儜醿� 醿儩醿犪儻醿樶儤醿� 醿ㄡ儮醿愥儮醿樶儭 醿斸儬醿�-醿斸儬醿� 醿♂儩醿め償醿氠儴醿�. 醿濁儬醿樶儝醿樶儨醿愥儦醿ａ儬醿� 醿め儩醿犪儧醿樶儣醿� 醿撫儛 醿撫儤醿撫儤 醿涐儸醿斸儬醿氠儯醿犪儤 醿濁儭醿⑨儛醿⑨儩醿戓儤醿椺儛醿� 醿涐儩醿椺儺醿犪儩醿戓儤醿氠儤 醿愥儰醿犪儩醿愥儧醿斸儬醿樶儥醿斸儦醿� 醿メ儛醿氠償醿戓儤醿� 醿涐儷醿樶儧醿� 醿撫儛 醿儤醿溼儛醿愥儲醿涐儞醿斸儝醿濁儜醿犪儤醿曖儤 醿儺醿濁儠醿犪償醿戓儛 1930-醿樶儛醿� 醿儦醿斸儜醿ㄡ儤.
醿斸儦醿樶儭 醿ａ儩醿欋償醿犪儧醿� 醿愥儧 醿犪儩醿涐儛醿溼儤醿♂儣醿曖儤醿� 1983 醿償醿氠儭 醿炨儯醿氠儤醿⑨儶醿斸儬醿樶儭醿� (醿愥儠醿⑨儩醿犪儤 醿炨儤醿犪儠醿斸儦醿� 醿め償醿犪儛醿撫儥醿愥儨醿樶儛醿溼儤 醿メ儛醿氠儤 醿樶儳醿�, 醿犪儩醿涐償醿氠儧醿愥儶 醿斸儭 醿炨儬醿斸儧醿樶儛 醿涐儤醿樶儲醿�) 醿撫儛 醿愥儧醿斸儬醿樶儥醿樶儭 醿儤醿掅儨醿樶儭 醿斸儬醿濁儠醿溼儯醿氠儤 醿炨儬醿斸儧醿樶儛 醿涐儤醿樶儲醿�.
1985 醿償醿氠儭 醿犪儩醿涐儛醿溼儤醿� 醿涐儤醿償醿撫儠醿樶儣 醿掅儛醿撫儛醿︶償醿戓儯醿氠儤 醿め儤醿氠儧醿樶儭 醿掅儛醿涐儩醿♂儠醿氠儤醿♂儣醿愥儨醿愥儠醿� 醿儤醿掅儨醿� 醿欋儬醿樶儮醿樶儥醿樶儭 醿愥儺醿愥儦醿涐儛 醿⑨儛醿氠儲醿愥儧 醿掅儛醿撫儛醿ａ儛醿犪儛. 醿欋儬醿樶儮醿樶儥醿濁儭醿斸儜醿涐儛 醿涐儤醿樶儵醿溼儤醿斸儭, 醿犪儩醿� 醿樶儤醿♂儰醿斸儬醿� 醿愥儧醿欋儠醿樶儞醿犪償醿戓儞醿� 醿ㄡ儛醿曖儥醿愥儨醿樶儛醿溼儤 醿涐儛醿涐儛醿欋儛醿償醿戓儤醿� 醿儛醿氠儛醿撫儩醿戓儬醿樶儠醿� 醿戓儯醿溼償醿戓儤醿� 醿♂儮醿斸儬醿斸儩醿⑨儤醿炨儭. 醿め儤醿氠儧醿� 醿♂儮醿樶儠醿斸儨 醿♂優醿樶儦醿戓償醿犪儝醿涐儛 醿掅儛醿撫儛醿樶儲醿� 醿撫儛 醿涐儛醿♂儴醿� 醿涐儣醿愥儠醿愥儬 醿犪儩醿氠儭 醿曖儯醿炨儤 醿掅儩醿氠儞醿戓償醿犪儝醿� 醿愥儭醿犪儯醿氠償醿戓儭.
醿涐儩醿メ儧醿斸儞醿斸儜醿� 醿曖儤醿椺儛醿犪儞醿斸儜醿� 醿儩醿犪儻醿樶儤醿� 醿ㄡ儮醿愥儮醿樶儭 醿斸儬醿�-醿斸儬醿� 醿♂儩醿め償醿氠儴醿�. 醿濁儬醿樶儝醿樶儨醿愥儦醿ａ儬醿� 醿め儩醿犪儧醿樶儣醿� 醿撫儛 醿撫儤醿撫儤 醿涐儸醿斸儬醿氠儯醿犪儤 醿濁儭醿⑨儛醿⑨儩醿戓儤醿椺儛醿� 醿涐儩醿椺儺醿犪儩醿戓儤醿氠儤 醿愥儰醿犪儩醿愥儧醿斸儬醿樶儥醿斸儦醿� 醿メ儛醿氠償醿戓儤醿� 醿涐儷醿樶儧醿� 醿撫儛 醿儤醿溼儛醿愥儲醿涐儞醿斸儝醿濁儜醿犪儤醿曖儤 醿儺醿濁儠醿犪償醿戓儛 1930-醿樶儛醿� 醿儦醿斸儜醿ㄡ儤.
醿斸儦醿樶儭 醿ａ儩醿欋償醿犪儧醿� 醿愥儧 醿犪儩醿涐儛醿溼儤醿♂儣醿曖儤醿� 1983 醿償醿氠儭 醿炨儯醿氠儤醿⑨儶醿斸儬醿樶儭醿� (醿愥儠醿⑨儩醿犪儤 醿炨儤醿犪儠醿斸儦醿� 醿め償醿犪儛醿撫儥醿愥儨醿樶儛醿溼儤 醿メ儛醿氠儤 醿樶儳醿�, 醿犪儩醿涐償醿氠儧醿愥儶 醿斸儭 醿炨儬醿斸儧醿樶儛 醿涐儤醿樶儲醿�) 醿撫儛 醿愥儧醿斸儬醿樶儥醿樶儭 醿儤醿掅儨醿樶儭 醿斸儬醿濁儠醿溼儯醿氠儤 醿炨儬醿斸儧醿樶儛 醿涐儤醿樶儲醿�.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1982
21.3k people are currently reading
759k people want to read
About the author
Alice Walker
308听books7,059听followersNoted American writer Alice Walker won a Pulitzer Prize for her stance against racism and sexism in such novels as
The Color Purple
(1982).
People awarded this preeminent author of stories, essays, and poetry of the United States. In 1983, this first African woman for fiction also received the national book award. Her other books include The Third Life of Grange Copeland , Meridian , The Temple of My Familiar , and Possessing the Secret of Joy . In public life, Walker worked to address problems of injustice, inequality, and poverty as an activist, teacher, and public intellectual.
People awarded this preeminent author of stories, essays, and poetry of the United States. In 1983, this first African woman for fiction also received the national book award. Her other books include The Third Life of Grange Copeland , Meridian , The Temple of My Familiar , and Possessing the Secret of Joy . In public life, Walker worked to address problems of injustice, inequality, and poverty as an activist, teacher, and public intellectual.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 29,658 reviews
October 5, 2015
I give this book 5 stars to spite the myopic and the V.S. Naipauls of the world who think books written by women are irrelevant. I give this 5 stars to make up for the many 1/2/3 star ratings it may receive simply because of Alice Walker's forthright, honest portrayal of unpleasant truths that are often conveniently shoved under the carpet so as not to disturb the carefully preserved but brittle structure of dogma and century-old misconceptions.
And I award this 5 stars, symbolically on Banned Books Week as an apology for all the cowardly sentiments of the ones who misuse their power by banning books, thereby shutting out many powerful voices which demand and need to be heard.
In my eyes, an author's merit lies not only in their sense of aesthetic beauty, but also in the scope and reach of their worldviews which must reflect in their craft.
Alice Walker's is the voice of one such African American writer that recounts a story which not only breaches the boundaries of an issue like emancipation of women but tries to detect a common pattern in problems plaguing civilizations across continents. She gives us one horrifying glimpse after another into the lives of women ravaged by unspeakable brutalities like rape and abuse, lives searching for meaning and connection and seeking out that elusive ray of hope amidst the darkness of despair.
And by the end of the narrative, she brings to light with great sensitivity, that misogyny, sexism and blind patriarchal prejudices are as rampantly in vogue in the urban, upscale sphere of American cities as they are in the intractable, untameable African landscapes.
Celie and Nettie. Shug Avery, Sofia and Mary Agnes. Tashi and Olivia.
All these are but different names and many facets of the same disturbing reality.
If the lives of Celie and Nettie are torn apart by sexual abuse and humiliation from childhood, then Tashi and other unnamed young African girls of the Olinka tribe are victims of genital mutilation and other forms of psychological and physical torture.
If the men of African American families dehumanize the female members to the point of treating them as mere care-givers and sex slaves, then the objectification of African women by the men of their families is no less appalling. And contrary to accepted beliefs, white families in America are just as easily susceptible to misogyny as the African American families are.
But Alice Walker doesn't only stop at opening our eyes to the uncivilized aspects of our so-called civilized world, but also shows us how knowledge of the world and people at large, self-awareness and education can help exorcize such social evils, how it is never too late to gain a fresh perspective, start anew and how empowerment of women eventually empowers society.
Dear David Gilmour, if I were a professor of English literature I'd have taught Alice Walker to my students without a shred of hesitation, because here's an author who may not possess the trademark sophistication of Virginia Woolf's lyrical prose but who, nonetheless, fearlessly broaches subjects many masters and mistresses of the craft may balk at dealing with.
Alice Walker: 5 | David Gilmour: 0
And I award this 5 stars, symbolically on Banned Books Week as an apology for all the cowardly sentiments of the ones who misuse their power by banning books, thereby shutting out many powerful voices which demand and need to be heard.
In my eyes, an author's merit lies not only in their sense of aesthetic beauty, but also in the scope and reach of their worldviews which must reflect in their craft.
Alice Walker's is the voice of one such African American writer that recounts a story which not only breaches the boundaries of an issue like emancipation of women but tries to detect a common pattern in problems plaguing civilizations across continents. She gives us one horrifying glimpse after another into the lives of women ravaged by unspeakable brutalities like rape and abuse, lives searching for meaning and connection and seeking out that elusive ray of hope amidst the darkness of despair.
And by the end of the narrative, she brings to light with great sensitivity, that misogyny, sexism and blind patriarchal prejudices are as rampantly in vogue in the urban, upscale sphere of American cities as they are in the intractable, untameable African landscapes.
Celie and Nettie. Shug Avery, Sofia and Mary Agnes. Tashi and Olivia.
All these are but different names and many facets of the same disturbing reality.
If the lives of Celie and Nettie are torn apart by sexual abuse and humiliation from childhood, then Tashi and other unnamed young African girls of the Olinka tribe are victims of genital mutilation and other forms of psychological and physical torture.
If the men of African American families dehumanize the female members to the point of treating them as mere care-givers and sex slaves, then the objectification of African women by the men of their families is no less appalling. And contrary to accepted beliefs, white families in America are just as easily susceptible to misogyny as the African American families are.
But Alice Walker doesn't only stop at opening our eyes to the uncivilized aspects of our so-called civilized world, but also shows us how knowledge of the world and people at large, self-awareness and education can help exorcize such social evils, how it is never too late to gain a fresh perspective, start anew and how empowerment of women eventually empowers society.
Dear David Gilmour, if I were a professor of English literature I'd have taught Alice Walker to my students without a shred of hesitation, because here's an author who may not possess the trademark sophistication of Virginia Woolf's lyrical prose but who, nonetheless, fearlessly broaches subjects many masters and mistresses of the craft may balk at dealing with.
Alice Walker: 5 | David Gilmour: 0
December 4, 2013
I read The Colour Purple in my early teens, was traumatized by the graphic abuse portrayed, and vowed to never read it again. I was curious about why so many of my GR friends rated it so highly and was eventually convinced to give it another go.
Years after my first read, I still (of course) have the same visceral reaction to the abuse but that no longer blinds me from seeing the magnificence of Alice Walker鈥檚 storytelling, and how she brings her characters to life.
Celie is the protagonist of the tale. Her story is told through a series of letters written firstly to God, and then to her sister Nettie. As an abused, uneducated woman (abused by her father, husband, and step-children) who was only ever shown love by Nettie, the letters are very telling, and are the only means Celie has of expressing her feelings.
I adored Celie. It really amazed me how a woman who was abused so much (sexually, physically, verbally) could still have so much love in her heart, and not be bitter. Imagine hearing things like this regularly: (Husband to Celie) 鈥� 鈥淲ho you think you is? You can鈥檛 curse nobody. Look at you. You black, you pore, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, he say, you nothing at all.鈥�
But Celie is something, and one of my favourite parts of this book is the sisterhood portrayed, especially by the enigmatic Shug, who helped Celie on her journey to self-realization. The book has strong female characters, which is another plus.
I鈥檓 so glad I gave this book a second chance. Celie is a wonderful character and proof of the resilience of the human spirit.
鈥淚 think us here to wonder, myself. To wonder. To ask. And that in wondering bout the big things and asking bout the big things, you learn about the little ones, almost by accident. But you never know nothing more about the big things than you start out with. The more I wonder, the more I love.鈥�
December 27, 2011
Wow. I mean. Really. Wow.
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 me 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.
I am incoherent and refuse to speak of the summary. It's The Color Purple! It doesn't need a summary.
It is alive.
It is life.
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 me 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.
I am incoherent and refuse to speak of the summary. It's The Color Purple! It doesn't need a summary.
It is alive.
It is life.
March 27, 2024
Gotta tell you, I don't really know what to say.
They say there's a first time for everything but I, as a member of the never shuts up community, doubted this day would ever come.
So I will keep this quick!
Lately I've had a hard time feeling books - as in actually have them impact me emotionally - so I've read increasingly crazy lit fic to attempt to undo it.
This just shattered all of that and fixed it no problem. I teared up.
I'm not ashamed, even if this wrecks my badass image. This book is emotive and touching and I care about the characters so, so much.
But enough yearning on main.
Bottom line: A book so good it broke me!
-----------------
pre-review
going to stare at the wall for the next couple of hours
review to come / 4.5 stars
-----------------
currently-reading updates
can i still call myself a bookworm if it took me this long to read this?
They say there's a first time for everything but I, as a member of the never shuts up community, doubted this day would ever come.
So I will keep this quick!
Lately I've had a hard time feeling books - as in actually have them impact me emotionally - so I've read increasingly crazy lit fic to attempt to undo it.
This just shattered all of that and fixed it no problem. I teared up.
I'm not ashamed, even if this wrecks my badass image. This book is emotive and touching and I care about the characters so, so much.
But enough yearning on main.
Bottom line: A book so good it broke me!
-----------------
pre-review
going to stare at the wall for the next couple of hours
review to come / 4.5 stars
-----------------
currently-reading updates
can i still call myself a bookworm if it took me this long to read this?
February 17, 2022
"Who you think you is? he say. You can't curse nobody. Look at you. You black, you pore, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, he say, you nothing at all."
And yet, she is one of the strongest characters I have ever met in literature. Long before women began speaking up about their different experiences in the #metoo movement, Alice Walker's Celie and her sisters resist the violence and power of the men around them and go on living through the pain and frustration, only to find life worth fighting for in the end. Rarely these days do I finish a book within one sitting, but this novel was impossible to put down.
In a voice genuinely her own, Celie begins to tell her story of rape, loss, and forced marriage. Her loneliness is so painful that she can't even think of a recipient for her letters - except for God, which she imagines to be an older, white man, the very symbol of patriarchal power.
Wherever her life takes her, she is surrounded by men who are taught from the cradle to mistreat and look down on women in order to establish their own fragile egos. While they claim to be the stronger sex, they leave it to their mothers, sisters, daughters and wives to make a living, to work for food and shelter and education.
Celie's world - based on submission - changes when she encounters two women who refuse to bow their heads, who fight for their right to individual pride and happiness. In Shug, her lover, and Sofia, her neighbour, she sees the true colour of female power: the purple of queens! A mix of the passionately hot blood-red colour of happiness and the deeply painful and dark blue, purple is the essence of nature, the expression of the divine principle of life beyond the Christian God of the bible who is mainly catering to the white male authority that makes women suffer.
The day Celie discovers that her long lost sister is still alive, she can finally drop the patriarchal god figure as a recipient of her letters (written to reflect on the painful experience of her life) and share her thoughts with somebody she loves truly and unconditionally. "Dear Nettie" - a moment of triumph caught in writing!
Life is not only red happiness or blue sadness, it is purple!
Therefore Celie's lover Shug is convinced that "God is pissed" whenever someone ignores the beauty of the colour purple in nature whereas he is completely absent from church.
Finding spiritual support within the loving human heart is at the centre of this powerful hymn to women across the world, and while telling the story of Nettie and Celie, of Sofia and Shug, it approaches the difficult political topics of misogyny, repressed sexuality, colonialism, missionary endeavours, racism, domestic violence and poverty.
Rarely have I felt a colour expressing itself so strongly in emotions!
Despite the terrible circumstances of life in the Deep South in the 1930s and 1940s, it is a book about the joy of living. Confronted with the hatred of the man she is about to leave to embark on her first attempt at independent life, Celie answers:
"I am pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here."
And the message Alice Walker sends out to people across the world is a positive one: men and women can define their own roles, they can develop and learn and change for the better. Gender roles are not static, and there are moments of peace and friendship for anyone who dares to move out of the pattern of dominance that destroys the freedom of choice for both men and women.
Recommended to the world, over and over!
And yet, she is one of the strongest characters I have ever met in literature. Long before women began speaking up about their different experiences in the #metoo movement, Alice Walker's Celie and her sisters resist the violence and power of the men around them and go on living through the pain and frustration, only to find life worth fighting for in the end. Rarely these days do I finish a book within one sitting, but this novel was impossible to put down.
In a voice genuinely her own, Celie begins to tell her story of rape, loss, and forced marriage. Her loneliness is so painful that she can't even think of a recipient for her letters - except for God, which she imagines to be an older, white man, the very symbol of patriarchal power.
Wherever her life takes her, she is surrounded by men who are taught from the cradle to mistreat and look down on women in order to establish their own fragile egos. While they claim to be the stronger sex, they leave it to their mothers, sisters, daughters and wives to make a living, to work for food and shelter and education.
Celie's world - based on submission - changes when she encounters two women who refuse to bow their heads, who fight for their right to individual pride and happiness. In Shug, her lover, and Sofia, her neighbour, she sees the true colour of female power: the purple of queens! A mix of the passionately hot blood-red colour of happiness and the deeply painful and dark blue, purple is the essence of nature, the expression of the divine principle of life beyond the Christian God of the bible who is mainly catering to the white male authority that makes women suffer.
The day Celie discovers that her long lost sister is still alive, she can finally drop the patriarchal god figure as a recipient of her letters (written to reflect on the painful experience of her life) and share her thoughts with somebody she loves truly and unconditionally. "Dear Nettie" - a moment of triumph caught in writing!
Life is not only red happiness or blue sadness, it is purple!
Therefore Celie's lover Shug is convinced that "God is pissed" whenever someone ignores the beauty of the colour purple in nature whereas he is completely absent from church.
Finding spiritual support within the loving human heart is at the centre of this powerful hymn to women across the world, and while telling the story of Nettie and Celie, of Sofia and Shug, it approaches the difficult political topics of misogyny, repressed sexuality, colonialism, missionary endeavours, racism, domestic violence and poverty.
Rarely have I felt a colour expressing itself so strongly in emotions!
Despite the terrible circumstances of life in the Deep South in the 1930s and 1940s, it is a book about the joy of living. Confronted with the hatred of the man she is about to leave to embark on her first attempt at independent life, Celie answers:
"I am pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here."
And the message Alice Walker sends out to people across the world is a positive one: men and women can define their own roles, they can develop and learn and change for the better. Gender roles are not static, and there are moments of peace and friendship for anyone who dares to move out of the pattern of dominance that destroys the freedom of choice for both men and women.
Recommended to the world, over and over!
February 1, 2021
is an absolute masterpiece about love and redemption. Shug, Celie, Sofia, and Nellie are some of the strongest women characters in American fiction. I am literally writing this with tears streaming down my cheeks.
There is so much to unpack here as Alice Walker deals holistically with the fate of African Americans from the perspective of Africa and the tribes who sold their kinsman to white slavers, the devastation of Africa by European colonizers particularly after WWI leading to WWII, the violence of in the South particularly aimed towards women, female sexuality...There is an infinite depth in this book that can reveal itself more and more with each successive read.
The first half of the story is told through letters to God by Celia who is married, against her will, to Mr. ____. We learn that his first name is Albert, but we never learn his last name. Perhaps, this anonymity is symbolic of the widespread rape and spousal abuse in impoverished communities - and yet we also see that in the white mayor's family, through her sister-in-law Sofia's eyes is no more sane and no less violent.
Celia was raped by her stepfather and bore two children that subsequently disappeared. Her sister refuses Mr. ____ in marriage and leaves and thus Celia is given to him. Sex for her is a burden and a torture without end: You know the worst part? she say. The worst part is I don't think he notice. He git up there and enjoy himself just the same. No matter what I'm thinking. No matter what I feel. It just him. Heartfeeling don't seem to enter into it. She snort. The fact he can do it like that make me want to kill him. (p. 65).
In fact, Albert loves the singer Shug who, ailing, comes to their house (and incidentally name drops legendary blues singer Bessie Smith as a friend - thus dating the story to the 30s). As Celie nurses Shug back to health,the two women develop a deep, lasting love for each other that is both physical and spiritual and the first love that Celia has ever felt from another person: She say my name again. She say this song I'm bout to sing is call Miss Celie's song. Cause she scratched it out of my head when I was sick...First time somebody made something and name it after me. (p. 73) This is one of the first moments where having a box of Kleenex handy is not a luxury. Through Shug, Celie learns about her body and that she can have pleasure via her breasts and her sex (p. 78).
The book has many characters that transform completely during the book. Mr. ____ for example, will be cursed by Celie when she leaves (finally), but he will change completely into a tender-hearted and remorseful man who accepts his wife's sexuality such as it is and she in turn is able to forgive him. In fact, at the end of the book, there is a beautiful reunion which is somewhat prefigured back on p. 57: "First time I think about the world. What the world got to do with anything, I think. Then I see myself sitting there quilting tween Shug Avery and Mr. ____. Us three together gainst Tobias and his fly speck box of chocolate. For the first time in my life, I feel just right. She and Shug have a spiritual transformation as well, evolving from the white-borrowed religion of a white God which has born no good for Celie: Yeah, I say, and he give me a lynched daddy, a crazy mama, a lowdown dog of a step pa and a sister I probably won't ever see again. Anyhow, I say, the God I been praying and writing to is a man. And act just like all the other mens I know. Trifling, forgitful, and lowdown. (p. 192). Shug expresses her beliefs this: The thing I believe. God is inside you and inside everybody else. You come into the world with God. But only them that search for it inside find it. And sometimes it just manifest itself even if you not looking, or don't know what you looking for. Trouble do it for most folks, I think. Sorrow, lord. Feeling like shit.
It? I ast.
Yeah, It. God ain't a he or a she, but a It. (p. 195). The next two pages are a beautiful eloge to this form or Emersonian deism, a powerful arugment for a more personal and less judgmental religion. Yes, Celie, she say. Everything want to be loved. Us sing and dance, make faces and give flower bouquets, trying to be loved. You ever notice that trees to everything to git attention that we do, except walk?" (p. 196) I was touched by this ecological message that reminded me of the comments on this that I made in my reviews of and . From this point on, she addresses her letters directly to Nellie...
The letters written back to Celie from her sister Nettie are hidden for years by a pre-repentant Mr.____. In this letters, we learn of Nettie's voyage to Africa as a missionary. Nellie also has a spiritual transformation as she sees European Christianity's utter disregard for villagers and their traditions with the complete destruction and near elimination of the Olinka culture that she traveled to Africa to help.
There is just so much depth in this masterpiece, that I will stop my review here and just urge you, beg you to read this book if you have never done so. It is a rare, raw look at humanity and suffering but with a powerful, compelling message of redemption and hope.
My rating of all the Pulitzer Winners: /list/show/1...
There is so much to unpack here as Alice Walker deals holistically with the fate of African Americans from the perspective of Africa and the tribes who sold their kinsman to white slavers, the devastation of Africa by European colonizers particularly after WWI leading to WWII, the violence of in the South particularly aimed towards women, female sexuality...There is an infinite depth in this book that can reveal itself more and more with each successive read.
The first half of the story is told through letters to God by Celia who is married, against her will, to Mr. ____. We learn that his first name is Albert, but we never learn his last name. Perhaps, this anonymity is symbolic of the widespread rape and spousal abuse in impoverished communities - and yet we also see that in the white mayor's family, through her sister-in-law Sofia's eyes is no more sane and no less violent.
Celia was raped by her stepfather and bore two children that subsequently disappeared. Her sister refuses Mr. ____ in marriage and leaves and thus Celia is given to him. Sex for her is a burden and a torture without end: You know the worst part? she say. The worst part is I don't think he notice. He git up there and enjoy himself just the same. No matter what I'm thinking. No matter what I feel. It just him. Heartfeeling don't seem to enter into it. She snort. The fact he can do it like that make me want to kill him. (p. 65).
In fact, Albert loves the singer Shug who, ailing, comes to their house (and incidentally name drops legendary blues singer Bessie Smith as a friend - thus dating the story to the 30s). As Celie nurses Shug back to health,the two women develop a deep, lasting love for each other that is both physical and spiritual and the first love that Celia has ever felt from another person: She say my name again. She say this song I'm bout to sing is call Miss Celie's song. Cause she scratched it out of my head when I was sick...First time somebody made something and name it after me. (p. 73) This is one of the first moments where having a box of Kleenex handy is not a luxury. Through Shug, Celie learns about her body and that she can have pleasure via her breasts and her sex (p. 78).
The book has many characters that transform completely during the book. Mr. ____ for example, will be cursed by Celie when she leaves (finally), but he will change completely into a tender-hearted and remorseful man who accepts his wife's sexuality such as it is and she in turn is able to forgive him. In fact, at the end of the book, there is a beautiful reunion which is somewhat prefigured back on p. 57: "First time I think about the world. What the world got to do with anything, I think. Then I see myself sitting there quilting tween Shug Avery and Mr. ____. Us three together gainst Tobias and his fly speck box of chocolate. For the first time in my life, I feel just right. She and Shug have a spiritual transformation as well, evolving from the white-borrowed religion of a white God which has born no good for Celie: Yeah, I say, and he give me a lynched daddy, a crazy mama, a lowdown dog of a step pa and a sister I probably won't ever see again. Anyhow, I say, the God I been praying and writing to is a man. And act just like all the other mens I know. Trifling, forgitful, and lowdown. (p. 192). Shug expresses her beliefs this: The thing I believe. God is inside you and inside everybody else. You come into the world with God. But only them that search for it inside find it. And sometimes it just manifest itself even if you not looking, or don't know what you looking for. Trouble do it for most folks, I think. Sorrow, lord. Feeling like shit.
It? I ast.
Yeah, It. God ain't a he or a she, but a It. (p. 195). The next two pages are a beautiful eloge to this form or Emersonian deism, a powerful arugment for a more personal and less judgmental religion. Yes, Celie, she say. Everything want to be loved. Us sing and dance, make faces and give flower bouquets, trying to be loved. You ever notice that trees to everything to git attention that we do, except walk?" (p. 196) I was touched by this ecological message that reminded me of the comments on this that I made in my reviews of and . From this point on, she addresses her letters directly to Nellie...
The letters written back to Celie from her sister Nettie are hidden for years by a pre-repentant Mr.____. In this letters, we learn of Nettie's voyage to Africa as a missionary. Nellie also has a spiritual transformation as she sees European Christianity's utter disregard for villagers and their traditions with the complete destruction and near elimination of the Olinka culture that she traveled to Africa to help.
There is just so much depth in this masterpiece, that I will stop my review here and just urge you, beg you to read this book if you have never done so. It is a rare, raw look at humanity and suffering but with a powerful, compelling message of redemption and hope.
My rating of all the Pulitzer Winners: /list/show/1...
March 25, 2019
Before I get into this review I should let you know that the ONLY thing I knew about The Color Purple is that it was a movie in the 80s. I knew nothing about the plot or subject matter 鈥� except for a few impressions of seeing Oprah and Whoopi in promotional stills or videos over the years. Also, I try to avoid reading book summaries unless absolutely necessary as I feel they often give too much away. I felt it was important to say this because as I have posted statuses and comments while I was reading it, I felt like there was some shock that I didn鈥檛 know more about it already. So, now, how I was going into this book is all out on the table!
With that being said, this book was 100% not what I was expecting. This is not a good thing or a bad thing. It is just if you asked me to give a one paragraph description of what I was going to be reading about, I would have written down nothing nowhere hear this. I probably would have said something like 鈥渆x-slaves trying to survive in the post-Civil War South鈥�. Well . . . spoiler . . . that is not what it is about.
I will next mention a phrase that kept going through my head as I was trying to prepare to write my review. I kept saying to myself that 鈥淚 am not sure I can, should, or have any right to write a review of this book鈥�. It is a powerful and raw story about subject matter that is important and that I don鈥檛 really know a whole lot about. Because of that, I cannot say for sure how I can possibly do a review justice. I decided that while I will do this review, it is important to remember that this book transcends any possible viewpoint I have of it.
One thing that I came out of this book surprised about is that it is more about women, women鈥檚 rights, and female relationships than it is about race. Don鈥檛 get me wrong, race is an important element, but the way that the men view and treat women and the way the women look at and treat themselves is the crux of this story. As mentioned above, this book is raw 鈥� not too extreme 鈥� but raw enough to warn readers that some of the subject matter is difficult and it may stir up strong emotions, especially if you are a woman.
While I found the book to be powerful and important, I am going with 4 stars because I struggled at times with the writing. I admit that this is just my preference and is all on me. Some of you may love the way it is written, but I found that it was the reason I found myself taking long breaks from the book.
This book is important to read for any person trying to make sure they hit all the classics. Also, people with an interest in historical fiction and women鈥檚 studies would benefit a lot from this story.
With that being said, this book was 100% not what I was expecting. This is not a good thing or a bad thing. It is just if you asked me to give a one paragraph description of what I was going to be reading about, I would have written down nothing nowhere hear this. I probably would have said something like 鈥渆x-slaves trying to survive in the post-Civil War South鈥�. Well . . . spoiler . . . that is not what it is about.
I will next mention a phrase that kept going through my head as I was trying to prepare to write my review. I kept saying to myself that 鈥淚 am not sure I can, should, or have any right to write a review of this book鈥�. It is a powerful and raw story about subject matter that is important and that I don鈥檛 really know a whole lot about. Because of that, I cannot say for sure how I can possibly do a review justice. I decided that while I will do this review, it is important to remember that this book transcends any possible viewpoint I have of it.
One thing that I came out of this book surprised about is that it is more about women, women鈥檚 rights, and female relationships than it is about race. Don鈥檛 get me wrong, race is an important element, but the way that the men view and treat women and the way the women look at and treat themselves is the crux of this story. As mentioned above, this book is raw 鈥� not too extreme 鈥� but raw enough to warn readers that some of the subject matter is difficult and it may stir up strong emotions, especially if you are a woman.
While I found the book to be powerful and important, I am going with 4 stars because I struggled at times with the writing. I admit that this is just my preference and is all on me. Some of you may love the way it is written, but I found that it was the reason I found myself taking long breaks from the book.
This book is important to read for any person trying to make sure they hit all the classics. Also, people with an interest in historical fiction and women鈥檚 studies would benefit a lot from this story.
February 6, 2025
This book physically and mentally hit me. Like real hard. Some parts made me real uncomfortable but these things happened (even if it's fiction). I wish life wasn't so difficult for these women. So many sensitive, heavy issues are being discussed in this one. And I simply don't know from where to start.
The first page itself gave me a huge jolt. I just couldn't know how to continue reading the book. (I get really uncomfortable with rape scenes.) And yes, this book has some graphic contents of abuse of all kinds especially sexual and physical abuse. I met one of my most hateful characters to date. This particular guy made me hate such 'men' that I was physically hurting while reading about him. The rapist, the abuser, the criminal. Ugh!!!!! Ok. Calming down for the women characters' sake, the female characters seem so real and they represented well the hurt and the abuse they were facing in such a patriarchal society. Most like our main character, Celia, just live through all the pain and the ongoing abuse. A few like Sofia fight against it and actually do act on what they believe they must do even if she has to face some unwanted consequences. The other character, Shug. She is phenomenal. It's so damn liberating reading about such women living for themselves in the end no matter how broken and hurt they are.
What I get to learn from reading this book is that it's women who uplifts other women the best. It doesn't depend on the men to dictate our fate and lives. No matter how hurt we are because of the unavoidable circumstances in life, it's us women who needs to lift another woman in pain.
I love the chemistry between Shug and Celia as well as the sibling chemistry. It an all in all our women's story meant to give hope and strength. I actually like the perspective on how we see 'god' as.
This book is a little out of my comfort zone. I was in terror thinking about the abuse and the conditions these women had to live with. It's hopeful and beautiful. But I felt the pain so real and deep.
The first page itself gave me a huge jolt. I just couldn't know how to continue reading the book. (I get really uncomfortable with rape scenes.) And yes, this book has some graphic contents of abuse of all kinds especially sexual and physical abuse. I met one of my most hateful characters to date. This particular guy made me hate such 'men' that I was physically hurting while reading about him. The rapist, the abuser, the criminal. Ugh!!!!! Ok. Calming down for the women characters' sake, the female characters seem so real and they represented well the hurt and the abuse they were facing in such a patriarchal society. Most like our main character, Celia, just live through all the pain and the ongoing abuse. A few like Sofia fight against it and actually do act on what they believe they must do even if she has to face some unwanted consequences. The other character, Shug. She is phenomenal. It's so damn liberating reading about such women living for themselves in the end no matter how broken and hurt they are.
What I get to learn from reading this book is that it's women who uplifts other women the best. It doesn't depend on the men to dictate our fate and lives. No matter how hurt we are because of the unavoidable circumstances in life, it's us women who needs to lift another woman in pain.
I love the chemistry between Shug and Celia as well as the sibling chemistry. It an all in all our women's story meant to give hope and strength. I actually like the perspective on how we see 'god' as.
This book is a little out of my comfort zone. I was in terror thinking about the abuse and the conditions these women had to live with. It's hopeful and beautiful. But I felt the pain so real and deep.
August 17, 2024
Beautifully Heartbreaking
The Color Purple is a heartbreaking story told through a series of letters, primarily from Celie to God. Celie is a young woman living in the South with few opportunities.
However, despite the tragic circumstances of Celie鈥檚 life, she still finds glimmers of hope and deep connection.
Reminiscent of A Fine Balance, The Color Purple perfectly blends hope and light with grim, shattering reality.
The Color Purple is a captivating, shattering tale with an echo of magic.
2025 Reading Schedule
Jan A Town Like Alice
Feb Birdsong
Mar Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
Apr War and Peace
May The Woman in White
Jun Atonement
Jul The Shadow of the Wind
Aug Jude the Obscure
Sep Ulysses
Oct Vanity Fair
Nov A Fine Balance
Dec Germinal
Connect With Me!
The Color Purple is a heartbreaking story told through a series of letters, primarily from Celie to God. Celie is a young woman living in the South with few opportunities.
However, despite the tragic circumstances of Celie鈥檚 life, she still finds glimmers of hope and deep connection.
Reminiscent of A Fine Balance, The Color Purple perfectly blends hope and light with grim, shattering reality.
The Color Purple is a captivating, shattering tale with an echo of magic.
2025 Reading Schedule
Jan A Town Like Alice
Feb Birdsong
Mar Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
Apr War and Peace
May The Woman in White
Jun Atonement
Jul The Shadow of the Wind
Aug Jude the Obscure
Sep Ulysses
Oct Vanity Fair
Nov A Fine Balance
Dec Germinal
Connect With Me!
August 24, 2021
The Color Purple, Alice Walker
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. 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 African-American women, in the Southern United States, in the 1930's, addressing numerous issues including their exceedingly low position in American social culture.
Celie is a poor, uneducated 14-year-old girl, living in the American South in the early 1900's. She writes letters to God, because her stepfather, Alphonso, beats her harshly and rapes her continuously.
Alphonso has already impregnated Celie once, a pregnancy that resulted in the birth of a boy she named Adam. Alphonso takes the baby away shortly after his birth. Celie has a second child, a girl she named Olivia whom Alphonso also abducts. Celie's ailing mother dies after cursing Celie on her deathbed.
Celie and her younger sister, 12-year-old Nettie, learn that a man identified only as Mister wants to marry Nettie. Alphonso refuses to let Nettie marry, instead arranging for Mister to marry Celie. Mister, needing someone to care for his children and keep his house, eventually accepts the offer. Mister and his children, whose mother was murdered by a jealous lover, all treat Celie badly.
However, she eventually gets Mister's squalid living conditions and incorrigible children under control. Shortly thereafter, Nettie runs away from Alphonso and takes refuge at Celie's house, where Mister makes sexual advances toward her. Celie then advises Nettie to seek assistance from a well-dressed black woman that she had seen in the general store a while back; the woman had unknowingly adopted Celie's daughter and was the only black woman that Celie had ever seen with money of her own.
Nettie is forced to leave after promising to write. Celie, however, never receives any letters and concludes that her sister is dead. Shortly thereafter, Nettie runs away from Alphonso and takes refuge at Celie's house, where Mister makes sexual advances toward her.
Celie then advises Nettie to seek assistance from a well-dressed black woman that she had seen in the general store a while back; the woman had unknowingly adopted Celie's daughter and was the only black woman that Celie had ever seen with money of her own. Nettie is forced to leave after promising to write. Celie, however, never receives any letters and concludes that her sister is dead. ...
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 蹖讴賲 賲丕賴 賳賵丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 2010賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 亘賴 乇賳诏 丕乇睾賵丕賳貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌賱蹖爻 賵丕讴乇貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 丕賲蹖乇丨爻蹖賳 賲賴丿蹖夭丕丿賴貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳卮乇 賳蹖貙 1388貙 丿乇 306氐貨 卮丕亘讴 9789641851288貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 20賲
丕蹖賳 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賲蹖诏賵蹖賳丿: 芦噩賴丕賱鬲 亘夭乇诏鬲乇蹖賳 丿卮賲賳 賲丕爻鬲.禄貨 丕蹖卮丕賳 賲蹖丕賮夭丕蹖賳丿: (賮讴乇 賲蹖讴賳賲 芦乇賳诏 亘賳賮卮禄 亘丕 毓卮賯 丿乇 丕乇鬲亘丕胤 丕爻鬲貙 賲丕 賳蹖丕夭 亘賴 丕乇鬲亘丕胤 丿丕乇蹖賲)貨
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鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 30/07/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 01/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
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. 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 African-American women, in the Southern United States, in the 1930's, addressing numerous issues including their exceedingly low position in American social culture.
Celie is a poor, uneducated 14-year-old girl, living in the American South in the early 1900's. She writes letters to God, because her stepfather, Alphonso, beats her harshly and rapes her continuously.
Alphonso has already impregnated Celie once, a pregnancy that resulted in the birth of a boy she named Adam. Alphonso takes the baby away shortly after his birth. Celie has a second child, a girl she named Olivia whom Alphonso also abducts. Celie's ailing mother dies after cursing Celie on her deathbed.
Celie and her younger sister, 12-year-old Nettie, learn that a man identified only as Mister wants to marry Nettie. Alphonso refuses to let Nettie marry, instead arranging for Mister to marry Celie. Mister, needing someone to care for his children and keep his house, eventually accepts the offer. Mister and his children, whose mother was murdered by a jealous lover, all treat Celie badly.
However, she eventually gets Mister's squalid living conditions and incorrigible children under control. Shortly thereafter, Nettie runs away from Alphonso and takes refuge at Celie's house, where Mister makes sexual advances toward her. Celie then advises Nettie to seek assistance from a well-dressed black woman that she had seen in the general store a while back; the woman had unknowingly adopted Celie's daughter and was the only black woman that Celie had ever seen with money of her own.
Nettie is forced to leave after promising to write. Celie, however, never receives any letters and concludes that her sister is dead. Shortly thereafter, Nettie runs away from Alphonso and takes refuge at Celie's house, where Mister makes sexual advances toward her.
Celie then advises Nettie to seek assistance from a well-dressed black woman that she had seen in the general store a while back; the woman had unknowingly adopted Celie's daughter and was the only black woman that Celie had ever seen with money of her own. Nettie is forced to leave after promising to write. Celie, however, never receives any letters and concludes that her sister is dead. ...
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 蹖讴賲 賲丕賴 賳賵丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 2010賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 亘賴 乇賳诏 丕乇睾賵丕賳貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌賱蹖爻 賵丕讴乇貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 丕賲蹖乇丨爻蹖賳 賲賴丿蹖夭丕丿賴貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳卮乇 賳蹖貙 1388貙 丿乇 306氐貨 卮丕亘讴 9789641851288貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 20賲
丕蹖賳 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賲蹖诏賵蹖賳丿: 芦噩賴丕賱鬲 亘夭乇诏鬲乇蹖賳 丿卮賲賳 賲丕爻鬲.禄貨 丕蹖卮丕賳 賲蹖丕賮夭丕蹖賳丿: (賮讴乇 賲蹖讴賳賲 芦乇賳诏 亘賳賮卮禄 亘丕 毓卮賯 丿乇 丕乇鬲亘丕胤 丕爻鬲貙 賲丕 賳蹖丕夭 亘賴 丕乇鬲亘丕胤 丿丕乇蹖賲)貨
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丿乇 賴賲蹖賳 丨蹖賳 芦卮丕诏 丕蹖賵乇蹖禄 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴貙 賵 賲丨亘賵亘賴 蹖 芦丌賱亘乇鬲禄貙 亘乇丕蹖 丿蹖丿賳 丌賳丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫③屫� 芦賴丕乇倬賵禄 禺丕賳賴鈥� 丕卮 乇丕 亘賴 讴丕賮賴 鬲亘丿蹖賱 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 芦卮丕诏禄 賳蹖夭 丿乇 丌賳噩丕 亘乇賳丕賲賴 丕噩乇丕 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 芦爻賵賮蹖丕禄 亘丕 賲丨亘賵亘 噩丿蹖丿卮貙 芦亘丕爻鬲乇 (鬲蹖賱蹖爻)禄 亘丕夭 賲蹖鈥屭必� 賵 讴丕賮賴 乇丕 亘賴 賴賲 賲蹖鈥屫臂屫藏� 芦卮丕诏禄 亘賴 芦爻賱蹖 (诏賱丿亘乇诏)禄 賲蹖鈥屬傌ㄙ堎勜з嗀� 讴賴 丌賳鈥屫焚堌� 賴賲 讴賴 賮讴乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴必囏� 夭卮鬲 賳蹖爻鬲貙 賵 毓卮賯 賵 賲丨亘鬲 亘蹖賳 夭賳丕賳 乇丕 亘賴 丕賵 賲蹖鈥屫①呝堌藏� 丕賲丕 禺賵丿卮 賲噩亘賵乇 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 倬丿乇卮 讴賴 賵丕毓馗 賲丨賱蹖 丌賳噩丕爻鬲貙 讴丕賮賴 乇丕 鬲乇讴 讴賳丿貙 賵 亘賴 賲賲賮蹖爻 亘乇賵丿貨 芦爻賵賮蹖丕禄 賳蹖夭 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 噩賵丕亘 乇丿 丿丕丿賳 亘賴 蹖讴 夭賳 爻賮蹖丿倬賵爻鬲貙 讴賴 丕夭 丕賵 賲蹖鈥屫堌з囏� 禺丿賲鬲讴丕乇卮 亘丕卮丿貙 亘賴 夭賳丿丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫з佖� 芦爻賵賮蹖丕禄蹖 丿乇賲丕賳丿賴貙 賲噩亘賵乇 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 丿乇 禺丕賳賴 蹖 蹖讴 夭賳 爻賮蹖丿倬賵爻鬲貙 禺丿賲鬲讴丕乇蹖 讴賳丿貨 芦卮丕诏禄 亘丕 賴賲爻乇 噩丿蹖丿卮貙 芦诏乇蹖丿蹖 (诏蹖賱賵乇蹖)禄 亘丕夭賲蹖鈥屭必� 賵 倬蹖 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ必� 讴賴 芦丌賱亘乇鬲禄 丿乇 鬲賲丕賲 丕蹖賳 爻丕賱鈥屬囏ж� 賳丕賲賴鈥� 賴丕卅蹖 乇丕 讴賴 芦賳鬲蹖禄 亘乇丕蹖 芦爻賱蹖禄 賮乇爻鬲丕丿賴貙 倬賳賴丕賳 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲貨 芦賳鬲蹖禄 丿乇 賳丕賲賴鈥� 賴丕 賳賵卮鬲賴貙 讴賴 賴賲乇丕賴 亘丕 芦爻丕賲賵卅賱鈥屬囏回� 賵 賮乇夭賳丿丕賳 芦爻賱蹖禄貙 芦丌丿丕賲禄 賵 芦丌賱蹖賵蹖丕禄貙 亘賴鈥屫官嗁堌з� 賲亘賱賾睾 賲匕賴亘蹖貙 丿乇 丌賮乇蹖賯丕 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲蹖鈥岋拷锟劫嗀� 芦爻賱蹖禄 亘賴 賲賲賮蹖爻 賲蹖鈥屫辟堌� 芦丌賱亘乇鬲賽禄 倬蹖乇 賵 鬲賳賴丕貙 亘賴 乇丕亘胤賴 蹖 芦爻賵賮蹖丕禄 賵 芦賴丕乇倬賵禄 丨爻丕丿鬲 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 芦爻賱蹖禄 讴賴 禺丕賳賴 蹖 賲丕丿乇蹖卮 乇丕 (丕夭 賲乇丿蹖 讴賴 賮讴乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 倬丿乇卮 丕爻鬲 丿乇 丨丕賱蹖 讴賴 賳丕倬丿乇蹖鈥� 丕卮 亘賵丿賴) 亘賴 丕乇孬 亘乇丿賴貙 鬲亘丿蹖賱 亘賴 賮乇賵卮诏丕賴 賱亘丕爻 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀�
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 30/07/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 01/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
September 28, 2019
鈥漎ou got to fight. But I don鈥檛 know how to fight. All I know how to do is stay alive.鈥�
When I think about 鈥淭he Color Purple鈥� the first few words that pop into my mind are: classic, banned and touchy subjects. I鈥檓 pretty sure I鈥檓 not alone with that. I mean it鈥檚 a book every reader heard about. Some of us had to read it in school, others saw the movie, and still others only knew that it鈥檚 one of those highly controversial books. I belonged to the latter category and even though I read a few reviews about it, I definitely wasn鈥檛 prepared for what I was about to read.
鈥滻 feel like something pushing me forward. If I don鈥檛 watch out I鈥檒l have hold of her hand, tasting her fingers in my mouth.鈥�
This book surprised me, but not in the way I thought it would. I expected abuse in a man鈥檚 world, the suppression of women and yes, even rape because my bestie warned me about that one a few years ago. What everyone forgot to mention was that this is also a story about strong women and two sisters that write each other for years. One of them is living with a violent husband and the other lives in a colony in Africa and deals with completely different problems than her sister overseas. To follow their lives was very intriguing and I enjoyed Nettie鈥檚 letters from Africa a lot. It was interesting to read how she lived and how the native people dealt with the missionaries that came to them.
鈥漌ho you think you is? he say. You can鈥檛 curse nobody. Look at you. You black, you pore, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, he say, you nothing at all.鈥�
Celie however had to deal with an entirely different set of problems though, and I can鈥檛 say how much I despised Mr. for his behaviour! He鈥檚 your typical run-of-the-mill obnoxious and violent husband and I just couldn鈥檛 deal with him. If I鈥檇 have been Celie I would have left him as soon as possible. But where to go if you鈥檙e a penniless woman without any family ties? Well, Celie certainly found her own way to deal with him and I鈥檓 very proud of her for standing up to him. It took time and courage but she eventually managed to do it. =)
What load of bricks fell on you? I ast.
No bricks, he say. Just experience. You know, everybody bound to git some of that sooner or later. All they have to do is stay alive. And I start to git mine real heavy long about the time I told Shug it was true that I beat you cause you was you and not her.鈥�
A very important part of this book which was never mentioned in any of the reviews I read is the fact that there is a f/f relationship in 鈥淭he Color Purple鈥�. Yes, you read right: A f/f relationship between a lesbian and a bisexual woman! (At least I got the impression it鈥檚 a lesbian/bi relationship) Which aside from the violence and abuse is probably one of the main reasons this book is banned in so many countries and schools. In my opinion Walker made sure never to explicitly touch the subject but from the little you see, you can glean that they are in love with each other and have a sexual relationship. I know some people claim that there is graphic sexual content but either I read too much smut in my life (pretty likely! *lol*) or I have a different concept of graphic than the average person. (also very likely due to all of the smut! ;-P)
鈥滺e love looking at Shug. I love looking at Shug.
But Shug don鈥檛 love looking at but one of us. Him.
But that the way it spose to be. I know that. But if that so, why my heart hurt me so?鈥�
If this would have been a modern book I would have been very unhappy with the bisexual rep, but since it鈥檚 an old one I decided to take it the way it is. No need to rant about it when I know that people had a completely different outlook on bisexuality back then. >_< Let鈥檚 just say I didn鈥檛 like that the bi character was represented as a rogue that only thinks with her loins. *lol*
Conclusion:
鈥淭he Color Purple鈥� addresses a lot of sensitive issues and considering in which time it was written this was a pretty bold move. Walker doesn鈥檛 shy away from bringing up difficult topics though and instead decided to introduce us into the life of a huge family that works in its own way. It鈥檚 complex, it鈥檚 multi-layered and at times it鈥檚 tough to read, but if that鈥檚 your jam I can totally recommend this book to you. ;-)
鈥滻 believe God is everything, say Shug. Everything that is or ever was or ever will be. And when you can feel that, and be happy to feel that, you鈥檝e found It.鈥�
____________________________________
I鈥檓 not entirely sure if it鈥檚 a good idea to read 鈥淭he Color Purple鈥� while reading 鈥淭he Poppy War鈥� as well, but I put them both on my book list 2019 and will have to return the latter one to the library soon.
So I guess if it gets too heavy I鈥檒l just have to read a very fluffy and comfortable book in between. XD *eyes Carry On and Harry Potter* (Yes, I actually dare to mention them both in one sentence *lol* ;-P)
I know this book will address a lot of sensitive issues so I鈥檓 sort of prepared. Well, at least as good as you can prepare yourself for classics like this one鈥�
All I know is that I was destroyed after reading 鈥淭he Kite Runner鈥�. Let鈥檚 hope the same won鈥檛 happen with 鈥淭he Color Purple鈥�. >_<
When I think about 鈥淭he Color Purple鈥� the first few words that pop into my mind are: classic, banned and touchy subjects. I鈥檓 pretty sure I鈥檓 not alone with that. I mean it鈥檚 a book every reader heard about. Some of us had to read it in school, others saw the movie, and still others only knew that it鈥檚 one of those highly controversial books. I belonged to the latter category and even though I read a few reviews about it, I definitely wasn鈥檛 prepared for what I was about to read.
鈥滻 feel like something pushing me forward. If I don鈥檛 watch out I鈥檒l have hold of her hand, tasting her fingers in my mouth.鈥�
This book surprised me, but not in the way I thought it would. I expected abuse in a man鈥檚 world, the suppression of women and yes, even rape because my bestie warned me about that one a few years ago. What everyone forgot to mention was that this is also a story about strong women and two sisters that write each other for years. One of them is living with a violent husband and the other lives in a colony in Africa and deals with completely different problems than her sister overseas. To follow their lives was very intriguing and I enjoyed Nettie鈥檚 letters from Africa a lot. It was interesting to read how she lived and how the native people dealt with the missionaries that came to them.
鈥漌ho you think you is? he say. You can鈥檛 curse nobody. Look at you. You black, you pore, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, he say, you nothing at all.鈥�
Celie however had to deal with an entirely different set of problems though, and I can鈥檛 say how much I despised Mr. for his behaviour! He鈥檚 your typical run-of-the-mill obnoxious and violent husband and I just couldn鈥檛 deal with him. If I鈥檇 have been Celie I would have left him as soon as possible. But where to go if you鈥檙e a penniless woman without any family ties? Well, Celie certainly found her own way to deal with him and I鈥檓 very proud of her for standing up to him. It took time and courage but she eventually managed to do it. =)
What load of bricks fell on you? I ast.
No bricks, he say. Just experience. You know, everybody bound to git some of that sooner or later. All they have to do is stay alive. And I start to git mine real heavy long about the time I told Shug it was true that I beat you cause you was you and not her.鈥�
A very important part of this book which was never mentioned in any of the reviews I read is the fact that there is a f/f relationship in 鈥淭he Color Purple鈥�. Yes, you read right: A f/f relationship between a lesbian and a bisexual woman! (At least I got the impression it鈥檚 a lesbian/bi relationship) Which aside from the violence and abuse is probably one of the main reasons this book is banned in so many countries and schools. In my opinion Walker made sure never to explicitly touch the subject but from the little you see, you can glean that they are in love with each other and have a sexual relationship. I know some people claim that there is graphic sexual content but either I read too much smut in my life (pretty likely! *lol*) or I have a different concept of graphic than the average person. (also very likely due to all of the smut! ;-P)
鈥滺e love looking at Shug. I love looking at Shug.
But Shug don鈥檛 love looking at but one of us. Him.
But that the way it spose to be. I know that. But if that so, why my heart hurt me so?鈥�
If this would have been a modern book I would have been very unhappy with the bisexual rep, but since it鈥檚 an old one I decided to take it the way it is. No need to rant about it when I know that people had a completely different outlook on bisexuality back then. >_< Let鈥檚 just say I didn鈥檛 like that the bi character was represented as a rogue that only thinks with her loins. *lol*
Conclusion:
鈥淭he Color Purple鈥� addresses a lot of sensitive issues and considering in which time it was written this was a pretty bold move. Walker doesn鈥檛 shy away from bringing up difficult topics though and instead decided to introduce us into the life of a huge family that works in its own way. It鈥檚 complex, it鈥檚 multi-layered and at times it鈥檚 tough to read, but if that鈥檚 your jam I can totally recommend this book to you. ;-)
鈥滻 believe God is everything, say Shug. Everything that is or ever was or ever will be. And when you can feel that, and be happy to feel that, you鈥檝e found It.鈥�
____________________________________
I鈥檓 not entirely sure if it鈥檚 a good idea to read 鈥淭he Color Purple鈥� while reading 鈥淭he Poppy War鈥� as well, but I put them both on my book list 2019 and will have to return the latter one to the library soon.
So I guess if it gets too heavy I鈥檒l just have to read a very fluffy and comfortable book in between. XD *eyes Carry On and Harry Potter* (Yes, I actually dare to mention them both in one sentence *lol* ;-P)
I know this book will address a lot of sensitive issues so I鈥檓 sort of prepared. Well, at least as good as you can prepare yourself for classics like this one鈥�
All I know is that I was destroyed after reading 鈥淭he Kite Runner鈥�. Let鈥檚 hope the same won鈥檛 happen with 鈥淭he Color Purple鈥�. >_<
July 26, 2020
Que libro m谩s duro, tierno, dif铆cil y maravilloso.
Me ha encantado. Es una lectura r谩pida pero inolvidable sobre Celie y Nettie, dos hermanas que son separadas de ni帽as tras la muerte de su madre. La voz de Celie no se me quita de la cabeza, es tan personal e impactante... Cuenta con una claridad absoluta lo que significaba ser mujer negra y pobre a principios del siglo XX en el sur de los Estados Unidos.
Probablemente lo que m谩s me ha gustado haya sido la evoluci贸n de los personajes (y no solo de la protagonista), y me quedo con varios personajes, pero especialmente con Celie y Sofia, dos mujeres tan diferentes como impresionates.
Si a煤n no lo hab茅is le铆do os animo much铆simo a que lo hag谩is, aunque lo parezca, no me ha resultado un valle de l谩grimas (como si me result贸 la pel铆cula... aunque me gustara mucho), y a pesar del sufrimiento siempre hay lugar para la alegr铆a, los sue帽os y la esperanza.
Me ha encantado. Es una lectura r谩pida pero inolvidable sobre Celie y Nettie, dos hermanas que son separadas de ni帽as tras la muerte de su madre. La voz de Celie no se me quita de la cabeza, es tan personal e impactante... Cuenta con una claridad absoluta lo que significaba ser mujer negra y pobre a principios del siglo XX en el sur de los Estados Unidos.
Probablemente lo que m谩s me ha gustado haya sido la evoluci贸n de los personajes (y no solo de la protagonista), y me quedo con varios personajes, pero especialmente con Celie y Sofia, dos mujeres tan diferentes como impresionates.
Si a煤n no lo hab茅is le铆do os animo much铆simo a que lo hag谩is, aunque lo parezca, no me ha resultado un valle de l谩grimas (como si me result贸 la pel铆cula... aunque me gustara mucho), y a pesar del sufrimiento siempre hay lugar para la alegr铆a, los sue帽os y la esperanza.
November 5, 2020
I'm in awe of the magnificent depths within "The Color Purple." Would rather debunk Great American Novel contenders such as Great Gatsby, On the Road, or Huckleberry Finn with this Definitive American classic novel. The steel-strong bonds of family, the global importance of friendship, and the ever-mystical soul-defining actions of sisterhood are all immortal themes that are drawn in lush exquisite, sometimes brutal, hues (the purple of a field of violets, the purple of a deepening bruise). In terms of the epistolary novel (my personal faves include "Dracula" & "Where'd You Go, Bernadette" ...& now this one), the frailty of letters and the lost art of letter writing carry implicit feelings. They ground the novel, and, contradiction, make it an ethereal work of art. The writer is a true magician that even out-Faulkners Faulkner in her book filled with light and grace.
P.S. the film tries its damn hardest to keep up with Walker's unique characters and their respective vernacular. For me, the line uttered by Adam at the end of the movie ("I want to know you, mama.") never fails to make me bawl.
P.S. the film tries its damn hardest to keep up with Walker's unique characters and their respective vernacular. For me, the line uttered by Adam at the end of the movie ("I want to know you, mama.") never fails to make me bawl.
January 14, 2024
This book was extraordinary. It鈥檚 been a while since a book really touched me and stirred up emotions. This one did. Walker writes so beautifully, every paragraph a delight. I will gladly reread the book, just to feel goosebumps from another metaphor that hit home. In addition to her superb writing skills, the story was unforgettable.
February 10, 2017
鈥淚 think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.鈥�
4.5/5 stars
The colour purple was devastating from page one. I started reading this without knowing much about it. I knew it had a POC main character, heard that it was about women's rights and about abuse. I heard it was a great book. But I still did not expect this.
The main character's life is miserable. I still don't understand how she made it through to a certain point, because if it were me in her skin, I probably wouldn't have been able to stay in that skin for long.
It was not an easy book, neither plot nor writing were exactly motivating. But I found so much hope in the first, and even happiness in the last chapters, that I just came to love it.
4.5/5 stars
The colour purple was devastating from page one. I started reading this without knowing much about it. I knew it had a POC main character, heard that it was about women's rights and about abuse. I heard it was a great book. But I still did not expect this.
The main character's life is miserable. I still don't understand how she made it through to a certain point, because if it were me in her skin, I probably wouldn't have been able to stay in that skin for long.
It was not an easy book, neither plot nor writing were exactly motivating. But I found so much hope in the first, and even happiness in the last chapters, that I just came to love it.
August 21, 2021
If I could give this novel all the stars in the world, I would. Truly transformative literature.
May 19, 2017
鈥淚 believe God is everything, say Shug. Everything that is or ever will be. And when you can feel that, and be happy to feel that, you鈥檝e found him.鈥�
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. 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 star-rating.
The first half of this book was wonderful. I loved reading about Celie, Shug Avery, Sofia, and Mary Agnes (Squeak) and how each of them found the strength to stand up for themselves. Their attempts as black women to fight the sexism and (male) oppression present in their society are met with anger and a lot of protest, but the women all help each other to improve their lives. Alice Walker does an amazing job at weaving timeless feminist ideas together with themes like LGBTQ-culture, the struggle with domestic abuse, and female sexuality.
A running topic through the book is Celie鈥檚 relationship with God, who for a long time is her only confidant. Thanks to an important talk with Shug 鈥� one of the most important talks in this book 鈥� the author shows not only how racism and sexism has affected Celie鈥檚 image of God (as an old, white man) but also how 鈥榳rong鈥� it is to search for God in a church.
The second half of this book however, when Nettie鈥檚 letters from Africa take over and the narrative gets divided between Celie and Nettie, was when things started going downhill for me. The book changes from a coming-of-power story into an epistolary novel, which killed the story鈥檚 energy and realness. Because there is no sense of time in these letters, no conformation that the sisters receive each other鈥檚 messages. For all we know Celie and Nettie are writing these letters to themselves with each other in mind. So when the end of this book came, and we suddenly find out that 卤 20 years had passed, I was shocked. When did time went by so quickly?!
And apart from the adventure described in those letters 鈥� an interesting tale about former African slaves returning to Africa and the culture clash that shows itself there 鈥� the story is told in an incredibly slow pace and without any vigor. Walker wants to make so many statements that Celie鈥檚 storyline gets drowned under the author鈥檚 messages about oppression, sexism, and racism. This way the second half of this book lacks the power that was so present earlier, making reading about Nettie鈥檚 missionary work in Africa and Celie鈥檚 sowing business in Georgia a drag for me.
So although I鈥檓 a great fan of all the female characters in this novel and how they all found love and happiness, the second half was a letdown. The story had no impact anymore and Celie鈥檚 ending was a little too good to be true (I especially disliked how she ended things with Mister).
I do, however, certainly recommend this story. Walker鈥檚 story is filled with excellent messages about feminism, faith, the power of sisterhood, fighting abuse, and learning how to stand up for yourself. I give this book 3 stars because I think the author overdid herself in the second half of the novel, but overall I found this a very powerful book.
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. 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 star-rating.
The first half of this book was wonderful. I loved reading about Celie, Shug Avery, Sofia, and Mary Agnes (Squeak) and how each of them found the strength to stand up for themselves. Their attempts as black women to fight the sexism and (male) oppression present in their society are met with anger and a lot of protest, but the women all help each other to improve their lives. Alice Walker does an amazing job at weaving timeless feminist ideas together with themes like LGBTQ-culture, the struggle with domestic abuse, and female sexuality.
A running topic through the book is Celie鈥檚 relationship with God, who for a long time is her only confidant. Thanks to an important talk with Shug 鈥� one of the most important talks in this book 鈥� the author shows not only how racism and sexism has affected Celie鈥檚 image of God (as an old, white man) but also how 鈥榳rong鈥� it is to search for God in a church.
鈥淗ere鈥檚 the thing, say Shug. The thing I believe. God is inside you and inside everybody else. You come into the world with God. But only them that search for it inside find it.鈥�
The second half of this book however, when Nettie鈥檚 letters from Africa take over and the narrative gets divided between Celie and Nettie, was when things started going downhill for me. The book changes from a coming-of-power story into an epistolary novel, which killed the story鈥檚 energy and realness. Because there is no sense of time in these letters, no conformation that the sisters receive each other鈥檚 messages. For all we know Celie and Nettie are writing these letters to themselves with each other in mind. So when the end of this book came, and we suddenly find out that 卤 20 years had passed, I was shocked. When did time went by so quickly?!
And apart from the adventure described in those letters 鈥� an interesting tale about former African slaves returning to Africa and the culture clash that shows itself there 鈥� the story is told in an incredibly slow pace and without any vigor. Walker wants to make so many statements that Celie鈥檚 storyline gets drowned under the author鈥檚 messages about oppression, sexism, and racism. This way the second half of this book lacks the power that was so present earlier, making reading about Nettie鈥檚 missionary work in Africa and Celie鈥檚 sowing business in Georgia a drag for me.
So although I鈥檓 a great fan of all the female characters in this novel and how they all found love and happiness, the second half was a letdown. The story had no impact anymore and Celie鈥檚 ending was a little too good to be true (I especially disliked how she ended things with Mister).
I do, however, certainly recommend this story. Walker鈥檚 story is filled with excellent messages about feminism, faith, the power of sisterhood, fighting abuse, and learning how to stand up for yourself. I give this book 3 stars because I think the author overdid herself in the second half of the novel, but overall I found this a very powerful book.
鈥淢an corrupts everything, say Shug. He on your box of grits, in your head, and all over the radio. He try to make you think he everywhere. Soon as you think he everywhere, you think he God. But he ain鈥檛. Whenever you trying to pray, and man plop himself on the other end of it, tell him to go lost, say Shug. Conjure up flowers, wind, water, a big rock.
But this hard work, let me tell you. Man been there so long, he don't want to budge. He threaten lighting, floods and earthquakes. Us fight. I hardly pray at all. Every time I conjure up a rock, I throw it.
Amen.
November 6, 2017
A Masterpiece!
鈥淚 think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.鈥�
鈥� Alice Walker, The Color Purple
From the time I first read this book (I have read this many times), it has been a favorite. Walker has brought to life the story of two sisters: one a missionary in Africa and one a young abuse wife living in the south. Even though there is distance between them, there is great love, great devotion and great compassion. This book spans years as we see their lives.
Celie writes letters to God and her sister. She has been abused most of her life. First by her very father who abused and raped her and gave away her/their babies. Then she is given to a man who who abuses her. This is not an easy book to read. It is sad and heartbreaking at times. There is rape, abuse, sexism, etc. There is also hope, strength, resilience, love and yes, happiness.
Celie finally finds herself after being introduced to a couple of strong women. She eventually finds her inner voice and is able to find her self and her strength. But the path to getting there is long and full of obstacles - some of which are inside Celie. Through her path of finding her inner voice, she finally fells what it is like to love and be loved. To find a sense of belonging. To find God. To have the capacity to forgive. To hold onto hope and to hold it close and cherish it. In this character with see the triumph of the human spirit. Against the odds, she is able to be strong.
Walker's writing is haunting, powerful and beautiful.
I love his dear eyes in which the vulnerability and beauty of his soul can be plainly read.鈥�
鈥� Alice Walker, The Color Purple
Yes, this book is hard to read at times, but there is beauty here. Such beautiful writing. The dialect may be difficult at first but keep reading, you will get the hang of it. This book is so worth the effort.
Highly Recommend.
See more of my reviews at
鈥淚 think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.鈥�
鈥� Alice Walker, The Color Purple
From the time I first read this book (I have read this many times), it has been a favorite. Walker has brought to life the story of two sisters: one a missionary in Africa and one a young abuse wife living in the south. Even though there is distance between them, there is great love, great devotion and great compassion. This book spans years as we see their lives.
Celie writes letters to God and her sister. She has been abused most of her life. First by her very father who abused and raped her and gave away her/their babies. Then she is given to a man who who abuses her. This is not an easy book to read. It is sad and heartbreaking at times. There is rape, abuse, sexism, etc. There is also hope, strength, resilience, love and yes, happiness.
Celie finally finds herself after being introduced to a couple of strong women. She eventually finds her inner voice and is able to find her self and her strength. But the path to getting there is long and full of obstacles - some of which are inside Celie. Through her path of finding her inner voice, she finally fells what it is like to love and be loved. To find a sense of belonging. To find God. To have the capacity to forgive. To hold onto hope and to hold it close and cherish it. In this character with see the triumph of the human spirit. Against the odds, she is able to be strong.
Walker's writing is haunting, powerful and beautiful.
I love his dear eyes in which the vulnerability and beauty of his soul can be plainly read.鈥�
鈥� Alice Walker, The Color Purple
Yes, this book is hard to read at times, but there is beauty here. Such beautiful writing. The dialect may be difficult at first but keep reading, you will get the hang of it. This book is so worth the effort.
Highly Recommend.
See more of my reviews at
December 22, 2020
I feel like a bit of grinch for not liking this book, but, it is what it is, and I'm obviously not going to hold back. I really don't know what exactly I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this. I'll start with the format. I took an immediate dislike to the letter style format of this book. The dialect was flat, and I noticed that became increasingly so, as the book went on.
Regardless of the fact that as the story developed, it moved on to letters between the characters instead. I do think this added in my detachment from the characters. None of the characters were likeable. I mean, they all lacked depth of any sort, and made one feel incredibly cast off from the story. I'm not even going to dwell on what I thought of Shrug Avery.
Nearing the end, I was practically counting pages, tremendously eager to finish, and that is never a good sign.
I think the book had the potential to be good, and despite it gaining an award, it just didn't resonate with me. I'm just happy that I didn't spend money on it.
Regardless of the fact that as the story developed, it moved on to letters between the characters instead. I do think this added in my detachment from the characters. None of the characters were likeable. I mean, they all lacked depth of any sort, and made one feel incredibly cast off from the story. I'm not even going to dwell on what I thought of Shrug Avery.
Nearing the end, I was practically counting pages, tremendously eager to finish, and that is never a good sign.
I think the book had the potential to be good, and despite it gaining an award, it just didn't resonate with me. I'm just happy that I didn't spend money on it.
December 31, 2023
2o23 review:
This was as good as I remember it being! I love Celie as a character so much and her story arc is incredibly moving. I do think the Nettie letters slow the pace of the story down quite a bit and take away some of the power of Celie's story, but I understand what Alice Walker was doing with that section. Regardless, I love the ending and can't wait to see the movie musical adaptation soon! In my 2018 review I said I need to watch the original movie as well, which I sadly never did. Oops.
2018 review:
This was fantastic. I am so glad I finally read it after having known about it for so long and never having been assigned it in school. It鈥檚 beautifully written. Celie鈥檚 voice is so strong and all of the characters are well developed. I especially loved Shug and Sofia. And now I鈥檝e got to see the film.
This was as good as I remember it being! I love Celie as a character so much and her story arc is incredibly moving. I do think the Nettie letters slow the pace of the story down quite a bit and take away some of the power of Celie's story, but I understand what Alice Walker was doing with that section. Regardless, I love the ending and can't wait to see the movie musical adaptation soon! In my 2018 review I said I need to watch the original movie as well, which I sadly never did. Oops.
2018 review:
This was fantastic. I am so glad I finally read it after having known about it for so long and never having been assigned it in school. It鈥檚 beautifully written. Celie鈥檚 voice is so strong and all of the characters are well developed. I especially loved Shug and Sofia. And now I鈥檝e got to see the film.
November 30, 2023
Preface: Whatever else The Color Purple has been taken for during the years since its publication, it remains for me听the theological work examining the journey from the religious back to the spiritual that I spent much of my adult life, prior to writing it, seeking to avoid.oh to have had three 5 star reads in a roll!!! 馃く馃く馃槶 is this a sign for me to read more classics/historical fiction?? 馃槷鈥嶐煉ㄢ潳锔�
- Alice Walker, the author
I'm going to have to make time to watch the tv adaptation as well and not only because it stars Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah 馃槱. This hits every spot, I was literally crying through my laughter.
Celie, an African American girl, only 14 yr/old has seen poverty, domestic violence and an
Nettie, Celie's sister runs away and stays with Celie when Celie finally leaves home, but Mister, a man Celie's father sold her to makes advances toward Nettie. Celie tells her to seek help from a well-dressed black woman she saw in town. Nettie promises to write but never does, and Celie concludes that she is dead.
Mister's son Harpo falls in love with an assertive girl named Sofia, gets her pregnant and marries her. Celie is impressed by Sofia's self-esteem but in another moment of envy, advises Harpo to beat her. Sofia fights back and confronts Celie, who apologizes and they became friends.
The plot then splits exploring Celie's adjustments to life as she knows it through many changes especially when she finds decades of letters from Nettie that Mister has hidden from her. These letters detail Nettie's journey through religious self-discovery and missionary work in Africa. As well as Sophia struggles with accepting intense normalized misogyny and racism.
Celie begins to write back to Nettie and realizes with immerse relief that not much was lost in she and her sister's relationship. Through these beautiful, emotional letters we learn about the sisters' challenges, new found knowledge and loves. It will leave you hopeful that the sisters will reunite in the end.
Because of work, I had to switch to the audiobook at some point. That is where I picked up the preface as the narration was done by Alice Walker, herself and it made a fantastic and teary experience.
***
don't ask, i'm on a quest to break my own heart 馃ズ馃挏
July 9, 2014
"There is a way that the men speak to women that reminds me too much of Pa. They listen just long enough to issue instructions. They don't even look at women when women are speaking. They look at the ground and bend their heads toward the ground. The women also do not "look in a man's face" as they say. To "look in a man's face" is a brazen thing to do. They look instead at his feet or his knees. And what can I say to this?"
What a sad and splendid book. The Color Purple tells the tale of 20 years of Celie's life through her letters. A poor black woman whose father abuses and rapes her at the age of 14, Celie soon loses her sister as well as her independence after marrying "Mister." Only by meeting Shug - the most fierce, unapologetic woman Celie's ever encountered - and learning the truth about her sister does Celie start to move toward her reawakening, her self-acceptance, and her love for even those who have hurt her.
Alice Walker delves into so many important issues in The Color Purple. Even though the book focuses on a black woman oppressed in the first half of the twentieth century, a myriad of the behaviors and themes found within the book still apply to all women today. Not only does Walker weave in timeless feminist ideas, she also relates Celie's struggle to domestic abuse, lgbtq culture, the strength of sisterhood, and so much more.
My favorite concept in The Color Purple was the use of storytelling as healing. Celie gives herself a voice by befriending Shug and eventually writing letters to Nettie, and even the epistolary format of the book exemplifies the power of writing, talking, and sharing one's struggles. Whether it's a veteran with PTSD sharing their story with a therapist or an angry teenager writing on their blog, human connection and communication poses so many benefits, and Walker's book highlights that in the most wonderful of ways.
Highly, highly recommended to anyone interested in feminism, historical fiction, overcoming abuse, or any intersection of those topics. Definitely a classic I wish more people read.
What a sad and splendid book. The Color Purple tells the tale of 20 years of Celie's life through her letters. A poor black woman whose father abuses and rapes her at the age of 14, Celie soon loses her sister as well as her independence after marrying "Mister." Only by meeting Shug - the most fierce, unapologetic woman Celie's ever encountered - and learning the truth about her sister does Celie start to move toward her reawakening, her self-acceptance, and her love for even those who have hurt her.
Alice Walker delves into so many important issues in The Color Purple. Even though the book focuses on a black woman oppressed in the first half of the twentieth century, a myriad of the behaviors and themes found within the book still apply to all women today. Not only does Walker weave in timeless feminist ideas, she also relates Celie's struggle to domestic abuse, lgbtq culture, the strength of sisterhood, and so much more.
My favorite concept in The Color Purple was the use of storytelling as healing. Celie gives herself a voice by befriending Shug and eventually writing letters to Nettie, and even the epistolary format of the book exemplifies the power of writing, talking, and sharing one's struggles. Whether it's a veteran with PTSD sharing their story with a therapist or an angry teenager writing on their blog, human connection and communication poses so many benefits, and Walker's book highlights that in the most wonderful of ways.
Highly, highly recommended to anyone interested in feminism, historical fiction, overcoming abuse, or any intersection of those topics. Definitely a classic I wish more people read.
September 9, 2021
The Color Purple wasn鈥檛 bad and I understand its significance especially at the time it was published. However, I did not feel much and I felt indifferent towards the characters except maybe Nettie. The writing style certainly affected my experience, at first at least. I'm not an English native speaker and reading the heavily accented words was a bit challenging at first. It got better once I was used to it. It doesn鈥檛 mean this is not a good book by any means, I get why it鈥檚 beloved by many and 鈥渨omen empowering鈥�. It has a powerful message and tackles many issues in society. But I kinda expected better?
I don't regret reading it but sadly, it didn't mean anything to me. After finishing it, I realized that it didn't leave anything with me and I'll be forgetting it eventually. Given the mostly positive reviews, I think everyone should read it and decide for themselves but I wouldn't be personally recommending it for someone looking for a "feminist" and enjoyable book. I understand why "objectively" it is beloved but subjectively speaking, it was okay and that's about it.
I don't regret reading it but sadly, it didn't mean anything to me. After finishing it, I realized that it didn't leave anything with me and I'll be forgetting it eventually. Given the mostly positive reviews, I think everyone should read it and decide for themselves but I wouldn't be personally recommending it for someone looking for a "feminist" and enjoyable book. I understand why "objectively" it is beloved but subjectively speaking, it was okay and that's about it.
August 2, 2020
El color p煤rpura es uno de los libros que m谩s a帽os llevaban en mi lista de pendientes. Siempre me pasa que cuando un libro tiene mucha fama y una cr铆tica muy positiva, me debato entre la curiosidad y el miedo, de ah铆 que haya tardado tanto en animarme a leer esta joyita, que ya a d铆a de hoy podemos considerar un cl谩sico. Una obra epistolar que te absorbe desde la primera carta hasta la 煤ltima.
Celie y Nettie son dos hermanas que nos contar谩n la historia a trav茅s de las cartas que se enviar谩n la una a la otra durante d茅cadas. Celie, la mayor, despu茅s de ser violada por su padre continuamente y de parir dos hijos que le quitar谩n, ser谩 obligada a casarse con un pretendiente de su hermana. Por otra parte, Nettie huir谩 del hogar familiar y su camino se separar谩 del de su hermana. No quiero contar mucho de la trama, porque es de esas historias donde cada detalle cuenta, cada palabra y cada frase son una delicia que hay que ir descubriendo poco a poco.
De lo que si quiero hablar son de los personajes. 隆Vaya maravilla de personajes! Y, sobre todo, los personajes femeninos. Todas son mujeres fuertes, que tienen que luchar en un mundo machista, adem谩s de racista, que consigue colocar a la mujer negra en la parte m谩s baja de la pir谩mide. Lejos de conformarse, estas mujeres luchan por sobrevivir y ser tratadas como iguales, en un mundo que no se lo pone f谩cil. Y lo m谩s importante, luchan juntas. Este libro destila sororidad en todas sus p谩ginas. Y fue publicado en 1982, un ejemplo que la 茅poca en la que se publica un libro, no justifica seg煤n que ideales anticuados.
Voy a entrar un poquito m谩s en detalle con los personajes femeninos, y en primer lugar nos encontramos con Celie, la gran protagonista. Celie sufr茅 una gran evoluci贸n durante las p谩ginas de la novela, pasando de ni帽a sumisa, a mujer rebelde que lucha porque nunca m谩s ning煤n hombre la controle. Nettie, mucho m谩s rebelde desde peque帽a, tiene claro esto desde el inicio y su personalidad la llevar谩 a vivir una vida muy diferente. Sofia es uno de los personajes m谩s interesantes de la obra, su fortaleza y su vitalidad son castigados duramente, pero a煤n as铆, sigue adelante siempre. Squeak, una joven mujer insegura e inicialmente d茅bil, dar谩 un giro a todo esto gracias a la ayuda y el apoyo del resto de mujeres. Y por 煤ltimo, pero no menos importante, Shug Avery, una mujer que se dedica al espect谩culo, acosada por las cr铆ticas del puritanismo religioso. Es la demostraci贸n perfecta de mujer fuerte que vive su vida sin importar lo que digan los dem谩s. Shug es un personaje enorme. Lo dicho, esta novela tiene una gran riqueza en personajes femeninos.
No menciono a los personajes masculinos, aunque hay varios, porque realmente todos pecan de ese machismo tan arraigado, algunos de una manera m谩s sutil, otros de una manera m谩s agresiva, pero todos juegan al mismo juego. Y, adem谩s, esta es una historia de grandes mujeres y son ellas las que destacan. En definitiva, una obra maestra que merece toda y cada una de las buenas cr铆ticas que tiene.
Celie y Nettie son dos hermanas que nos contar谩n la historia a trav茅s de las cartas que se enviar谩n la una a la otra durante d茅cadas. Celie, la mayor, despu茅s de ser violada por su padre continuamente y de parir dos hijos que le quitar谩n, ser谩 obligada a casarse con un pretendiente de su hermana. Por otra parte, Nettie huir谩 del hogar familiar y su camino se separar谩 del de su hermana. No quiero contar mucho de la trama, porque es de esas historias donde cada detalle cuenta, cada palabra y cada frase son una delicia que hay que ir descubriendo poco a poco.
De lo que si quiero hablar son de los personajes. 隆Vaya maravilla de personajes! Y, sobre todo, los personajes femeninos. Todas son mujeres fuertes, que tienen que luchar en un mundo machista, adem谩s de racista, que consigue colocar a la mujer negra en la parte m谩s baja de la pir谩mide. Lejos de conformarse, estas mujeres luchan por sobrevivir y ser tratadas como iguales, en un mundo que no se lo pone f谩cil. Y lo m谩s importante, luchan juntas. Este libro destila sororidad en todas sus p谩ginas. Y fue publicado en 1982, un ejemplo que la 茅poca en la que se publica un libro, no justifica seg煤n que ideales anticuados.
Voy a entrar un poquito m谩s en detalle con los personajes femeninos, y en primer lugar nos encontramos con Celie, la gran protagonista. Celie sufr茅 una gran evoluci贸n durante las p谩ginas de la novela, pasando de ni帽a sumisa, a mujer rebelde que lucha porque nunca m谩s ning煤n hombre la controle. Nettie, mucho m谩s rebelde desde peque帽a, tiene claro esto desde el inicio y su personalidad la llevar谩 a vivir una vida muy diferente. Sofia es uno de los personajes m谩s interesantes de la obra, su fortaleza y su vitalidad son castigados duramente, pero a煤n as铆, sigue adelante siempre. Squeak, una joven mujer insegura e inicialmente d茅bil, dar谩 un giro a todo esto gracias a la ayuda y el apoyo del resto de mujeres. Y por 煤ltimo, pero no menos importante, Shug Avery, una mujer que se dedica al espect谩culo, acosada por las cr铆ticas del puritanismo religioso. Es la demostraci贸n perfecta de mujer fuerte que vive su vida sin importar lo que digan los dem谩s. Shug es un personaje enorme. Lo dicho, esta novela tiene una gran riqueza en personajes femeninos.
No menciono a los personajes masculinos, aunque hay varios, porque realmente todos pecan de ese machismo tan arraigado, algunos de una manera m谩s sutil, otros de una manera m谩s agresiva, pero todos juegan al mismo juego. Y, adem谩s, esta es una historia de grandes mujeres y son ellas las que destacan. En definitiva, una obra maestra que merece toda y cada una de las buenas cr铆ticas que tiene.
June 12, 2021
"Everything want to be loved. Us sing and dance and holler, just trying to be loved."
... irrespective of color, race, language, and appearance, everything wants to be loved. World will be a better place if just understand this one thing but sigh we all want something that we are not ready to give others.
... irrespective of color, race, language, and appearance, everything wants to be loved. World will be a better place if just understand this one thing but sigh we all want something that we are not ready to give others.
August 25, 2024
"兀賳鬲 爻賵丿丕亍 賵賮賯賷乇丞 賵亘卮毓丞貙 兀賳鬲 丕賲乇兀丞. 丕賱賱毓賳丞. 兀賳鬲 賱丕 卮賷亍 毓賱賶 丕賱廿胤賱丕賯.."
乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 丕賱毓賳氐乇賷丞 ..毓賳 丕賱兀囟胤賴丕丿 丕賱匕賷 賷賯毓 毓賱賷 丕賱賲乇兀丞 亘爻亘亘 賱賵賳賴丕 賵 噩賳爻賴丕..毓賳 賰賷賮賷丞 廿匕賱丕賱賴丕 賵 賲毓丕賲賱鬲賴丕 賰禺丕丿賲丞 賵 賰爻賱毓丞 鬲亘丕毓 賵 鬲卮鬲乇賷..
乇賵丕賷丞 鬲賱賯賷 丕賱囟賵亍 毓賱賷 賲卮丕毓乇 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賵丨鬲賷 毓賳 賲賷賵賱賴丕 丕賱噩賳爻賷丞...毓賳 毓賱丕賯丞 丕賱兀禺賵丞 丕賱賯賵賷丞 賵 廿夭丕賷 賲賲賰賳 鬲丿賷賰 兀賲賱 賮賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵爻亘亘 鬲毓賷卮 毓卮丕賳賴..
丕賱賳氐賮 丕賱兀賵賱 賲賳 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賰丕賳 噩賷丿 賵 賲賰鬲賵亘 丨賱賵 賵 賱賰賳 噩丕亍 丕賱賳氐賮 丕賱孬丕賳賷 賲賲賱 亘鬲賮丕氐賷賱 賲賱賴丕卮 賱丕夭賲丞 賵 兀丨丿丕孬 賲賱賴丕卮 胤毓賲 賵 卮禺氐賷丕鬲 賱賲 鬲囟賮 卮卅 賱賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 賰賲丕賳 睾賷乇 賲賳胤賯賷丞 賵鬲丨爻 丕賱賰丕鬲亘丞 賰丕賳鬲 賳賮爻賴丕 鬲毓賲賱 賳賴丕賷丞 爻毓賷丿丞 亘兀賷 卮賰賱!
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丨賯賯鬲 賮賵乇 氐丿賵乇賴丕 毓丕賲 1982 卮賴乇丞 毓丕賱賲賷丞 賵 賳丕賱鬲 丕賱賰丕鬲亘丞 兀賱賷爻 賵賵賰乇 噩丕卅夭丞 "亘賵賱賷鬲夭乇" 丕賱賲毓乇賵賮丞 賰賲丕 廿賳賴丕 鬲丨賵賱鬲 廿賱賷 賮賷賱賲 爻賷賳賲丕卅賷 亘丕賱毓賳賵丕賳 賳賮爻賴 兀禺乇噩賴 爻鬲賷賮賳 爻亘賷賱亘乇噩 毓丕賲 佟侃侉佶...
丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賮賷 兀賮賰丕乇 丨賱賵丞 賵兀賰賷丿 賰丕賳 賷毓鬲亘乇 賰鬲丕亘 賲賴賲 賵賯鬲 氐丿賵乇賴 賮賷 丕賱孬賲丕賳賷賳丕鬲 賵賱賰賳 丿賱賵賯鬲賷 賲丨爻賷鬲卮 廿賳賷 賯乇兀鬲 兀賷 兀賮賰丕乇 噩丿賷丿丞 賵賱丕 丨鬲賷 賯氐丞 賲亘賴乇丞 賵賱丕 丨鬲賷 廿爻賱賵亘 賰鬲丕亘丞 賲賲賷夭!!
毓賳丿賷 賲卮賰賱丞 賰亘賷乇丞 賲毓 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷..
鈥廼t is hugely overrated!
丕賱鬲賯賷賷賲 佗.佶
乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 丕賱毓賳氐乇賷丞 ..毓賳 丕賱兀囟胤賴丕丿 丕賱匕賷 賷賯毓 毓賱賷 丕賱賲乇兀丞 亘爻亘亘 賱賵賳賴丕 賵 噩賳爻賴丕..毓賳 賰賷賮賷丞 廿匕賱丕賱賴丕 賵 賲毓丕賲賱鬲賴丕 賰禺丕丿賲丞 賵 賰爻賱毓丞 鬲亘丕毓 賵 鬲卮鬲乇賷..
乇賵丕賷丞 鬲賱賯賷 丕賱囟賵亍 毓賱賷 賲卮丕毓乇 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賵丨鬲賷 毓賳 賲賷賵賱賴丕 丕賱噩賳爻賷丞...毓賳 毓賱丕賯丞 丕賱兀禺賵丞 丕賱賯賵賷丞 賵 廿夭丕賷 賲賲賰賳 鬲丿賷賰 兀賲賱 賮賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵爻亘亘 鬲毓賷卮 毓卮丕賳賴..
丕賱賳氐賮 丕賱兀賵賱 賲賳 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賰丕賳 噩賷丿 賵 賲賰鬲賵亘 丨賱賵 賵 賱賰賳 噩丕亍 丕賱賳氐賮 丕賱孬丕賳賷 賲賲賱 亘鬲賮丕氐賷賱 賲賱賴丕卮 賱丕夭賲丞 賵 兀丨丿丕孬 賲賱賴丕卮 胤毓賲 賵 卮禺氐賷丕鬲 賱賲 鬲囟賮 卮卅 賱賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 賰賲丕賳 睾賷乇 賲賳胤賯賷丞 賵鬲丨爻 丕賱賰丕鬲亘丞 賰丕賳鬲 賳賮爻賴丕 鬲毓賲賱 賳賴丕賷丞 爻毓賷丿丞 亘兀賷 卮賰賱!
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丨賯賯鬲 賮賵乇 氐丿賵乇賴丕 毓丕賲 1982 卮賴乇丞 毓丕賱賲賷丞 賵 賳丕賱鬲 丕賱賰丕鬲亘丞 兀賱賷爻 賵賵賰乇 噩丕卅夭丞 "亘賵賱賷鬲夭乇" 丕賱賲毓乇賵賮丞 賰賲丕 廿賳賴丕 鬲丨賵賱鬲 廿賱賷 賮賷賱賲 爻賷賳賲丕卅賷 亘丕賱毓賳賵丕賳 賳賮爻賴 兀禺乇噩賴 爻鬲賷賮賳 爻亘賷賱亘乇噩 毓丕賲 佟侃侉佶...
丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賮賷 兀賮賰丕乇 丨賱賵丞 賵兀賰賷丿 賰丕賳 賷毓鬲亘乇 賰鬲丕亘 賲賴賲 賵賯鬲 氐丿賵乇賴 賮賷 丕賱孬賲丕賳賷賳丕鬲 賵賱賰賳 丿賱賵賯鬲賷 賲丨爻賷鬲卮 廿賳賷 賯乇兀鬲 兀賷 兀賮賰丕乇 噩丿賷丿丞 賵賱丕 丨鬲賷 賯氐丞 賲亘賴乇丞 賵賱丕 丨鬲賷 廿爻賱賵亘 賰鬲丕亘丞 賲賲賷夭!!
毓賳丿賷 賲卮賰賱丞 賰亘賷乇丞 賲毓 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷..
鈥廼t is hugely overrated!
丕賱鬲賯賷賷賲 佗.佶
December 18, 2019
O C煤mulo Do Machismo
J谩 alguma vez vos ocorreu pensar sobre o C煤mulo do Machismo?
Pois bem, se lerem este livro ir茫o chegar a uma f贸rmula mais ou menos assim:
脡 um marido maltratar a mulher com tal grau de brutalidade, que esta e a amante dele se tornam melhores amigas e ambas optam por v锚-lo pelas costas, pirando-se juntas!...
Como corol谩rio dessa misoginia extrema, a 煤nica mulher da vida de tal homem, passa a ser um fantasma feminino, com quem flirta ocasionalmente, para alguns passos de dan莽a descontra铆dos!
Possivelmente, numa tentativa fantasiosa de auto-esquecimento! 馃槈
Hehe, j谩 'tou' a inventar!... A cena da dan莽a com o fantasma f锚mea n茫o 茅 daqui 鈥� 茅 no filme! 馃槈
No livro, esse tal marido bo莽al apanha tamanho choque ao ver-se duplamente abandonado, que opta por reinventar-se um pouco! Bem... a verdade 茅 que ir谩 reinventar-se bastante mais que um pouco! Um 'man' que falha como marido e amante, tem muito trabalhinho pela frente, como 茅 f谩cil imaginar!...
Al茅m de ser um tratado sobre machismo, "A Cor P煤rpura" versa tamb茅m sobre a luta intemporal entre bem e mal, mostrando como a For莽a pende para o lado dos Sentimentos Nobres, como a Solidariedade, a Amizade e o Amor.
A Vit贸ria pertence-lhes, pois s茫o eles que cavam o T煤nel da Liberta莽茫o 鈥� aquele por onde se vai insinuando a Cor P煤rpura da Vida 馃槉
J谩 alguma vez vos ocorreu pensar sobre o C煤mulo do Machismo?
Pois bem, se lerem este livro ir茫o chegar a uma f贸rmula mais ou menos assim:
脡 um marido maltratar a mulher com tal grau de brutalidade, que esta e a amante dele se tornam melhores amigas e ambas optam por v锚-lo pelas costas, pirando-se juntas!...
Como corol谩rio dessa misoginia extrema, a 煤nica mulher da vida de tal homem, passa a ser um fantasma feminino, com quem flirta ocasionalmente, para alguns passos de dan莽a descontra铆dos!
Possivelmente, numa tentativa fantasiosa de auto-esquecimento! 馃槈
Hehe, j谩 'tou' a inventar!... A cena da dan莽a com o fantasma f锚mea n茫o 茅 daqui 鈥� 茅 no filme! 馃槈
No livro, esse tal marido bo莽al apanha tamanho choque ao ver-se duplamente abandonado, que opta por reinventar-se um pouco! Bem... a verdade 茅 que ir谩 reinventar-se bastante mais que um pouco! Um 'man' que falha como marido e amante, tem muito trabalhinho pela frente, como 茅 f谩cil imaginar!...
Al茅m de ser um tratado sobre machismo, "A Cor P煤rpura" versa tamb茅m sobre a luta intemporal entre bem e mal, mostrando como a For莽a pende para o lado dos Sentimentos Nobres, como a Solidariedade, a Amizade e o Amor.
A Vit贸ria pertence-lhes, pois s茫o eles que cavam o T煤nel da Liberta莽茫o 鈥� aquele por onde se vai insinuando a Cor P煤rpura da Vida 馃槉
October 30, 2017
Wow such an amazing book! Although many parts were so difficult to read, so heart breaking, its a story that sticks with you. I loved when the story expanded to include Nettie's life as a missionary. Celie's courage to endure all the hardships and losses, including the hardest loss of her sister, makes many of today's problems seem so insignificant to me. This is truly a remarkable book that I highly recommend!
August 23, 2022
The Color Purple is a novel by Alice Walker, published in 1982, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1983. Forty years later, it is still considered an important work of feminist African American fiction. The book deals with the struggle for empowerement and emancipation of an uneducated and abused Black woman.
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 self-concept forced on her by others.
Celie narrates her life through painfully honest letters to God. These are prompted when her abusive father, Alphonso, warns her not to tell anybody but God after he rapes her and she becomes pregnant for a second time at the age of 14.
Celie subsequently begins to build relationships with other Black women, especially those engaging forcefully with oppression. Of note is the defiant Sofia, who marries Albert鈥檚 son Harpo after becoming pregnant. Unable to control her, Harpo seeks advice, and Celie suggests that he beat Sofia. However, when Harpo strikes her, Sofia fights back. Upon learning that Celie encouraged Harpo鈥檚 abuse, she confronts a guilty Celie, who admits to being jealous of Sofia鈥檚 refusal to back down, and the two women become friends.
More significant, however, is Celie鈥檚 relationship with Shug Avery, a glamorous and independent singer who is also Albert鈥檚 sometime mistress. Celie tends to an ailing Shug, and the two women grow close, eventually becoming lovers.
During this time Celie discovers that Albert has been hiding letters that Nettie has sent her. Celie begins reading them and learns that Nettie has befriended a minister, Samuel, and his wife, Corrine, and that the couple鈥檚 adopted children, Adam and Olivia, are actually Celie鈥檚. Nettie joins the family on a mission in Liberia, where Corrine later dies. The letters also reveal that Alphonso is actually Celie鈥檚 stepfather and that her biological father was lynched. Questioning her faith, Celie begins addressing her letters to Nettie.
However, Shug later encourages Celie to change her beliefs about God. An emboldened Celie then decides to leave Albert and go to Memphis with Shug. Once there, Celie comes into her own and creates a successful business selling tailored pants. Her happiness, however, is tempered somewhat by Shug鈥檚 affairs, though Celie continues to love her.
The Color Purple movingly depicts the growing up and self-realization of Celie, who overcomes oppression and abuse to find fulfillment and independence. The novel also addresses gender equality.
Walker emphasizes throughout the novel that the ability to express one鈥檚 thoughts and feelings is crucial to developing a sense of self. Initially, Celie is completely unable to resist those who abuse her. Remembering Alphonso鈥檚 warning that she 鈥渂etter not never tell nobody but God鈥� about his abuse of her, Celie feels that the only way to persevere is to remain silent and invisible.
In Shug and Sofia, Celie finds sympathetic ears and learns lessons that enable her to find her voice. In renaming Celie a 鈥渧irgin,鈥� Shug shows Celie that she can create her own narrative, a new interpretation of herself and her history that counters the interpretations forced upon her.
Gradually Celie begins to flesh out more of her story by telling it to Shug. However, it is not until Celie and Shug discover Nettie鈥檚 letters that Celie finally has enough knowledge of herself to form her own powerful narrative. Celie鈥檚 forceful assertion of this newfound power, her cursing of Albert for his years of abuse, is the novel鈥檚 climax. Celie鈥檚 story dumbfounds and eventually humbles Albert, causing him to reassess and change his own life.
Throughout The Color Purple, Walker portrays female friendships as a means for women to summon the courage to tell stories. In turn, these stories allow women to resist oppression and dominance. Relationships among women form a refuge, providing reciprocal love in a world filled with male violence.
Female ties take many forms: some are motherly or sisterly, some are in the form of mentor and pupil, some are sexual, and some are simply friendships. Sofia claims that her ability to fight comes from her strong relationships with her sisters. Nettie鈥檚 relationship with Celie anchors her through years of living in the unfamiliar culture of Africa. Samuel notes that the strong relationships among Olinka women are the only thing that makes polygamy bearable for them. Most important, Celie鈥檚 ties to Shug bring about Celie鈥檚 gradual redemption and her attainment of a sense of self.
Many characters in the novel break the boundaries of traditional male or female gender roles. Sofia鈥檚 strength and sass, Shug鈥檚 sexual assertiveness, and Harpo鈥檚 insecurity are major examples of such disparity between a character鈥檚 gender and the traits he or she displays. This blurring of gender traits and roles sometimes involves sexual ambiguity, as we see in the sexual relationship that develops between Celie and Shug.
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 self-concept forced on her by others.
Celie narrates her life through painfully honest letters to God. These are prompted when her abusive father, Alphonso, warns her not to tell anybody but God after he rapes her and she becomes pregnant for a second time at the age of 14.
鈥淎ll my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my brothers. I had to fight my cousins and my uncles. A girl child ain鈥檛 safe in a family of men.鈥�After she gives birth, Alphonso takes the child away, as he did with her first baby, leaving Celie to believe that both have been killed. When the widowed Albert proposes marriage to Celie鈥檚 younger sister, Nettie, Alphonso pushes him to take Celie instead, forcing her into an abusive marriage. Soon thereafter Nettie flees Alphonso and briefly lives with Celie. However, Albert鈥檚 continued interest in Nettie results in her leaving.
Celie subsequently begins to build relationships with other Black women, especially those engaging forcefully with oppression. Of note is the defiant Sofia, who marries Albert鈥檚 son Harpo after becoming pregnant. Unable to control her, Harpo seeks advice, and Celie suggests that he beat Sofia. However, when Harpo strikes her, Sofia fights back. Upon learning that Celie encouraged Harpo鈥檚 abuse, she confronts a guilty Celie, who admits to being jealous of Sofia鈥檚 refusal to back down, and the two women become friends.
More significant, however, is Celie鈥檚 relationship with Shug Avery, a glamorous and independent singer who is also Albert鈥檚 sometime mistress. Celie tends to an ailing Shug, and the two women grow close, eventually becoming lovers.
During this time Celie discovers that Albert has been hiding letters that Nettie has sent her. Celie begins reading them and learns that Nettie has befriended a minister, Samuel, and his wife, Corrine, and that the couple鈥檚 adopted children, Adam and Olivia, are actually Celie鈥檚. Nettie joins the family on a mission in Liberia, where Corrine later dies. The letters also reveal that Alphonso is actually Celie鈥檚 stepfather and that her biological father was lynched. Questioning her faith, Celie begins addressing her letters to Nettie.
However, Shug later encourages Celie to change her beliefs about God. An emboldened Celie then decides to leave Albert and go to Memphis with Shug. Once there, Celie comes into her own and creates a successful business selling tailored pants. Her happiness, however, is tempered somewhat by Shug鈥檚 affairs, though Celie continues to love her.
鈥淏ut I don't think us feel old at all. And us so happy. Matter of fact, I think this the youngest us ever felt.鈥�Following Alphonso鈥檚 death, Celie inherits his house, where she eventually settles. During this time she develops a friendship with Albert, who is apologetic about his earlier treatment of her. After some 30 years apart, Celie is then reunited with Nettie, who has married Samuel. Celie also meets her long-lost children.
The Color Purple movingly depicts the growing up and self-realization of Celie, who overcomes oppression and abuse to find fulfillment and independence. The novel also addresses gender equality.
Walker emphasizes throughout the novel that the ability to express one鈥檚 thoughts and feelings is crucial to developing a sense of self. Initially, Celie is completely unable to resist those who abuse her. Remembering Alphonso鈥檚 warning that she 鈥渂etter not never tell nobody but God鈥� about his abuse of her, Celie feels that the only way to persevere is to remain silent and invisible.
In Shug and Sofia, Celie finds sympathetic ears and learns lessons that enable her to find her voice. In renaming Celie a 鈥渧irgin,鈥� Shug shows Celie that she can create her own narrative, a new interpretation of herself and her history that counters the interpretations forced upon her.
Gradually Celie begins to flesh out more of her story by telling it to Shug. However, it is not until Celie and Shug discover Nettie鈥檚 letters that Celie finally has enough knowledge of herself to form her own powerful narrative. Celie鈥檚 forceful assertion of this newfound power, her cursing of Albert for his years of abuse, is the novel鈥檚 climax. Celie鈥檚 story dumbfounds and eventually humbles Albert, causing him to reassess and change his own life.
鈥淚'm pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here.鈥�Though Walker clearly wishes to emphasize the power of narrative and speech to assert selfhood and resist oppression, the novel acknowledges that such resistance can be risky. Sofia鈥檚 forceful outburst in response to Miss Millie鈥檚 invitation to be her maid costs her twelve years of her life. Sofia regains her freedom eventually, so she is not totally defeated, but she pays a high price for her words.
Throughout The Color Purple, Walker portrays female friendships as a means for women to summon the courage to tell stories. In turn, these stories allow women to resist oppression and dominance. Relationships among women form a refuge, providing reciprocal love in a world filled with male violence.
Female ties take many forms: some are motherly or sisterly, some are in the form of mentor and pupil, some are sexual, and some are simply friendships. Sofia claims that her ability to fight comes from her strong relationships with her sisters. Nettie鈥檚 relationship with Celie anchors her through years of living in the unfamiliar culture of Africa. Samuel notes that the strong relationships among Olinka women are the only thing that makes polygamy bearable for them. Most important, Celie鈥檚 ties to Shug bring about Celie鈥檚 gradual redemption and her attainment of a sense of self.
Many characters in the novel break the boundaries of traditional male or female gender roles. Sofia鈥檚 strength and sass, Shug鈥檚 sexual assertiveness, and Harpo鈥檚 insecurity are major examples of such disparity between a character鈥檚 gender and the traits he or she displays. This blurring of gender traits and roles sometimes involves sexual ambiguity, as we see in the sexual relationship that develops between Celie and Shug.
鈥淚 think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.鈥�Despite only being 40 years old, The Color Purple has been a staple of African American literature basically since its initial publication. It's a book that graces many curricula and reading lists. It's a book in which many a Black woman will find some solace. It's a book that deeply touched me, one that I would love to pass on one day.
October 3, 2016
Despite finishing this over a week ago, I have staved off from writing a review as I feel anything I could write would not do the sublime elegance and exquisiteness of this book justice. The characters and their emotions are displayed in a raw and unapologetic way, their stories are dynamic and compelling, their plights are austere and penetrating, and the writing is evocative and exalted. I urge anyone and everyone to read this hard-hitting, powerful and corporeal book as it has such an important story to tell!
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