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The Color Purple

Alice walker.

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Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Alice Walker's The Color Purple . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Color Purple: Introduction

The color purple: plot summary, the color purple: detailed summary & analysis, the color purple: themes, the color purple: quotes, the color purple: characters, the color purple: symbols, the color purple: literary devices, the color purple: theme wheel, brief biography of alice walker.

Historical Context of The Color Purple

Other books related to the color purple.

• Full Title: The Color Purple
• When Written: 1981-82
• Where Written: New York City
• When Published: 1982
• Literary Period: postmodernism in America
• Genre: Epistolary novel; the 20th-century African-American novel; 20th-century feminist writing
• Setting: Georgia and coastal Africa, roughly 1920-1950
• Climax: Nettie and Celie are reunited, just before the novel's end, back in Georgia
• Antagonist: Mr. and Pa
• Point of View: first-person (epistolary, or a novel-in-letters)

Extra Credit for The Color Purple

White-black relations in the film version of The Color Purple. The film The Color Purple was directed by Stephen Spielberg, a white, male filmmaker. The film itself deals almost exclusively with the lives, troubles, and eventual triumph of African Americans, and some complained, during the film's production and release, that Spielberg did not have a right to direct a film running so counter to his personal experience. But Spielberg's efforts and response, implied in the film, point to the universality of Celie's experience, and to the applicability of the novel to people from all walks of life, and of all gender and racial backgrounds.

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The Color Purple

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• Academia - Alice Walker's Color Purple
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• Table Of Contents

The Color Purple , novel by Alice Walker , published in 1982. It won a Pulitzer Prize in 1983, making Walker the first African American woman to win a Pulitzer for fiction . A feminist work about an abused and uneducated African American woman’s struggle for empowerment, The Color Purple was praised for the depth of its female characters and for its eloquent use of Black English Vernacular .

An epistolary novel composed of letters written by two sisters, The Color Purple took form as Walker was living in a small town in northern California , trying to find the right voice for the novel’s story. In 1983 she told The New York Times that the letter form worked best because “It was…a way of solving a technical problem of having characters in Georgia and Africa . They never actually get the letters, but that’s beside the point. By writing, they drew closer.”

In writing the book, Walker was inspired by the experience of her grandparents, with whom she had lived for a year in rural Georgia when she was a child. In a 2015 TimesTalk interview , she said of her grandparents, “They were so kind, so giving. In the early days, they were terrible, terrible people. So I began to wonder, how could people who were so wonderful, when I knew them, be terrible when I didn’t know them? That made me realize there was some reclamation to be done.”

Spanning from 1909 to 1947, The Color Purple documents the traumas and gradual triumph of Celie, introduced at the novel’s start as 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, “You better not never tell nobody but God” after he rapes her and she becomes pregnant for a second time at the age of 14. After she gives birth, Alphonso takes the child away, as he had done with her first baby, which Celie believes he killed in the woods while Celie was sleeping. Then Celie’s mother dies. In her letter to God after her second baby’s birth, Celie writes of the worsening situation this creates for her and her younger sister, Nettie: “He took my other little baby, a boy this time. But I don’t think he kilt it. I think he sold it to a man an his wife over Monticello.…I keep hoping he fine somebody to marry. I see him looking at my little sister. She scared. But I say I’ll take care of you.”

When the widowed Mr.__ (also called Albert) proposes marriage to Nettie, Alphonso pushes him to take Celie instead, forcing her into an abusive marriage. Soon thereafter, Nettie flees Alphonso—who has married a girl Celie’s age—and briefly lives with Celie. However, Albert’s 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’s 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’s abuse, she confronts a guilty Celie, who admits to being jealous of Sofia’s refusal to back down, and the two women become friends.More significant, however, is Celie’s relationship with Shug Avery, a glamorous and independent singer who is also Albert’s sometime mistress. When Celie sees a picture of Shug for the first time, she is struck by Shug’s captivating style and beauty. Celie writes in a letter: “I see her there in furs. Her face rouge. Her hair like somethin tail. She grinning with her foot up on somebody motocar. Her eyes serious tho. Sad some.”

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 been sending her. Celie begins reading them and learns that Nettie has befriended a minister, Samuel, and his wife, Corrine, and that the couple’s adopted children, Adam and Olivia, are actually Celie’s. Nettie joins the family on a mission in Liberia , where Corrine later dies. The letters also reveal that Alphonso is actually Celie’s stepfather and that her biological father was lynched . Questioning her faith, Celie begins addressing her letters to Nettie. In her first letter to her sister, Celie recounts a conversation she had with Shug, who encourages Celie to change her beliefs about God: “Here’s 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. And sometimes it just manifest itself even if you not looking, or don’t know what you looking for.”

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 by Shug’s affairs, though Celie continues to love her. Following Alphonso’s 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. In the novel’s powerful ending Celie also meets her long-lost children.

In terms of the quality of its storytelling, 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 had an impact because of its feminist themes and the frank way it addresses gender equality and sexuality . Walker’s best-known work, The Color Purple received widespread critical acclaim, though it was not without critics, many of whom objected to its explicit language and sexual content. The novel was also criticized for its portrayals of Black men, with some reviewers complaining that her male characters—particularly Albert—were highly negative. Walker’s response to these critics was to say that they clearly did not read the book.

In 1985 Steven Spielberg directed an acclaimed film adaptation of the book, featuring Whoopi Goldberg (Celie), Danny Glover (Albert), Oprah Winfrey (Sofia), and Margaret Avery (Shug). The Color Purple was also adapted as a musical for the theater , and the first Broadway production premiered in 2005. In 2023 a film version of the musical was released, directed by Blitz Bazawule and starring Fantasia Barrino (Celie), Colman Domingo (Mister), Danielle Brooks (Sofia), and Taraji P. Henson (Shug). Whereas previous stage and film versions received criticism for downplaying the lesbian relationship between Celie and Shug, Bazawule’s was praised, including by Walker, for including a more-honest portrayal of the two characters’ romance.

The Color Purple

Introduction to the color purple, summary of the color purple.

Meanwhile, not seeing any other way out, Nettie, too, joins Celie. Mr. Albert asks Nettie to reward him if she wanted to stay in the house. So, Nettie escapes but is followed by Mr. Albert.  However, Celie presumes that Nettie is dead. Shortly after that Mister’s son, Harpo marries Sofia after having impregnated her. Despite his father’s fierce resistance to their marriage, he not only marries Sofia but also has five children from her. Yet, Sofia never becomes submissive before Harpo; rather she makes him dance at her tunes despite Celie’s instigations to Harpo, who finally submits to his father instead of his wife but when he again confronts Sofia, she not only retaliates but also confronts Celie for causing this instigation, making her seek an apology and join hands with her against the brutal duo.

Squeak, taking pity, asks Hodges, the sheriff for her release, but is raped by him after which she takes care of Sofia’s household. Sofia is released after some time. On the other hand, Shug helps Celie know about her sister, Nettie whom Mister has been keeping at a secret place. She comes to know later that she has gone to African with a couple, Corrine and Samuel, after they have adopted her son, Adam, and daughter, Olivia. However, Corrine becomes suspicious about her husband’s relationship with Nettie and tries to place restrictions on her.

On the other hand, Nettie, too, discloses her disillusionment of preaching in Africa after which she again prods Samuel of the adoption of Olivia and Adam after which she comes to know about the reality of Alphonso, her stepfather, and the past of her real father. She, then, informs him about her relationship with the children as their aunt. It soon happens that Nettie starts becoming religious, impacting Celie whom Shug advises about the existence of God. Then all three, Shug, Celie, and Squeak join hands to end patriarchal oppression. Soon Alphonso breathes his last, leaving everything for Celie, while Shug marries Germaine, causing worries to Celie who still loves her.

Major Themes in The Color Purple

Major characters of the color purple, writing style of the color purple, analysis of the literary devices in the color purple, related posts:, post navigation.

The Color Purple

53 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Pages 57-112

Pages 113-161

Pages 162-206

Pages 207-286

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discuss the title of the novel. How does this title evoke important themes in the novel? Be sure to trace out as well how Walker uses the literal color purple to reinforce these themes.

Walker coined the term womanism to describe Black female identity that centers Black women’s experiences. What makes The Color Purple a womanist novel?

Discuss the significance of letter writing and writing in the novel. What impact does the epistolary form have on how you experience the plot and character development? What role do letters and writing play in the lives of the characters?

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The Color Purple Summary Alice Walker

Everything you need to understand or teach The Color Purple by Alice Walker .

• The Color Purple Summary & Study Guide
• 17 Student Essays
• 2 Encyclopedia Articles
• 17 Literature Criticisms
• 1 Book Notes
• ...and more
• 30 The Color Purple Lessons
• 20 Activities
• 180 Multiple Choice Questions
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The Color Purple Summary

The Color Purple, Alice Walker's third novel, was published in 1982. The novel brought fame and financial success to its author. It also won her considerable praise and much criticism for its controversial themes. Many reviewers were disturbed by her portrayal of black males, which they found unduly negative. When the novel was made into a film in 1985 by Steven Spielberg, Walker became even more successful and controversial. While she was criticized for negative...

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The Color Purple Study Guide

Encyclopedia articles (2), alice walker biographies (8), essays & analysis (34), free book notes (1), lesson plan.

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“The Color Purple” by Steven Spielberg: Movie Analysis Essay

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The film Color Purple has been adapted from the book of the same title written by Alice Walker. The film is plotted in a rural background and focuses mostly on the life of black females in the southern states of the US during the 1930s. The film Color Purple has frequently been subjected to censorship issues because of its explicit violent depictions. Celie is a young black girl and the main character in the film. She is not well educated which is evident from her letters to God, that are not well drafted, as also from her dialect that is rather raw and strong. Her letters reveal her struggles to resist the horrors in her life in clear indication of her immense strength as a young woman.

While Celie is about to cross over into adolescence she is repeatedly raped by her step father and has two children from him that are snatched away from her. She is eventually married off to a man named Albert and is soon made to cohabit with her husband’s mistress Shug. A sexual relationship develops between the two and Shug is instrumental in making Celie realize the hard facts of life and how to confront them with strength and courage. A sexual relationship develops between them and Celie discovers many exciting things about her body and about herself. She is much impressed with Shug and starts modelling her in becoming more and more independent as she adopts the views and opinions of Shug in viewing the world from different perspectives. She learns from Shug how to handle Albert and is much influenced by her in terms of her religious views.

In broadening her view on religion, Celie realizes that even if a person commits sins it is possible to remain in touch with God. Her strength and will power is evident from the fact that she is able to overcome and free herself from Albert’s bondage and to find loving relationship with Shug. Her sister Nettie also loves her although she is very young in understanding the horrible things that have been faced by Celie. She is seen on several occasions to be honest and open about her sufferings, only with God. The viewer can infer the strong instinct for survival that Celie has. In being born within a poor family, her mother being constantly ill and being victimized by the person whom she believes to be her father, Celie feels used and abused. Instead of complaining, she only wonders why all this happened to her and eventually develops a sense of worthlessness and low self esteem. Her reduced self worth is evident when she does not sign her letters written to God.

Celie eventually matures into a woman of powerful confidence but only after she has been misused to the core; her sister Nettie is separated from her and she is married to a cruel person who actually desired to marry Nettie. She is more of a slave to her husband until the time that Shug enters her life in being the mistress of her husband. With Shug’s support and guidance she becomes psychologically stronger. She also receives moral support from Sofia, her daughter-in-law, who encourages and teaches her how to face men and how to challenge and fight against injustice and prejudice. The film is interesting in watching how Celie learns how to communicate her independence. It is difficult for her to take action on the new concepts she learnt but she eventually gets fed up of the intense cruelty inflicted by her husband and is able to get away from her role as his slave. Celie is also able to gather immense strength and benefits from the enduring love she has for her sister. She loves her sister very much because she helped raising her two children. Celie is seen as a strong woman that learns to face challenges and to stand up for herself. She does not lose faith in God and is ultimately rewarded by being united with Nettie as also by surviving spiritually as well as physically in order to develop into a modern twentieth century woman.

The central focus of the film is seen as the mental and emotional rebirth of Celie. Although she is faced with extreme difficulties and violence in her early years as also after her marriage, she is able to create and stimulate feelings of sexual love and self love after she meets Shug. She develops friendship with Sofia who sets before her real examples of how to be courageous. The film depicts the power of these three women which is derived from the sense of caring they have for each other and the opportunities they get in continuing to develop, even in the face of the sexist and racist environment that prevails around them. It is a pleasure watching them crying, laughing and affirming with life together and sharing with each other’s happiness. They respect each other and live together in a manner that Celie could never have thought of until the time that her husband brought home Shug.

Celie is seen as the main character in conveying the dominating theme of the film which is of women coming together. She becomes the cause for the depicted unity in the film. It is an irony to see how the women view men as being careless and unimportant for their life. Women in the film are seen as being constantly suppressed and degraded by men in being used only for sexual pleasures.

List of References

Borysenko Joan, (1996). A Woman’s Book of Life: the Biology, Psychology and Spirituality of the Feminine Life Cycle, Riverhead Books.

Estees Pinkola Clarissa, (1997). Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype , Ballantine Books.

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IvyPanda. (2021, November 29). “The Color Purple” by Steven Spielberg: Movie Analysis. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-color-purple-by-steven-spielberg-movie-analysis/

"“The Color Purple” by Steven Spielberg: Movie Analysis." IvyPanda , 29 Nov. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/the-color-purple-by-steven-spielberg-movie-analysis/.

IvyPanda . (2021) '“The Color Purple” by Steven Spielberg: Movie Analysis'. 29 November.

IvyPanda . 2021. "“The Color Purple” by Steven Spielberg: Movie Analysis." November 29, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-color-purple-by-steven-spielberg-movie-analysis/.

1. IvyPanda . "“The Color Purple” by Steven Spielberg: Movie Analysis." November 29, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-color-purple-by-steven-spielberg-movie-analysis/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "“The Color Purple” by Steven Spielberg: Movie Analysis." November 29, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-color-purple-by-steven-spielberg-movie-analysis/.

The Color Purple Essay

Knowledge Title The color purple according to Shug, is a color that God created in order to make his creations happy; but for Celie who’s never noticed the flowers, purple are the bruises in her skin after being beat or the sense of pride that she never believed in. Alice Walker was discovering religion at the time of this book, she believed that the color purple held both of these meanings. “If it is true that we run from that chases us, then The Color Purple (this color that is always a surprise but is everywhere in nature) is the book that ran me down,” ( Alice Walker ). This story is about a woman rediscovering life and religion and the author wanted Celie to express that through the small wonders in nature. Alice Walker and Celie are both …show more content…

It’d kill your mammy.” (The Color Purple 1) This quote is the reader’s introduction to Celie’s abusive childhood. Here, the reader learns that her stepfather is her abuser and why many of her letters are written to God. Unlike the letters that are written to Nettie because of love, Celie writes to God because He is the only one that Celie can tell her story to in moments of need. “My little girl she look up and sort of frown. She fretting over something. She got my eyes just like they is today. Like everything I seen, she see, and she pondering it. I think she mine. My heart say she mine. But I don’t know she mine. If she mine, her name Olivia. I embroder Olivia in the seat of all her daidies...He took the daidies when he took her.” (The Color Purple 13) Olivia in this scene is revealed to be Celie’s daughter from the rape and while Celie portrayed her as if Pa killed her, the reader actually learns that she is alive and well. Even though Celie is slowly becoming numb to the world, she still harbors love for her family which is seen in the bittersweet reunion she has with her daughter. Unlike Mr.__’s children who Celie zones out because of their lack of love towards her, she feels this unconditional love for her little

Equality 7-2521: A Literary Analysis

Throughout history, individuals have shown a trend in escaping situations in which they were in captivity. Similarly, this trend hold true in literature, as well. Alice Walker’s The Color Purple exemplifies this idea, as her protagonist, Celie, escapes from an abusive relationship by the end of the novel. Furthermore, Ayn Rand’s Anthem conveys the same message, for the main character of the novel, Equality 7-2521, eventually leaves the oppressive society in which he grew up.

Celie Greed Quotes

This quote means that Celie is taking the role of her mother, as Celie’s mother is ill and is unable to do what Pa wants, so he turns to Celie. Raping, abusing and making her do work. Celie is a 14-year-old girl living with her sister,

The Color Purple Rhetorical Analysis

Her faith is weakened at a certain point but then she starts to develop a new perception of God, she begins to see God as a universal being with no gender and race who is present everywhere and in everything that we love or do. She is now able to see God through people, nature, sex, and in the color purple. Alice Walker also gave importance to the value of female bonds and relationships or sisterhood as a means of coping and social support against the alienation experienced by Celie and other black female characters in the novel. Celie’s friends, mainly Shug and Sofia helped her to find her voice and stand up for herself. As the novel progresses, Celie develops strength and eventually gains her freedom towards the end.

Alice Walker Obstacles

Alice Walker is considered a Revolutionary for many people because of the struggles she fought through as an African American woman, novelist, and activist living in the mid to late 1900’s. Alice Walker shows how women have struggled in America with having similar and equal rights to white men. She also shows how African Americans struggle with the same problems when it comes to achieving similar or equal rights to a white male. In the novel, “The Color Purple”, written by Alice Walker, the main protagonist, Celie, learns to find her own voice and own self worth through a series of obstacles that she had to overcome throughout her journey; similar to the way Alice Walker also had struggles of being an African American woman during the mid to

Examples Of Sacrifice In The Color Purple

Sacrifice can reveal what people value the most in their life. In the book The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Celie sacrifices her childhood, her education, and her freedom for her sister Nettie. Celie’s sacrifices are not only representative of her value of Nettie, but also of the lack of value she has for herself. Throughout the book, Celie sacrifices the majority of what she has and gets extremely little in return. She never fights for herself and does whatever people ask her.

The Color Purple Book Vs Movie Analysis

In the movie however it doesn't show how close the girls become, and how strong their bond is. One of the main points Shug´s character puts across is how she teaches Celie about herself, like the reader could see Nettie trying to do in the beginning of the story. In the book one of the most important things celie is able to do is stand up for herself, she is able to do this with the guidance and support given to her by shug. In the movie one can only assume Celie finds her strength over time given all the abuse she endures in her childhood, and

God Quotes In The Color Purple

In various works of literature, numerous characters have found solace in believing divine figures. Commonly because said characters have experienced hardships within their personal lives. All of which, could be harmful to one 's mental health. Especially, when one lacks emotional support from her/him peers. Nevertheless, one’s faith in God, tends to give individuals strength to carry on because in countless cultures, God is considered being a symbol of guidance, which serves to people in need.

Verbal Abuse In The Color Purple Essay

Nearly 50% of both men and women in the United States of America have experienced some kind of abuse in their lifetime. Verbal, physical, and sexual abuse are very prominent throughout the novel, The Color Purple, by Alice Walker. Abuse is not only common in the book, but it is also a major issue in the United States and around the world. Verbal abuse is a fairly large part of The Color Purple. Celie tells Mister that she is leaving him to go to Memphis with Shug Avery.

Argumentative Essay On The Color Purple

There’s rape, death, and many other aspects covered in the book. In this first page, readers are immediately met with a rape scene. While this is shocking to many, Celie recovers and gets through it. She was born with all odds against her, but she is a strong and selfless woman. Celie becomes prosperous and content, and the book executes a joyful end that is satisfying.

The Literal Mother Versus The Figurative Mother In The Metaphor By George Wilson

The Literal Mother versus the Figurative Mother: the difference in styles is all that matters “The Metaphor” by George Wilson illustrates two static characters: Miss. Hancock and Charlotte’s mother who both insist on their own principals throughout the story. Clearly, just like Charlotte’s mother, Miss Hancock is loving and caring, such that she renders herself the figurative mother of Charlotte who is respected and loved by her. However, the discrepancy between their styles of expressing their love makes Charlotte to favor Miss Hancock.

The Color Purple Comparison Essay

In the book Celie is a young girl near 20 when she gets married. She is writing letters to God and going through her emotions, thoughts, and feelings on the way. By the end with knowing Shug Avery and Sofia she learns to embrace her womanhood and stands up to Mister. In the end she states, “And us so happy. Matter of fact, I think this the youngest I ever felt.”

Religion In The Color Purple Essay

Dear God. " This captures how religion and spirituality are presented in The Color Purple: a switch from a belief in a single God, which to Celie is portrayed as an old white man in a long beard, into a God that exists all around, and is a part of human happiness. Celie started writing letters to God as a way of escaping and in order to survive her father 's sexual abuse and relies on God as she believes that her sister, Nettie is dead. She later comes to view God as an outgrowth of nature 's beauty, after Shug convinces her that God is more than what white people say, and what church teachings confirm.

Literary Analysis: The Color Purple By Alice Walker

At the end of the book, Celie said that everyone is contented and that she felt younger than ever before; this shows that Celie had dropped her fear and kept her faith. Learning is inevitable. In The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Celie learned a lot of life lessons throughout the novel. She learned to be compassionate by getting the love that she deserved from the people around her, she also learned that forgiving others for their mistakes and dropping her fears will lead to peace and freedom of

Examples Of Feminism In The Color Purple

Introduction 　　　 The Color Purple is a novel written by an American author Alice Walker and was published in 1982. It won numerous awards in literature and film as it had many musical, film and radio adaptations, particularly the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction. It primarily involves the subject of feminism and addresses issues in sexism and racism in the early 20th century in the United States. The story is all about a girl named Celie, a black woman who lives in the Southern part of US.

Sisterhood In Alice Walker's The Color Purple

For example, Celie becomes socially, economically and spiritually free, she sins love, dignity, and respect. This paper has analyzed how the characters in The Color Purple arouse their self-consciousness, through sisterhood and encouragement, love and help from their partners. The author demonstrates how the characters escape degradation caused by mistreatment by men and finally win dignity. The paper recognizes that Celie utilizes sisterhood to gain liberation, sexual identity independence, and freedom.   Works Cited Thyreen, Jeannine. "

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The Color Purple

by Alice Walker

Critical Overview

Since its publication, The Color Purple has aroused critics to both praise and sharply criticize elements in the book. Trudier Harris in Black American Literature Forum criticizes the media for dictating the tastes of the reading public. The book “has been canonized,” she states. It has “become the classic novel by a black woman,” because “the pendulum determining focus on black writers had swung in their favor . . . and Alice Walker had been waiting in the wings of the feminist movement."

Harris contends that the popularity of the book has been harmful because it has created “spectator readers,” and it “reinforces racist stereotypes.” Because of the book’s popularity, Harris maintains that Black women critics are particularly reluctant to find fault with the book, even when they find elements in it disturbing. She also questions the novel’s morality, which other critics praise. “What kind of morality is it that espouses that all human degradation is justified if the individual somehow survives all the tortures and ugliness heaped upon her?” The morality other critics find in The Color Purple , Harris feels, “resurrect[s] old myths about black women.” This critic cites Celie’s response to her abuse as an example of the myth of submissiveness of Black women. She also criticizes the sections dealing with Nettie and Africa because she feels they “were really extraneous to the central concerns of the novel” and accuses Walker of including them “more for the exhibition of a certain kind of knowledge than for the good of the work.” The relationship between Celie and Shug, Harris also felt, was silly. Another criticism Harris has of the book is what she considered its fairy tale element. “Celie becomes the ugly duckling who will eventually be redeemed through suffering,” says Harris. The book, she feels, “affirms passivity . . . affirms silence . . . affirms secrecy concerning violence and violation . . . affirms . . . the myth of the American Dream.” Anyone can achieve “a piece of that great American pie.” Harris accuses the author of preparing “a political shopping list of all the IOUs Walker felt that it was time to repay.” In spite of her sharp criticism of The Color Purple , Harris confesses that she is “caught in a love/hate relationship with” it.

Surprisingly, one of the most positive reviewers of the book was Richard Wesley. Writing in Ms . magazine, Wesley says “As an African-American male, I found little that was offensive as far as the images of black men” as they were portrayed in the book and the film. In his review, Wesley sees the character of Mr. as emblematic of “male privilege. As long as black men seek to imitate the power structure that crushes them . . . and as long as black women submit . . . then the morbid relationship of Celie, the oppressed, and Mr., the oppressed oppressor, will continue to be played out in homes all across America.” In his article, Wesley criticizes those who fault The Color Purple for painting a negative image of Black males. “Walker is airing dirty linen in public. She is reminding many of us men of our own failures. She is reminding women of their failures as well. . . . A lot of people do not want to hear that.” His strong support of the novel concludes his review. “No one in America—and black America, especially—should be telling writers what they may or may not say. Writers are the antennae of any society. They have to speak when others dare not.” Another male writer, J. Charles Washington, writes in Obsidian that Walker is justified in concentrating on female characters, who have been neglected by male writers. It “does not mean that she is anti-male,” he says, “but that she has less time and energy to devote to exploring more fully the problems of men or the common causes of the oppression of both.”

Also writing in Ms ., Gloria Steinem finds much to praise and little to criticize in Walker’s novel. “White women, and women of diverse ethnic backgrounds, also feel tied to Alice Walker. The struggle to have work and minds of our own, vulnerability, our debt to our mothers, the price of childbirth, friendships among women, the problem of loving men who regard us as less than themselves . . . are major themes” of Walker’s writings. “She speaks the female experience more powerfully for being able to pursue it across boundaries of race and class,” Steinem maintains. She finds the author’s storytelling style “irresistible to read.” Countering Trudier Harris’s criticism, Steinem feels pleasure in “watching people redeem themselves and grow.” Its symbolism of purple, Steinem notes, represents “the miracle of human possibilities.”

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"The Color Purple - Critical Overview." Novels for Students, Vol. 5. Gale Cengage, 28 Aug. 2024 <https://www.enotes.com/topics/color-purple/critical-essays/critical-overview>

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Critical Evaluation

The Color Purple

By alice walker, the color purple themes, celie's narrative.

This book is Celie 's narrative. The first line of the novel is the only line of direct speech and the only line which falls outside the framework of the letters written by Celie and Nettie . The presentation of everything is under Celie's control, although she permits Nettie's letters to present Nettie's perspective. It is never made clear whether or not the first line, spoken by Alfonso, has also been written down by Celie before she starts her letter to God or whether it represents another writer’s hand. If it is Celie's doing, she strangely never repeats this way of recording dialogue. It is also strange that the line is in italics, which is a formal, even academic way of drawing attention to a spoken line. Much more likely, someone else has written the line. Perhaps this is the author, Alice Walker herself, signaling that she is present in the novel.

Interestingly, another line appears after Celie’s last letter: "I thank everybody in this book for coming. A.W., author and medium." This last line is an admission by the author that she has indeed been present throughout--and so has the audience, the book's readers. The narrative, though, is Celie's; the author has merely been the medium, the means by which Celie's story is told, in one sense as the author and in another sense as the novel itself. Indeed, the novel is made up most of all by Celie's own writings, which she began out of the necessity of telling her story after being commanded to otherwise be silent. The author also appears to be thanking each character for contributing to the story. The two framing lines highlight Walker's narrative structure, yet what they frame is the world as perceived by Celie.

As the narrative perspective shifts and develops, so too does Celie's view of God. When Celie writes her first letter to God, we have a very limited idea of what she means by God. At first, God is an abstract, authoritative, and dependable figure to whom Celie can share herself. White white skin and a white beard, he will be there for Celie as long as she believes in him. When Celie tells Shug that she will stop writing to God because he does not listen, Shug teaches her something highly significant. Shug does not tell her to imagine a black God instead, nor does Shug simply tell Celie to keep believing anyway because God will return in the way she remembers him. Rather, Shug tells Celie to feel loved by God by being herself. Shug explains that one does not find God in a church but through oneself. This perspective challenges the general view of God in their society, as though God is someone who can be visited or expected to come when called--or as though God is some white old man with a white-grey beard. Shug shows her own love for God by loving the things she has been given. She appreciates the world, from her own sexual ecstasies to the color purple she finds in nature.

For Celie, God moves from being a person to being something (not someone) inside Celie, a goodness that inspires. Celie learns that she writes from her own view of the world and that every view must be challenged and not taken for granted. Whatever people may think about God, whether the Bible says it or not, Celie learns to find her own meaning in God. Throughout her written letters, we see her writing, perhaps rewriting, her world and the divinity it expresses. Still, it is not until the end of the novel that she most fully sees what she has been doing all along: creating her own story. One has a certain power and responsibility in creating a world or judging a world that has been created by oneself or someone else.

Creative expression

When Africans were taken from their homelands to America, they usually were denied education by their slave owners and were not allowed to speak their own languages, instead being forced to speak English. This meant that the slaves had to create their own forms of communication and expression. This is where the African-American oral tradition began, with style and content often rooted in the stories and tales they had grown up with in Africa. They communicated through dance, song, and gesture, passing on their stories of woe and of freedom from one generation to another. In a similar way, although Celie is forced into silence by Alfonso, by writing her letters she engages in creative expression and communication so that her story is received by all her readers. Her example of persistence in writing to God is her way of persistence in being heard, in writing instead of orally. Although she does not realize it at the time, every word she writes is an assertion that she deserves to be heard. Likewise, sister Nettie, who never knows if her letters will reach Celie, writes religiously to her, and their communication is eventually granted to them. This success is an example of the hope in human struggle, providing courage and strength for readers who do not yet feel able to communicate fully with others.

During the novel several characters find their voices and their own expression: Shug recovers from her illness and continues singing, Mary Agnes starts singing and writing songs, Celie and Sofia start off by making quilts, and Celie eventually runs her own business making pants. Starting small, each enterprise is an example of courage and hard work that pays off in the end.

Hope for the next generation

The novel anticipates a brighter day for the black community and for black women in particular. Of all the black families, Samuel and Corrine ’s is the most secure and loving. Celie’s children find their way into the bosom of that family and are protected by it. Their education, with help from Aunt Nettie, allows them to choose at an early age the sort of life they would like to live. Knowing that she does not want to be a subservient wife, Olivia (like Nettie before her) works hard to ensure that she can be independent without a man controlling her life. Within Celie’s family, we can already see change in her children, which opens up endless possibilities for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The white missionary Doris Baines also instills us with hope. Educating her so-called wives in England ensures that another family will be looked after and educated, equipped with the powers to challenge male dominance and racial prejudice. There is also change within the white communities at home. Eleanor Jane loves Sofia as she would a mother, despite her race and because of her care. When she has her son, Sofia comments that when he gets older he will be a problem for her, but we are not inclined to believe her. Sofia may think that this innocent, white, male baby will turn out like all the other white men she has dealt with, but Eleanor Jane demonstrates her hope--with her new perspective and with fresh, forward-oriented thinking--that her son and the next generation will advance in many ways after the struggles of earlier generations.

Female solidarity

At the start of the novel, the young, black female is presented as about the most vulnerable person in society. Celie epitomizes this female: she is abused and denied a voice by her (supposed) father and then by her husband. Along with the racial prejudice young, black women endure, they also tend to struggle against their black, male counterparts. Sofia always fought her brothers, and we see how she has to fight Harpo to assert her equality. Likewise, the Olinka tribe do not believe in educating their women, and although there are no reports of abuse against women by men in Nettie’s letters, female subservience is unchallenged, and the debasing initiation ceremony continues without contest--except from Nettie and her family. Under such conditions, if they want to change the status quo, these women must stick together against male oppression. In fact, the one time that Celie is too disturbed to sleep is when she betrays Sofia by telling Harpo to beat her; the disloyalty to her fellow female is more than she can bear. Usually, however, there is a strong union of support between one woman and another, and this bonding comes from a need to unbalance the male view of themselves that they have total authority over women in their society.

The woman who manages to challenge this male dominance the most is Shug, who asserts her independence by living according to her own laws. It is unsurprising, given the circumstances, that Celie and Shug become involved romantically. Shug is a powerful goddess who refuses to be brought down by men, ever vigilant to maintain the upper hand. Celie is a victim of male abuse who has closed herself off from the possibility of trusting men. When she comforts Harpo, who is crying on the porch, she feels nothing more than she would for a dog. Together, these females free each other: Shug teaches Mary Agnes to sing, Albert’s sister takes Celie shopping when no one else does, Sofia’s sisters look after her children while she is in jail, Nettie writes to Celie and looks after her children for thirty years, Doris Baines sends her "wives" to England for their education, Eleanor Jane cooks nourishing food for Henrietta , and Celie nurses Shug back to health and inspires her songwriting. More than all this, Shug and Celie loves each other with a very strong love born from isolation, desire for something better, and acceptance of one another. By the end of the novel, these women are no longer powerless; they have joined forces and are forging their own lives.

Shug is often described in colorful terms: she is rouged in the photograph Celie first sees of her and twice wears seductive bright red dresses during the course of Celie’s records. She also gives Celie yellow fabric for her quilt. These bright, exuberant colors are full of energy. Contrastingly, the clothes Celie is able to choose from when she goes shopping with Kate are brown, maroon, or navy blue because Kate doesn’t think Mr. ______ will want to pay for her preferred red or purple because they look "too happy." When Mary Agnes first starts writing her own songs, they are songs about color: "they call me yellow/like yellow be my name." As she tries to find her identity apart from her skin color, Mary Agnes explores the shades of color that lie beneath her skin, in her personality--finding these colors within gives her the voice to sing.

When Shug and Celie discuss their idea of God, Shug explains that God is in everything and that God is the beauty in nature. Shug points specifically to "the color purple" (traditionally a color of royalty) and wonders how such a color could grow naturally. Purple seems rare in nature. It as though the color itself were a manifestation of God.

Transcendence and relationships

By the end of the novel Celie has experienced love, started her own business, and learned to accept herself. She is a very different woman from the fourteen-year-old at the beginning. She becomes closer to Mr. ______ through their shared love of Shug and then by their listening to and relating to one another. The lessons both Mr. ______ and Celie learn teach them about themselves, which in turn gives them the confidence to talk to one another without any preconceived ideas of the roles they each fit into. Friendship becomes a vehicle for people to change and grow out of their original selves.

Many of the relationships are disturbed over the course of the novel but are later restored: Sofia returns to her family and to Harpo, Shug returns from her travels with Germaine, and Nettie arrives home with Celie’s children. In these cases, people grow and change separately before coming back together. Although they each travel their own journey and learn their own lessons, when the relationships are restored they are bonded by family and friendships that transcend the pain of the past and the earlier roles that had caused tension.

The Color Purple Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Color Purple is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

How are Shug and Nettie role models for Celie?

In the letter, Celie notes that she sees Nettie as a moral and intellectual role model, whereas, Shug serves as a sexual and emotional mentor. Both characters act as role models, though they do so in completely different ways.

How does Celie betray Sofia?

Celie betrays Sofia when she tells Harpo to beat her.

How does the author present female relationships?

At the start of the novel, the young, black female is presented as about the most vulnerable person in society. Celie epitomizes this female: she is abused and denied a voice by her (supposed) father and then by her husband. Along with the racial...

Study Guide for The Color Purple

The Color Purple is a book by Alice Walker. The Color Purple study guide contains a biography of Alice Walker, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Color Purple
• The Color Purple Summary
• Character List

Essays for The Color Purple

The Color Purple is an epistolary novel by Alice Walker. The Color Purple literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Color Purple by Alice Walker.

• The Color Purple: Literary Techniques Employed by Alice Walker to Develop Celie's Character
• Female Marginalisation Embodied in The Color Purple and The Yellow Wallpaper
• Edith Wharton, Alice Walker, and Female Culture
• Internalization and Externalization of Color in The Bluest Eye and The Color Purple
• Reconciliation Between Public and Private Spheres: Mrs. Dalloway and The Color Purple

Lesson Plan for The Color Purple

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Color Purple
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Color Purple Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Color Purple

• Introduction

Sample details

• Literature,
• Cinematography
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Related Topics

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Character Analysis

• Everyday Use By Alice Walker
• Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Amusing Ourselves to Death
• The Glass Castle

The Color Purple Book vs Film Analysis

The Color Purple by Alice Walker and its movie adaptation directed by Steve Spielberg both tell a story about love and survival between two sisters facing life-threatening challenges. The film largely follows the plot of the novel but simplifies the complexities of the characters, presenting them in a black and white manner. The novel’s first-person narrative allows readers to experience the characters’ thoughts and emotions more intimately, creating complex and rich characters. The film, however, features an outstanding performance by Whoopi Goldberg and beautiful cinematography. The portrayal of women in the film is sympathetic, but the male characters are shown as either bad or stupid, lacking the intricacies of those in the novel. The novel explores the characters’ relationships in-depth, including the abusive relationship between Celie and her husband, Mister. The film includes scenes not in the novel, but these changes were made for thematic purposes. Overall, while the film is faithful to the plot, it fails to capture the depth of the characters and their relationships as depicted in the novel.

The Color Purple By Alice Walker, and the movie The Color Purple, directed by Steve Spielberg, are stories about love and the survival between two sisters. The obstacles that the sisters have to face are very life risking Primary Differences: 1. Characters: With regards to the basic turns of the plot, the film is pretty faithful to the novel. However, when it comes to the complexities of the characters, the film sells the novel short. The film presents things in a very black and white manner, while the novel is all about the various shades of gray which exist in the relationships between the characters.

For the book, the first person narrative related by Celie through a series of letters cuts straight to the heart. We’re brought directly into her thoughts as she experiences incredible hardship and, every once in a while, moments of supreme joy. The characters created by Alice Walker are so rich and deep that even those who do bad things are not simplified to the point where they can be called “villains. ” For the film, the first and foremost, the film has the absolutely stellar central performance by Whoopi Goldberg.

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It’s a soulful portrayal completely lacking in vanity; one of the very best ever captured on film. Also of note is the film’s beautiful cinematography, particularly during the scene which inspires the title. The women in this film are portrayed in a way that is nothing but sympathetic, but these portrayals come at the expense of the male characters that are shown in one of two ways: bad and cruel, or good and stupid. The relationships between men and women in the film are universally portrayed as bad, in one way or another, and stripped of the intricacy with which they were granted in Walker’s novel.

The relationships in the novel are not nearly so simplistic or cut and dried, even the abusive relationship between Celie and her husband, Mister. The female characters make the transition from page to screen largely unscathed, but by sacrificing the complexities of the male characters, the film makes them seem less human and robs the story of some of its depth. 2. Plot: In the novel Celie writes letters back to Nettie, but in the movies Celie does not write back. One more difference is how in the novel Shug asked, “How your god like? ” and in the movie Shug and Celie do not even talk about god. Walker, 201). God plays a big role in book because all of Celie’s letters are addressed to God, but in the movie Celie just has faith in God that she can survive. The movie does not show any point of veiw shots. However, like the book, there were times which you would hear Celie say “dear God”. There are also several scenes in the film that are not in the novel. For example, the dramatic scene where Mr. throws Nettie out of his house and the scene where Celie is brushing Shug’s hair and she comes up with her song. I think the changes were made for thematic purposes more than anything else.

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Book review of the color purple by alice walker.

“Harpo say, I love you, Squeak. He kneel down and try to put his arms round her waist. She stand up. My name Mary Agnes, she say. ”-This passage is from Celie’s forty-first letter. Squeak has just returned from an unsuccessful attempt to release Sofia from prison. The prison warden raped Squeak, and she returns

Literary Analysis of The Color Purple by Alice Walker

American Culture

Alice Walker has written of unfairness in many manners ; Celia 's battles with her hubby in The Color Purple ; Olivia 's unfairness of female Circumcision in Olivia ; and the Old Woman in The Welcome Table. Her unfairness was non simply racial but besides classist. The Old Woman is a reminder to the

Character Analysis of Celie, the Color Purple Sample

Bing a black female in the South during the early 1900’s. at a clip when white and inkinesss were socially segregated and adult females were perfectly inferior to work forces. was one of the many challenges Celie would be faced with in her life-time. Born in 1895. Celie was raised on a farm in a

The Color Purple overview

This novel and movie depicts the life journey of a woman and her sister and there for takes place in different locations. Three main locales are Atlanta, Georgia, Memphis, and Tennessee and the Olinka Village in Monrovia, Africa. (In the early to late 1900’s) The main characters of this novel and movie are Celie: the

The Color Purple Letters 1-11 Reading Response

American Literature

In The Color Purple, Celie, the main character, expresses her emotions by writing letters to God. She turns to her "diary" as she lacks someone to confide in. Despite facing numerous hardships such as abuse from her stepfather and spouse, Celie demonstrates incredible resilience. The novel depicts a situation where Celie's husband desires to marry

Essay- The Color Purple

Book Review

A symbol of freedom and autonomy. individualism yet togetherness ; the American Flag has presented an image of America for decennaries. Ever since Francis Scott Key wrote his verse form about the “broad chevrons and bright stars. ” the United States of America has been marked with this simple. yet limpid icon of peace and

Self and Identity in The Color Purple and The Bluest Eye.

Providing an in depth analysis of these texts, this essay attempts to illustrate how both of these Afro-American writers depict and resolve their respective protagonists' struggles. Religion is believed by many to serve as a means to achieving or finding self or identity. However, in the Euro-influenced Christian religion especially, directly after 'finding one's self,

American Dream in The Color Purple Research Paper

American Psychological Association books

The Color purple was an entertaining novel about a young black girlstruggling to survive in a harsh world. Her name was Celie, and through outher life she was abused in many ways. If any one is competent andcourageous in this world it would be Celie. After her mother passed away, she had nothing left but her

The Power of Words: Exploring Quotes from “The Color Purple”

Alice Walker

The Color Purple

A moving book about African American women in the early 20th century is "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker. Walker creates memorable characters and a gripping narrative throughout the book. The hardships, tenacity, and development of the characters are shown in "The Color Purple" chapters. This article explores the connections between identity, empowerment, love, and

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Halloween colors: The history and meaning behind orange and black

It's Halloween season, and if it's your favorite time of year, then there's a good chance you're already contemplating what to wear to this year's costume party and planning a list of Halloween activities to make the most of every minute.

Between carving your jack-o'-lantern , stocking up on candy for trick-or-treaters and outfitting your home with fake cobwebs, there's simply not a moment to spare between now and October 31 .

If your heart beats black and orange, then you may be curious to know why those two hues are considered Halloween colors and how they've come to represent the year's spookiest holiday .

And it's not just those two colors either. Green and purple have also been added to the mix, and a lot of people automatically associate the shades with Halloween , much like red and green have come to symbolize Christmas.

To find out more about orange, black, green and purple and why they've become the unofficial colors of Halloween , TODAY.com asked a handful of experts to weigh in with their thoughts.

Halloween Colors and Meaning

Orange and black.

While it might seem that black and orange have been around forever as the “official” colors of Halloween, that’s not the case, according to Lisa Morton , author of “Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween.”

“In the first few years of the 20th century, there were party guides being published that called yellow and brown Halloween’s colors, thanks to the holiday’s association with the fall harvest,” Morton tells TODAY.com, adding that yellow was for corn or maize and brown was for hay and dried husks.

However, through the years orange has come to dominate the holiday color scheme give its relationship to Halloween's unofficial mascot: the pumpkin.

According to Morton, carving jack-o'-lanterns became integrated into U.S. culture around 1910, when pumpkins quickly became the “undisputed king of Halloween” due of their prominence on postcards and in advertising.

As for black? Morton believes it's evolved from some of the common Halloween associations many people already have, including bats and black cats.

Purple and green

Purple and green have crept into the Halloween palette over later decades. Morton believes the introduction of green may have been inspired by the emerald complexions of witches in film — notably, Margaret Hamilton’s turn as the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 classic film “The Wizard of Oz.”

“Before that, witches were typically shown with just human skin tones and dressed in red,” explains Morton.

Color expert Kate Smith wrote about the significance of purple on her website : “Purple has long been associated with wealth and royalty, as purple dye was precious and expensive. If green is the color of spring, then purple conjures up autumn, fading light, and shorter days.” 

Smith also noted that the rich color is “associated with an escape from reality and magical images.”

According to Amber Dunford, style director at Bed Bath & Beyond, purple evokes mystery and spirituality, which complements our modern interpretation of Halloween. Green is at the opposite end of the color wheel, making it a nice contrast to purple.

“These cooler color additions balance out the warmth of the orange, harmonizing the two color temperatures nicely,” Dunford tells TODAY.com.

The psychology of color

“Color is the first thing we assess when viewing an object, making it one of the most powerful and memorable design aspects from a psychological perspective,” Dunford says.

People often react to color before they even respond to an object’s shape, texture or scale. “This tendency makes color a very powerful tool in marketing and one that becomes difficult to look past once it becomes ingrained in our psyche,” she adds.

Whether you prefer the classic Halloween colors or enjoy the expanded palette that includes green or purple, one thing’s for sure: When you see these shades, you’ll think of Halloween.

Barbara Bellesi Zito is a freelance writer based in New York City. She covers home & lifestyle topics for a variety of digital publications. Her debut novel is due out later this year and she’s at work on her second.

Sarah is a lifestyle and entertainment reporter for TODAY who covers holidays, celebrities and everything in between.

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The Afterlives of Audre Lorde

The feminist thinker is celebrated as a prophet of empowerment and self-care. A new biography shows how she saw our future even more keenly.

Lorde in 1983. Credit... Jack Mitchell/Getty Images

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By J Wortham

Jenna “J” Wortham is a staff writer for the magazine. They spent the summer researching the prismatic afterlives of Audre Lorde and traveled to Durham, N.C., to spend time with her newest biographer, the poet Alexis Pauline Gumbs.

• Aug. 22, 2024

Even if you don’t know who Audre Lorde is, you’ve probably encountered her ideas in the world or, at the very least, scrolled past them on social media. Lines from her poems and essays are just as likely to appear in an Instagram post as on a protest sign or in a pamphlet for an academic conference: “We were never meant to survive.” “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” “Your silence will not protect you.”

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Lorde’s most oracular line, however, is not as popular, though she said it frequently into her later years. “What I leave behind has a life of its own.” She knew that her work was shifting consciousness. Expanding it. And that it would outlive her.

Lorde rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s as one of the most lauded thinkers and multigenre writers of her time. She penned ferocious essays on lesbian parenting and healing Black self-hatred. She traveled extensively and wrote about what she saw, connecting the struggles of Black women living under apartheid in South Africa to the United States’ invasion of Grenada and articulating new visions of feminism. She insisted that the women’s movement consider the needs and political realities of Black women and that the Black nationalist and civil rights movement address its homophobia and not ignore its gay and lesbian brethren.

Lorde brought her entire self to any setting that she was in. In 1982, at age 48, she published “Zami,” a genre-fluid memoir that detailed her coming of age as a lesbian in downtown New York in the 1950s and the relationships that shaped her consciousness as an adult. Lorde described herself as a “Black lesbian feminist warrior poet” as a means of making all her identities known simultaneously. She made the road as she walked it.

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